Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

42 reviews

salewis224's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was so tremendously innovative. It turned out to be an entirely different experience than I thought it would be, in a great way.  While I never ended up “liking” or relating well to any of the characters, I was fully invested in their fates. The author does an incredible job mashing genres together, which led to a magical, but thought provoking story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

allthefelicia's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

coltonchase's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

The book has themes of genocide and also has a section of the book with the setting in an ongoing riot status. There is a scene that’s a sexual assault. Complicity in institutional segregation and genocide is the major theme of the book.

bookish_panda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“Maybe it would be a hundred generations before the sun rose on a life of dignity for their descendants, but the worthwhile run was not the sprint.”

What a masterful story. Heartbreaking and so necessary in these times. It was difficult to read sections of this book knowing how close it is to what has and still is going on in today’s world. As sad as the ending was (I’m still crying) it was perfect and hopeful. 

The author portrayed the toxicity of patriarchy, colonialism and, above all, white feminism/fragility to such a perfect degree. I feel like everyone should read this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicide

thenoboshow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

princess_azula's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Infertility, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Deportation

wearingmywings's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage

bluuj2's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this book because someone in booktok recommended it if you were a fan of the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I can understand why and I’m glad I decided to give it a try.

While’s it’s certainly not the same world/setting, there are laws of alchemy such as you can’t create something from nothing. So the law of equivalent exchange reigns supreme and this has a unique take on how this is achieved.

Wang has a way of entrancing me in her writing and world building. It’s excellent detail but not too much that you’re overwhelmed. At times, the dialogue/debate pieces were a bit too lengthy for my taste, but I understand why they were included. This truly was the only thing keeping it from a solid 5/5 for me. (Which I actually had 4.75 but I think it’s more like a 4.9, so a 5/5 it is!)

I finished this book with a week and that’s uncommon for me, so it speaks to the greatness of this book and characters in it! 10/10 recommend!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, and Vomit

magicalshelves's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault