Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

38 reviews

llcardenas's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Confinement, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Death, and Child abuse

thevanessa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Definitely not the same as the Cruel Prince, but it still had that fairytale essence that I love. But with that being said, I really did miss my conniving little Queen, Jude, though. I felt like it really lacked that element of gray, that Jude always gave; the one that always kept you on your toes and on the edge of your seat in suspense, questioning where it would lead and how it would end, so I didn’t read it as quickly as I did with the Folk of the Air trilogy. I do really love Oak and Wren though, enough so that I’m gonna ignore the fact that I figured out the whole plot in the first few chapters😅

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Slavery, Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Murder, Torture, Child abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use

rory18's review

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

Only took off a quarter star because there was some weird nonsensical tense-switching. (At least in the audiobook)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Ableism, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Torture, Blood, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: War, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

Minor: Sexual assault, Animal death, and Sexual content

The abuse Wren goes through really has ABA/abuse of an autistic person vibes, and she's autistic coded IMO even if it's not explicit.

starrywrxtes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

THIS DAMN BOOK. Wren is my love, I will defend her always 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Gore, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, War, Torture, and Violence

may4la's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: War, Violence, Slavery, and Self harm

Minor: Cannibalism

stewartj0421's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• 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

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing and Confinement

steen19's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood and Confinement

isfantasi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Gore, Drug use, Torture, Confinement, War, Slavery, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Cannibalism, and Child death

picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Animal death

themichellegray's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.0

An average spin-off to The Folk of the Air trilogy that seemed only to be written as a way to capitalize off its predecessor's success. While this story added more lore to Faerieland's monarchy and explored the repercussions of a changeling's upbringing, there are far too many critiques to be ignored.

First and foremost, Oak's characterization was so wildly unbelievable compared to the beloved child we met in TFOTA. I understand this book takes place 8 years after QON and Oak has been forced into a dangerous position but there wasn't even a hint of the wholesome little boy we once knew. Nine year old Oak refused to learn proper swordplay and never showed an ounce of romantic interest in then-bridled Queen Suren. Holly Black simply copy and pasted Cardan's characterization onto Oak's teenage personality but toned down the cruelty/hatred.

Wren's storyline held so much promise since she had such a heartbreaking past to explore. Unfortunately, her characterization became convoluted amongst her confusing decisions and the forced romance. I never became invested in Wren because it felt as-if Holly Black didn't know how to explore the multi-faceted narrative when she's so accustomed to writing bad-ass female leads.

I went into this book expecting the author's clever twists and schemes but instead received a slow-paced quest and predictable ending. It wasn't as bad as the Modern Faerie Tales but nowhere near as captivating as The Folk of the Air trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual assault, War, and Vomit