Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

78 reviews

nebulasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

livinginbetweenthepages's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Slavery

sarahaf712's review against another edition

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Content warning: birth; stillbirth

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood

victoriousbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was just as amazing as the first in the series, and does not fall victim to the second book slump. There is adventure and intrigue, deception and betrayal. The setting of medieval Russia both has its positives in the magnificent imagery created by the author and moments that will anger as it hinders Vasya’s ability to show her true strength. The ending was so gratifying and the perfect way to end such a riveting second installment. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal cruelty and Sexual harassment

pvbobrien's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Slavery, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

decembermagpie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is a much quicker pace than the first book, the story moves to Moscow, politics in the city. Whilst Vasya is reunited with the siblings she said goodbye to as a child, the folk of fairy tales are trying to stay present as the people in Moscow forget and put Paton gods aside as superstition. Bandits are rife in the villages the Tarta's want their ransom and Vasya refuses to abide by Russian rules and stay hidden in the Tower with the rest of the women. Not whilst she sees animals, people and being who need her.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Sexism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

grimviolins's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Vomit, and War

queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

4 ⭐ CW: violence, rape mention, descriptions of blood and corpses, still birth

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden is the second book in the Winternight trilogy. I loved Vasya in the first book and I love her just as much in this one! This was also a perfect read for this cold snap we were having. This is a very winter atmospheric read. 

We started off a little slow by beginning with Vasya's older brother Sasha's pov. We pick up with him going to Moscow to tell his cousin the Grand Prince about the raids and kidnapping of girl children in the villages by Tartars. He stops by the Savra to rest when a boy on horseback demanded they open the gate and had three girl with her. 

Surprise! It was Vasya the while time. Then we find out what happened to Vasya. I love how fierce and independent she is and stubborn to boot. We get a bit more slow burn from her and Morozko, although we don't really get a happy ending. I still love the fairytale feel of this series and the Russian folklore. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say more. I'll just say Solovey is one of my favorite characters. 

This is a very feminist take on a fairytale. Though there is a slow burn happening, it doesn't consume Vasya. She just wants to experience the world and be treated as she was when she was being Vasilii Petrovich instead of Vasalisa Petrovna. She doesn't want to get married. She just wants a horse farm of her own. 

Can't wait to get my hands on the last book and conclude this adventure.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Violence

Moderate: Death, Slavery, and Blood

Minor: Rape