Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Book of Night by Holly Black

22 reviews

jesshart8's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, and Drug use

em_aune's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Such a good read! Complex characters, a super unique system of magic, and a bit of a mystery. Loved it and can’t wait for more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence and Vomit

aliciaw's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

The volume of telling, not showing especially in the first half of the book was too much. I wasn't rooting for Charlie and her character development felt pretty flat. Perhaps in part it was that app name dropping happened without any necessity: Facebook, YouTube, Patreon, Slack, Zoom.. all of these could have been written in a way that won't require the reader to be aware of the apps. It dates the book and requires the reader to be aware of these things as they are now regardless of when they pick up the book or any familiarity with them. Urban Fantasy with a robust magic system and morally ambiguous characters can be made without need to change things in any reprints due to the rate of change in technology. The premise was good, but the execution could have been tightened up and more time spent on the magic system. It needed a better ratio of showing over telling. I had to push myself to keep reading it because if this had been my introduction to the author, I would have dnf'd it by around the 20% mark. I don't know if I'll pick up anything else in the series but this was a miss for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

Really interesting premise for a story. Fantasy with a badass, curvy, female protagonist who is a little rough around the edges but sharp as a tack. I’m excited for the second one…in 2024. Really starting to get into fantasy stuff more and more. Will also be checking out this author’s other books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kayladaila's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment

black_cat_iiix's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Vomit

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Abandonment

aseel_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

i liked the dark, gritty atmosphere of this book and there were several plot moments that were unpredictable, which was nice. but overall, i just felt that the book didn't make sense and it didn't flow well - jumping too much between recollections of the past and the present. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Abandonment

sydapel's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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? No

3.5

this had better be the start of a series, that's all I'm saying. There were a lot of elements I liked about this, from a plus sized kick ass female MC to the themes of greed and memory and forgiveness that always really draw me to urban fantasy. My grievance comes mainly from how little I felt I understood any of the magical elements, especially in the final act. Sure, I was hanging on every thread, but I'm not entirely sure I followed them in their entirety. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Vomit

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

I really enjoyed this one! The beginning was a little slow but then it really picked up and I could not stop reading! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse and Self harm

Charlie is drugged with ketamine in one scene and it’s brought up several times throughout the book as it is used to drug other people as well