Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

8 reviews

th3bookthief's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Pandemic/Epidemic, Outing, Death, Homophobia, Torture, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, Infidelity, Gore, Murder, War, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Injury/Injury detail

erincdalt's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

It's okay. I found it enjoyable enough to finish. I wish there was some more depth and development in Alessandra's relationships. 

There are four parts to the novel and I wish it had been broken up and developed separately. There are interesting plot points that feel rushed over to get to the end. 

Some recommend skipping the forward but I liked trying to figure out how Alessandra will end up where she does. Although the intrigue of the forward doesn't match the satisfaction of the end. 

There were some parts that are icky by today's standards so check content warnings. 

If you're interested in historical fiction I highly recommend The Book of Longings, Song of Achilles, or Circe. 

This book feels like The Book of Longings meets the Bridgerton series. Do with that information what you will.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child death

willowshelter's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Homophobia, Gore, Body horror, and Death

espbear's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Colonisation, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Medical trauma, Blood, Death, Infidelity, Excrement, Self harm, War, Body horror, and Suicide

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

It was rather boring and seemingly had no plot all of part one. The most interesting part was the prologue also there was a very graphic sex scene that was not pleasurable for anybody involved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Racism, Slavery, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual content

zko's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Death and Child death

alys055's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

contre_qui's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

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

1.5

It was fine. I was just expecting more. The view of queer/mlm relationships was bizarre to say the least. I thought the protagonist would maybe learn something about her views - and she kinda did, in that she decided being gay wasn't an outright sin - but she really didn't. It seemed more like a vehicle for her to make excuses about her own piety (or lack thereof) and extramarital relationships. There was also a disgustingly awkward, graphic sex scene. It was a rather dry book with a very odd take on queerness. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Clearly a book for straight women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Murder

There is a very graphic sex scene between a gay man and a straight woman. It's painful to read, probably intentionally, but there was a lot of detail. There is also a childbirth scene that's decently graphic/detailed, as well.