Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

10 reviews

beary_bookwormish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense slow-paced

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

4.25

As always Miss Cashore spends a wonderful yarn. I love that her characters have a lot of depth and they are very human. It's a fantasy without it being too fantastical. The characters are very flawed.

The character Lavesa is extremely complicated. She has so many things going on and she is always trying to figure out something, about someone or something. Her mind is constantly in overdrive. Her journey is very different that's the best way to put it. I was really surprised about the promiscuity of the main character Lavesa she had no Scruples whatsoever which was surprising.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Gaslighting, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Sexual content

gen_nh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Grief

imds's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Death, Torture, Emotional abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Grief

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

I love the additions to the Graceling world in this book! I especially enjoyed the Keeper(?) perspective and the interactions with the silbercows. I also thought that Lovisa as a character was very complex, and it was refreshing to see a teen in YA acting like a teenager instead of a small adult. very excited to pick up the next installment! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Confinement, Death, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Drug use, Animal death, and Death of parent

ckdan's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Violence, and Murder

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Confinement, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Blood, War, Bullying, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Vomit, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture

Drowning. Slut shaming. Starvation. Relationship between characters who are currently both adults, but almost definitely met when one was around 10 and the other was an older teenager/adult.

g_c_geeks's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

Love this series and really enjoyed seeing an expansion of the world we already knew of. 
The addition of a new magic system and whole new set of political relations was really cool. I am always a fan of political intrigue. 
I also really enjoy the different approaches to relationships that all the characters have, and I particularly enjoyed the difference in attitudes regarding sex. It’s really cool to see these topics discussed, however briefly, in YA. 

However I do think the pacing was a little off in this book. Some plot lines were dragged out too much, others not enough. I also think the structure could be improved upon with a multiple POV story because it was not as clear as it could have been. And the switching of the POVs was not always at the best time imo. 

Omg also I’m so confused at who has what skin colour in these books. Maybe I’m just dumb or maybe it’s because of conflicting cover art but I stg some characters were described as very pale and now all of a sudden they have brown skin?? I now just look at fanart and trust the general consensus there haha but ig the character descriptions do confuse me sometimes. 

Overall I still enjoyed it and will pick up the next book when it comes out. Just probably won’t reread this one as much as the others, particularly Graceling and Fire. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

cepbreed's review

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

4.25

I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF I TOTALLY CALLED IT AFTER READING THE LAST BOOK!!!

Bitterblue and Giddon have my entire heart and each chapter of longing and want made me fall for them more. The pining was beautifully done and the set up in the last book, even if unintentional, made them an instant favorite of mine. Soulmates don't always need to find each other immediately they just need to have their "its always been you" moment.

God I love Cashore's ability to flesh out characters in her entirely unique way. Each interaction is purposeful, each conversation adds layers to the personal narratives of the characters involved, it's masterful. I've never felt so close to a character in a fantasy novel as I do with Lovisa. She is remarkable and vulnerable. Just that is enough to inspire me. Thank you Kristen Cashore for this series that I never thought I'd love so hard. I'd like to travel back in time and simultaneously punch and hug the person I was when I picked up the first book. She was naive in expressing a dislike for the series, but wise to continue on despite that initial opinion. I'll remember these books forever.

Ranking of the books: Bitterblue, Winterkeep, Fire, Graceling

Song: 

• Mirrorball - Taylor Swift

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Stalking, Torture, Classism, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Confinement, Grief, Trafficking, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, and Misogyny

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use and Infidelity

alexander_pendragon's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

currently I can't remember enjoying a book this much

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Death, Torture, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

harrownova's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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: Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Mental illness