Reviews tagging 'Death'

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

44 reviews

clovelatte's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative 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? No

5.0

Damn. This book dealt with so much pain and violence but the characters are wonderful and I was tense the entire time hoping they would make it through. You absolutely MUST check the content warnings. Things are rough. But also so good. Love these boys. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

thegoodyouth's review

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

“Death was not kind or glorious; it was not the Lord's kiss that claimed Aaron and Moses. Like a greedy child gorging on clusters of grapes, the Angel of Death tore all of the beauty and dignity from a person and left l behind a terrible, dripping mess. What was the end? The end was blood and piss and shit, and trying to move frozen limbs without resorting to dislocating them. The end was typhus.”

god, this book was…there really are no words for it. it was recommended to me by dee, and i am so grateful. this book was like coming home. the way grief is depicted all the way throughout and how palpable it is. i also really enjoyed learning new jewish & yiddish words and concepts, as well as seeing the amount of similarities there are between jewish and islamic practices.

this was truly an emotional journey, as well as one of the best pieces of art i’ve ever read, from start to finish.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Antisemitism

Minor: Homophobia

hawthornandhemlock's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

anniereads221's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Antisemitism, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury

jessaboohoo's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

This honestly might be my favorite book of 2021 and I don’t say that lightly. This deals with some incredibly difficult topics that are as relevant today as they were in 1893.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Antisemitism, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent

betweentheshelves's review

dark emotional tense slow-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

4.0

As the author mentions in the note at the end of the book, there are very few historical fiction books with Jewish characters that aren't about the Holocaust. This book is incredibly atmospheric and unapologetically Jewish, as the main character, Alter, speaks little English and uses a lot of Jewish terms and mythology. I was fascinated by all of it, knowing very little about Jewish mythology, and the glossary in the back was incredibly helpful. 

I will say, the story itself is overall on the slower side, which allows Polydoros to build the suspense. Just when you think you have the mystery figured out, something else happens to turn it on its head. You can feel the gothic fantasy vibes throughout, and overall, these elements are well incorporated throughout.

The only thing that wasn't super believable for me was the romance itself, which might relate back to the historical period it's written in. For me, I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Alter and his main love interest, and I think I wanted a bit more. Again, this is probably historically accurate, but I wasn't as invested in the romance as I wanted to be.

Overall, fans of gothic historical fantasy with thriller vibes will definitely enjoy this book. A great addition to YA Lit!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Antisemitism, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Suicide

rey_therese07's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I read it instead of listen to the audiobook. I don't know, the narrator's voice acting choices didn't sit well with me most times.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Antisemitism, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

besha's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Antisemitism, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, and Murder

xoodlebooks's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Genocide, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Police brutality, and Medical content