Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Girl in The Tower by Katherine Arden

77 reviews

teganbeesebooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual assault

pnonikki's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexism, Animal death, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Infertility

hilwithonel's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If you are like me, on the fence about picking this up after reading the first book of the series, READ IT. Genuinely so much better than the first book.

The perfect blend of beautiful prose, engaging folklore, and well paced action. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Child death

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Kidnapping

Minor: Blood and Violence

skelleybean's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, War, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Violence, Misogyny, Body horror, and Alcohol

olivia_piepmeier's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Like the first book, this is a great winter read - so easy to fall into the world that's also in the midst of winter, and oddly comforting for the bitterness of winter to be relayed in what you're reading. I'm also rather impressed I didn't feel like I was missing anything having read the other book nearly a year ago. Folks that think "winter fairy tale in medieval Russia with some gender commentary" sounds good will dig it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Child death, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical trauma, War, Kidnapping, Slavery, Murder, Gore, Confinement, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent and Vomit

vistacanas's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

“Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen. Decide as seems best, one course or the other; each way will have its bitter with its sweet.”

Disclaimer: I’m not a fan of fantasies or series.

So, why would I read the second book in this series about medieval Russia that is a mix of fantasy and reality?

Because the main character is a witch, of course. And, because I liked the first book (The Bear and the Nightingale) well enough to read the second. 

I don’t know what it was (or wasn’t) about this book…it was yet another one that had all the elements I usually love (history, a strong female lead, good writing), but I just couldn’t get into it. My theory is that Russian history and culture just isn’t my thing. It might also be that I find it annoying when the main character is immature and constantly messes shit up. 😆 

Honestly, if all things Russian and pagan float your boat, I’d recommend this to you! 

Now that I’ve read two of the three books in the series, of course, I have to read the third…after some time passes, so my attitude improves 😄

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Violence, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, and Pregnancy

jenny_d's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child death

Moderate: Slavery

magicsarah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Violence, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Trafficking, and Animal death

basil_touche's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I'd say that this is even better than the first book. No word is wasted here, yet it paints such a vivid and clear story of a girl fighting for her freedom in a period that denies her that, while also trying to keep what family she has left in Moscow safe from those who seek to use her to gain power. 

Also learned some things about Medieval Russia, the whole narrative feels very well researched in that regard.

It was also quite neat to see more of the mythical beings of Russian Folklore in this, but I feel that they don't appear as much as in the first novel. However, with this story leaving certain threads unanswered, I feel that the last book of the trilogy will feature more of them while also revealing what has been hidden under the surface the last two books. I eagerly anticipate reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and War

Moderate: Xenophobia, Grief, and Self harm

Minor: Slavery

nightmarebees's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

only got better after book one. medieval gender politics? old world pagan religion versus imperial christianity? and i’m such a sucker for an immortal slowly reverting to humanity when they catch feelings for a mortal. vasya has made it to my top 15 fave book protagonists and i have no idea what i’m in for on book three.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage and Child death

Minor: Animal death