Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

73 reviews

saskiajva's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.25

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter. I love the concept and the plot, the whacky and interesting characters you meet, and the detailed world building. It’s often formulaic but it’s a formula i love dearly. This book is fast paced, and occasionally left me wishing the author used more show-don’t-tell, however it was typically the gorier parts that weren’t shown so for many readers I imagine it’s appreciated. There were even a few key moments that happen fully off page, and as someone who loves big epics with intense battles and mind games, i was left wanting more.

Even with these faults, I ended up plowing through this in just a couple days and am excited for book 2 and 3. I highly recommend this for fans of the Hunger Games and anyone who loves world building that features the cruelest of humanity and those moments that make you go “holy shit, that’s messed up”. The audiobook narrator also does a great job, though there was at least one line i couldn’t understand what he said even after rewinding, and it was hard to tell who was talking on occasion, but overall it did not take away from my enjoyment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Misogyny

katharina90's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.0

I could never really get into this. It was boring, I didn't like any of the characters, and the writing/language wasn't my thing. 

I didn't care for the audiobook narration either.

Not going to pick up the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Cannibalism, and Colonisation

jacksonmax12's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Hunger games for adults with very strong themes of class warfare. 

Pros: fast-paced but manageable, accessible sci-fi with exposition woven seamlessly into the story. 

Cons: The main character has a lot of plot armor. There is a lot of graphic violence and child death

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

defymavity's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

This is an intense book, unlike most other books I've read. I was not expecting anything in this book. I tried to make predictions but my predictions didn't matter in the end.
Definitely recommend, but it is not for everyone. Not a full 5 stars only because the characters were all very similar-ish. But not in a bad way, i just like a little more development I think.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death and Slavery

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, and Colonisation

If you like your dystopian novels dark and intriguing. This is for you.

a_bow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Excellent example of how unchecked capitalism negatively impacts everyone, including those it benefits. It's in the same vein as Hunger Games.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Vomit, Medical content, and Abortion

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Colonisation

jenmarie11's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

richardiporter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Upgraded review in light of reading the sequel golden son 
Imagine a major theme of revolution of miners on mars. 
A rigid caste system. 
Also heavy influence of the spartan agoge sci fi military academy tropes. 
And it’s good. So good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

meridith_bex's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Blood

Minor: Blood and Cannibalism

archaicrobin's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

This “novel” is absolute garbage. How this book was published let alone praised is mind boggling. 

Why does this book suck?

-characters are weak, unoriginal, and poorly crafted. Every female in this story is raped, tortured, and valueless. The only merit a female has in this novel is what she offers a man, or what a man does to her, or how she can be used against a man. There is rape or mentions of rape in almost every chapter and it’s thrown in like it’s nothing. Pierce Brown should take some classes on sexism and how writing scenes like this when they have no context of what they are talking about is harmful. Along with the lack of any actual female characters, the main character is a joke. His alliances change every page or so, he is a misogynist, he is a Mary-Sue amazing at everything and he is overall dull. 

-The Plot. The plot is a mash up of every single YA apocalyptic story you’ve ever read but the cheap knock off version. You have Hunger games, Divergent, and even Harry Potter all thrown in to create this monstrosity. Nothing is original, everything is taken from something else, and the plot of Darrow rising to I guess avenge his people is lost in the silly “war school” which is basically Harry potter but without the magic, atmosphere, gripping characters, exciting trials, or anything of merit really. The plot devolves into raping young girls while the men suck their own dicks to claim the title of “proctor” or “primus”. The misogyny is absolutely rampant. 

- this “novel” is the biggest toxic masculinity, misogynistic, idiotic, compilation of text I have ever seen. This is by far the WORST book I have read this year and I think it is actually detrimental to society.

Do not read this book where women are raped and considered things, where the main character justifies the rape by saying it’s simply “war crimes” where men are emasculated every page and beaten down to make the main character look valuable. There is nothing good about this book and I’m personally offended that this was published let alone allowed to continue in a series. Do not let your teen read this, do not let anyone you care about read this. This is MY OPINION and I am not ashamed to share it. Whoever read this and decided to market it let alone published at all should be ashamed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism