Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

9 reviews

ellornaslibrary's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Violence, and War

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Slavery

Minor: Alcohol

This book. . . how do I put into words how much I adore this book. I am baffled that I had not heard about this book sooner given the absolutely amazing disability/chronic pain rep to be found within it. Not just the side characters, no, but the main characters too. I was floored. And it wasn't just one type of disability experience, but people that had different disabled experiences. Found within the pages there's great mental health rep and LGQBTIA+ rep too. On top of this are a variety of well-written characters, including the side characters who feel beautifully fleshed out, and the brilliant unveiling of a fascinating world. I could not stop reading this book and want more. So much so I'm re-reading it this month(April) on audiobook just so I can read the sequel sooner as my ebook hold still has like 7 weeks to go cause people are realizing what I did: this book is amazing. Anyways, while I wanted to write a more involved review, I forgot I hadn't gotten around to it so instead this babbling mess of me gushing at 3am is the best I can do. I'll write something better at a later date.

picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child death, Murder, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Blood, War, and Sexual content

Minor: Ableism and Child abuse

tkatt20's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

I picked this book up on a whim and I ended up being genuinely surprised by how much I liked it! I was a little worried after reading some of the other reviews that I would also find that it was too slow paced and that the amount of characters were overwhelming, but I actually feel the opposite about it. It was a tad on the slow side in the beginning, but after finishing it I feel like it was necessary to really set up the world and the story without being overwhelming. Even when it did lag a bit, the last 20% more than makes up for it and actually solidified that this was a much better book than i was giving it credit for. Plus, a majority of the characters that were introduced I can absolutely forsee making a huge difference in the rest of this series as it continues. Other than that, the writing was amazing, there was great representation, and I love love loved the characters. So, take my recommendation and read this book!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, and Gore

Moderate: War and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual content and Religious bigotry

hardbackhoarder's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Self harm, War, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality

theothergrl's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Amazing representation of disabled characters and races, as well as casual queerness in that all main characters are queer without it being the main focus of the book! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent

Minor: War

mattiedancer's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

4.25

Writing: 4⭐️/5 

The writing in this novel is strong in some sections and adequate in others. I thought the descriptions were strong, the world-building strong, but portions of the book dedicated to emotions or the inner turmoil of characters could sometimes fall flat in comparison to everything else. Similarly, the dialogue, especially at the beginning, felt forced, attempting to craft a badass female MC, but it came off a little cringe-y.

Characters: 3.75⭐️/5

Listen. I love the badass female protagonist as much as the next gal, but I felt a bit forced by Kaner to accept our MC’s badassery. She was in your face, blunt, and sassy to the point of disinterest, seemingly cutting elements from the typical badass female character and pasting it onto the page. Similarly, Elo’s determination to be a pouty ex-soldier with a chip on his shoulder reads similarly. His broody demeanour felt broody for no reason other than to be broody, and I was happy when he started to develop into something more. 

Now, that being said, nearly everyone else was so fascinating to read about. The gods and their desire to have gifts. The young King and his suspiciously timed mission. The young girl who is plagued with a god of white lies. That god of white lies and his desire to undo the hurt he causes. If the two main characters had hit a stronger stride earlier, this could have easily been a five.

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5 

The plot – and the world it takes place in – are instantly fascinating. We have a world, once overcome with gods and their patrons, now devoid of them. We have a quest to find the lost gods, and an attempt to untie a small god from the girl it wound itself around. I loved the story and I was fascinated at nearly every turn to understand and read about the next exciting moment, the next beautiful description, the next intriguing turn. 

Who Should Read This Book? 

• Fans of older young adult fiction looking for a brilliant fantasy world
• Those who LOVE the badass female protagonist
• Fantasy readers looking for plot and world-building over writing

Content Warnings? 

• Death, fire, fire injury, murder, stalking, gaslighting, confinement, toxic relationship, toxic friendship, violence, injury, blood, injury detail, death of parent, death of child, war, sexism, sexual content, 

Post-Reading Rating:  4.5⭐️/5

Fascinating. If I had the second, I would have started reading immediately.

Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Sexism, Death, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Sexual content

katvou's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Outing

Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Animal death, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Grief, Medical content, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content and Toxic friendship

miraclesnow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow wow wow wow. 

This was a surprising book. I wasn’t sure how much I would connect to the characters, which was obviously the only draw as most of this book is just getting to know them and understanding their place in this world. Each character is very flawed, and this first book was obviously them getting over their growing pains being around other people. Each one has been alone in their own way. It wasn’t too slow as they always were actively chasing their goals and doing something, but you have to be ok with the journey and not the destination. 

And boy was the destination something. Backstabs, betrayals, another b word I can’t mention because that would be a spoiler!

I think with what we’ve been given so far, and with some more pages (Cmon Hannah, the next book is gonna have to be chonkier) I think we’re seeing the start of a very interesting new fantasy series. 
I hope with all my heart it grows to be bigger and more powerful than Skedi is. This review will be my offering for that wish to come to fruition.

And I gotta love me a badass

para-abled

bi queen. 

(I put in child abuse & emotional abuse as a catch all for

manipulation of a minor via magic

. It was deeply disturbing to me and the only moment I feel that was truly deserving of the adult categorization.)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, War, and Sexual content

luckylulureads's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Violence, War, Animal death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Grief, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Infertility