Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

37 reviews

squinnittowinit's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.25

Beautiful fantasy world based on ancient Persia. Story feels like a classic fairytale in the format of a novel, almost Romantic in style. Good character development from the main character, satisfying ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Bullying, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Body horror, War, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Stalking, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood

glitterdeww's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a young adult fantasy novel that takes inspiration from middle eastern culture and mythology. It's plotting and world building feels interesting and well thought out, and the character growth of Soraya (our protagonist) is quite satisfying by the end of the story. There's also good queer representation within the romances that build throughout the book! I think in all the story accomplished what it intended. My only blanket criticism is that some aspects of the writing feel maybe a little bland? I'm writing this a week after finishing and I have trouble remembering some things that happened. Idk that the whole of the story will stick with me, but I did enjoy it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Child abuse

phvntom's review

adventurous emotional medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, and Confinement

Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Abandonment, and Body horror

readingqueerly's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

3.0

This read both very fast yet very slow and I don't really know if I liked it? The whole thing felt very mid. Which is to say I liked the concept and all the cultural elements. But I found the characters a bit meh. And I am a reader who relies heavily on good characters. It certainly wasn't a bad book though. I think the fact that it's a sapphic book based on Persian culture is good and important. Especially since we get to see the main character struggling with what could be interpreted as compulsory heterosexuality. (Those moments hit especially close to home 🫠.) I just think this was less my cup of tea. Like the cup was good, but it's not my fav tea. Ygm?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Toxic relationship

deerlybeloved's review against another edition

dark inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautiful take on finding oneself and embracing what hurts us as much as it makes us who we are. It takes a girl with a horrid curse, and shows us what happens when you dissect that curse and how one can claim their own tragedies and make them into what they want; something miraculous.

Sapphic, chilling, and wonderful, I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to see a beautiful cast of Persian-inspired mythos, and feel a tension and edge-of-your-seat suspense that is rarely found.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, Sexism, Violence, War, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Themes of murder, imprisonment, forced confinement, torture, and so much more are used in this book to express the lengths of cruelty of some of the characters.

lvjysunday's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-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

I loved pretty much everything about this book. It was a fast, easy read and yet managed to provide a fun and complex story that portrayed the main character's conflicts well. In this book, the main character (Soraya) is challenged by the temptation to find a way to lift the curse she posesses, and find out who she really is. But her actions lead to consequences and challenge her to figure out a way to save those dear to her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

andatherrin's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Body horror and Kidnapping

pastelkerstin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Homophobia and Biphobia

dbogen47's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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

This was so so so good. In the beginning it took me but to get into it but once I did I fell in love. The plot is so intricate and connected in a way that feel authentic. I felt like every twist and turn of the story was earned and I think my expectations for how the story would unfold were constantly shattered without feeling too far out of left field. The characters are so rich and complex, but you don’t feel like abuse or war crimes get excused. The romance is sweet and warm and I think well-paced. It’s kind of enemies to lovers, though I feel that oversimplifies their dynamic. I just I love this book. If you are a fan of fantasy or love sapphic books you have to read this .

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, War, Gore, and Violence

stardust_heidi's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Murder