Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

44 reviews

elle_mv's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

marrowandmoss's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What a joy of a read! This was such a beautiful book, some of the loveliest writing I've come across in a long while. The characters are tragic, their love a queer island amidst two distinct histories wrought with pain, abuse, the torture of birth and death and love; a rose amongst the bramble of the world. 

It is extremely gory, but it never inspires revolt. Instead it's a beautiful juxtaposition of the flowery language of the text with the ugliness of what is being described. The violence is ethereal in a way only befitting the fairy tales which birthed this story. 

Truly, I cannot recommend it enough. My favorite description in the book:
"I look to the tree line where the pines stand like a tribunal in judgement. Sunlight breaks itself upon their branches, and the world beneath them is stark, no color at all, a chiaroscuro of midnight and salt."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Kidnapping

gossamer_lens's review

adventurous dark tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I just... so good. I loved it. The ending wasn't how I would have wanted it ended... but reflecting on it, it was perfectly satisfying, well-written and enjoyable. It was very Neil Gaiman esq in the way the plot progressed and the whole vibe was a fun dark and mysterious thing. I went into it expecting more horror/thriller which it wasn't. But I kinda loved it for that. It feels like something that will sit in my brain for longer due to what it actually is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

bananavana's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Medical content

Minor: Confinement and Kidnapping

allylujah's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

4.0

An incredibly visceral experience

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Vomit and Kidnapping

Minor: Miscarriage

jvbook_reader's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Confinement and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape

justjai's review against another edition

dark 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? N/A

5.0

This book at first took a bit to get into. The prose reminded me of bramble off to the side of an unbroken path, me getting caught every once in a while. But I carried on, the story felt a bit distant, but I loved the language and the bits of lore, gore and fantasy woven into it. It’s short page length definitely helped in my enjoyment of this the story told in this style.

This book lent me it's words for a few evenings and I enjoyed each one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

elliottcrow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

savshelfinger's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping

jdieperink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism