Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

10 reviews

how_sweet_the_sound's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

This book is very different from the rest of the Graceling realm series, especially with it’s multiple POVs, but it’s a beautiful story of love for each other and for one’s country as Bitterblue wants to continue to right the wrongs done to Monsea and Lovisa wants to right the wrongs done to herself and her family.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, War, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Murder, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I put off reading this for such a long time because I didn’t think anything could live up to the original trilogy but I regret that choice. Cashore expands the world and builds the characters deftly while dealing with some heavy and serious topics with nuance and care. 

I was warned about the parents and wow I did not expect it to go like it did and how it evolved

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Classism

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.

themoodreader's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Confinement, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Vomit

kbairbooks's review

At first when I started reading I thought okay wrap it’s been years since this author added to this world makes sense it would be in the same POV but im 19% and I have no idea what’s going on and this mother is horribly abusive and I can’t stand another moment plus I don’t care what’s going on. Not enough intrigue perhaps? I don’t know I don’t want to continue reading. This book is putting me in a bad mood. Also the addition of sexual things was not a bonus in the story in fact it made me quite uncomfortable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual content

elle_dee's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, War, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Death of parent

darth_twain's review

adventurous emotional sad 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? It's complicated

2.5

If you are a fan of other YA fantasy novels, then you will enjoy the story of this book. Be aware of adult content that is not appropriate for young readers. I enjoyed the story but will be throwing the book away before I have children of my own who could stumble across this book and read adult content slipped into a YA story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

claudiamacpherson's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

Queen Bitterblue is on her way to Winterkeep, a distant nation that was only recently discovered by the Monseans, when she is thrown overboard. She is rescued by mysterious sea creatures, only to find herself held captive. Meanwhile, Giddon, Hava, and the rest of the Monsean crew reach Winterkeep, heartbroken at the loss of their queen. There, they encounter the bitter antagonism between Winterkeep’s two primary political parties over the issue of zilfium, an important fuel that could potentially boost the economy but cause environmental devastation. Lovisa is the daughter of two of the most prominent politicians in each party, but she is not so sure that either side has it right. Politics, family, magic, and loyalty: Winterkeep has it all. 

Kristin Cashore’s Graceling has been one of my favorite fantasy books since I read it back in 2012 or so, and I have avidly consumed every other book she has published since then. I love how she has continued to expand on the Graceling realm, adding new characters, countries, and magical creatures. The worldbuilding was definitely my favorite aspect of this book; Cashore always comes up with the most unique and interesting creatures and powers. I absolutely adored the blue foxes (I would die for Ad), as well as the silbercows and the legends of the mysterious “Keeper.” I thought that the story was less engaging than Cashore’s other Graceling  novels, because the pace of the plot was sacrificed to make way for a lot of new worldbuilding. The politics, while fairly relevant to real, modern issues, were also less enjoyable to read about. I also felt that the romance in this book wasn’t as compelling as some of Cashore’s other pairings.

Bitterblue and Giddon are a perfectly fine couple, but just didn’t have the same spark that I’m used to seeing in Cashore’s writing. Maybe it was the friends-to-lovers trope (which I usually don’t mind… as long as it’s done well), or the age gap (which I, personally, strongly dislike, though I know it doesn’t bother lots of people). Whatever it was, I just didn’t care as much about the two of them ending up together. Now Lovisa and Nev, on the other hand… I hope we get another installment just so I can see those two fall in love, because they clearly should!

Side note: I saw someone mention how they appreciated the way Cashore started including explicit descriptions of each character’s skin color as soon as you meet them, and after that I couldn’t help but notice it! It never felt awkwardly tacked on and flowed nicely with the story while also making sure that the diversity of skin color was clear and obvious to everyone.

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending):

Happy! And even better, definitely room for another sequel!

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, and Kidnapping

Minor: Animal cruelty and Blood

bi_n_large's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Blood and Violence

nyssbomb's review

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Grief, and Blood