Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

174 reviews

aelytacchan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense 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? Yes

3.5

I can't say I understand why Red Rising is a fan favorite. It wasn't bad, but its tempo is so gruelling that I almost DNFd it - saved only by the fact I already had all the audiobooks from a past sale.

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, but I found a lot of it foul. I think that might be on purpose, but a lot of the violence seemed unnecessary and out of bounds even for the world's laws and customs.

Women were constantly used as symbols, to further plot points, or as convenient caretakers. Despite there being women peppered into the story, they were mostly inconsequential or, when they were of consequence, they just naturally decided they would rather follow Darrow.

I'll take some time to reflect on whether I want to invest more time into the following books, seeing as they're somewhat on the longer side, but as of now, I don't particularly feel like jumping into the next part of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

haley49's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This was very violent and graphic but so so powerful. This world explores the violence of power hierarchies. The caste system is not perfect nor is the world explored entirely but it does such a good job at what it tries to. It is a slow burn corruption arc where the mmc just barely figures out his errors but the ending still leaves room for doubt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War

souh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery and Violence

Minor: Rape and Torture

what_karla_reads's review against another edition

I just couldn't get into it. I tried. But I found myself passing this up for other books several times. So it's either the wrong time for me or just not my cup of tea. Either way I'm not going to force it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

sadie_honey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, and Cannibalism

differentsisters's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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: Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Torture, Kidnapping, and Classism

Minor: Cannibalism

ehamlett's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Death, Violence, Blood, War, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

marla_arguelles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and War

n0elle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sttormy's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Edit: as I sit with the content longer, the misogyny really bugs me and isn’t necessary at all… and the rape/sexual assault isn’t needed either? 
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Overall, REALLY loved this book. Only one complaint… using being a girl as an insult is unnecessary.

There is a theme of looking down on women/ using “being a girl” as a negative. In such a futuristic, heightened society, this isn’t necessary and literally adds nothing… the Golds are all supposed to be equal, but calling someone a girl is a negative. Also, with the Golds being at the top of society, gender binary shouldn’t matter?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, War, and Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

Minor: Animal death

Lots of talk of rape/sexual assault that occurs