Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

L'impero del vampiro by Jay Kristoff

81 reviews

breezer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gore, Torture, Blood, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

kal517's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

jesshart8's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

marinevdm's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

straybutterfly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

vilde_a's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

Absolutely devoured this book! Perfect for a holiday when you have time to get into it quickly. The visuals the author manages to tell is absolutely stunning. The world building is believable and felt deep enough. The occasional illustrations in the book is a very nice treat!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Grief, and War

Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Classism

kkuesters's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.5

DNF @25% I gave this book about 200 pages to make me dread picking it up less, but it just was not doing it for me. The constant mention of whores and objectification of women was honestly quite grating, and I didn't think the plot made up for that. The artwork is gorgeous though and I am sad it didn't work for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

faehistory's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A well-written take on vampires that walks the line between horror and fantasy. Gabriel manages to be a flawed character who never quite crosses over into being unlikeable and I found myself emphasising that even when he makes poor choices. The setting manages to be dark and bleak without crossing into so dark you find yourself apathetic. 

Some of the bigger twists you can perhaps see coming if you have read a lot of fantasy because they fit the narrative conventions of this kind of book but are still well executed and some do take you by surprise. 

There is a really interesting thorough line about the difference between faith and organised religion which ties into Gabriel's main arc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Classism

chaptermaggot's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Rape, Torture, Pregnancy, and Classism

rubyredders's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.75

This is one of those books where it can be enjoyable but is definitely not for everyone. If this book ever gets a adaptation I know it is definitely getting that adults only rating.

That said the writing is good! The characters aren't all likeable, hell Gabriel the main character took a good while to connect with because man living in a grimdark world and it has not treated him all that kindly - HOWEVER, I did find myself feeling for him after seeing all he's gone through.

I did find that I only really connected with Gabriel and Dior by the end though. The number of characters Kristoff killed off I just stopped caring for other characters because hell he's probably gonna knock em off quick enough anyway. Plus, all the characters in the first third are kind of assholes to Gabriel. It's that kind of world in this book. I sadly saw some of the twists coming before they were named but it's more reading the plot beats and the setting

The high fantasy elements were well done but I did find myself rolling my eyes at how #Goth it got at times. I didnt hate it though, just noted aha the scene is being set and knew the author was enjoying themselves here. The descriptions of the world helped build a wonderful atmosphere and tension, I coudl really feel the coldness of the world.

The pacing was way stronger in the later book than the start for sure. This book is a hefty 700+ page monster and while I understand the need to set the scene, let the story breathe and characters and world build....I kind of wish the book was cut down a bit? Or maybe even split into another book. There were parts in the middle that felt a bit of a slog and somewhat unnecessary to the overall plot. The author has a trilogy planned but seeing the second one is also a Big Ass Book, I can't help but feel like it'd be more enjoyable, not to mention a more comfortable physical read, if there was less of it.

The time skip elements were really well done! I don't always enjoy this but they were clearly marked out and obvious when there was overlap, along with the way the story wove together as you read along these different times in Gabriel's life.

The level of swearing in this took some getting used to - more because of Gabriels attitude than the actual swearing itself. Like ok, buddy we get it you're a tough guy. This is a cold and unfeeling world I know. 

The vampire elements definitely play up the horror elements of vampires than are common in modern works but the basic elements are the same. The clan elements were fun as was the

there is a secret FIFTH bloodline who are hated by everyone and they have blood magic?! Ok, I'm listening tell me more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Homophobia, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment