Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

5 reviews

bearystarry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

The best in the series so far, imo. Even though it feels like the second half of Lirael. Loved it, cried a lot at the end. 💚

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Trafficking, Grief, and Death of parent

abiofpellinor's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

5.0

Look man it got some tears out of me at the end. What else am I supposed to rate it?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and War

allisonstockslager's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Xenophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

kell_xavi's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

4.0

A strong conclusion of Lirael’s storyline in the world of the Old Kingdom. The previous book ended on an opening, and I borrowed this one from the library at once to finish the tale. The characterization of Lirael, Sam, and their animal companions makes for an entertaining and deeply felt adventure in the war against power and destruction. Nix writes of Nick, Hedge, and the hemispheres in an exciting, suspenseful way that carries gravity and a real sense of the world that brings them about. 

I do have a few minor critiques, the first being that even with all the new, fascinating information about the creation of the charter and the ancient powers that preceded and contributed to it, I'm not satisfied with the role of Death and the dead in the Old Kingdom, and magic's closeness to the dead. The prevalence of death makes sense to the plot around the Abhorsen, but less so when thinking about the interplay of magics in the broader universe. 

I am always hesitant to read fantasy world with a monarchy in place, and the blood lines of the charter give the monarchy a legitimacy here that I disagree with politically. I also disagree with the pro-military sentiments and other subtle indications of a British nationalist perspective even when it isn't stated as such. Lastly, Sam's character-building in this book and the last are effected by antagonism with his family, and the way that Sabriel and Touchstone's parenting is written felt a bit odd, the harm created by their absence unresolved, leaving Ellemere's humourously meddlesome presence as a sort of (misogynistic) foil to Sam's unguided masculine adventurous spirit. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Xenophobia, and Murder

naomi_k's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Minor: Mental illness, Medical trauma, and War