Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott

4 reviews

aceofknives's review

adventurous emotional medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Colonisation, Medical content, Alcohol, Violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Sexism

readiac1999's review

adventurous emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I almost passed this book over given the other reviews but I'm so glad I didn't! I can understand the frustration with the writing given that it was at times a bit vague but based on the approach that the book is trying to take of creating a plausible narrative for an uncovered artifact it's remarkably told. Her acknowledgements show she was clearly wedded to telling an approximately accurate story. The vagueness, I think is Stott not wanting to veer too far away from the little that is known about this period. A remarkable work of critical fabulation about a period that I would not have otherwise cared to read about! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

angryglitterwitch's review

dark informative mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

The writing wasn't great but it was very readable and enjoyable - I finished it in one day. I wish the background characters had been as fleshed out as Isla, even Blue seemed a bit underdeveloped. It was thoroughly researched and I enjoyed the threads of reuse/blending of the physical environment and mythology by the characters. The hook was great, it was just a bit lacking in realisation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Animal death, Slavery, and Sexual violence

victoriafrombookclub's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

2.75

The blend of history and folklore is really intriguing, and I very much enjoyed the centrality ofIsisterhood. I did find the writing to be more telling than showing. The characters didn't feel developed enough to me.

For example, Isla is so determined that she is the curse and that she needs to leave everyone. While she does have a mysterious dream of her mother, it seems very sudden that she gives up her convictions. I wanted more of the emotional processing that went in to her realizing that she didn't have to sacrifice herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Slavery and War