Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

30 reviews

michaelmarshall's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Violence, and Emotional abuse

julienicole1106's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Cursing, Death, Confinement, Violence, Vomit, War, Physical abuse, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, Classism, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

mollyelyn's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.75

WHAT DID I SAY? Every book is better than the last! This is a lot slower in pace, and needs to be to show Paige’s recovery and struggle with PTSD from the end of the previous instalment. It also allows time for the relationship between Paige and Warden (now ARCTURUS 😍) to blossom and develop into something truely beautiful. Their relationship is so tender and supportive, and they bounce off each other so beautifully. The lack of most of the supporting cast from the previous novels leaves time for their romance to blossom. However just because the romance is sweet, doesn’t mean the book isn’t heart-wrenching and devastating. The twists are immaculate as always, and a specific third act red herring moment made me SOB MY EYES OUT, as i briefly believed it to be true, as Paige did. I am especially excited to revisit this in May when the revised editions are released, as I rushed my reading as I was moving overseas and didnt want to bring the paperback with me just for the sake of the last 75 or so pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

dr4manrx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Torture

jem_carstairs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I love this series. I love this book. But that ending has me fucked up.

I will never be over Didion Waite saving the day. Of all the people- Didion Waite. Not the most shocking part of the book, but the only one I am willing to confront :)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Torture, and Death

Minor: Sexual content

hlorgan1's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture

grets_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, War, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Genocide, Vomit, Blood, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

lauramcc7's review

adventurous 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Self harm, and War

Moderate: Sexual content

smarmo21's review

adventurous challenging 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

4.75

Absolutely incredible read. The Song Rising had a fairly clean ending, so I was interested to see where The Mask Falling would pick up - I was not disappointed. This book introduced tons of new, interesting, diverse characters and the plot sprinted forward. The only reason I didn't rate 5/5, is that I felt (especially toward the end) that Shannon was rather frantic in her writing; I felt the last 100 or so pages didn't need to be as rushed as they were. I am, of course, also devastated by

the ending, which leaves me with so many questions I was truly in shock. It seems that Cade is the Devil, AND A FELLOW DREAMWALKER, and Arcturus remains the Lover. But now, we have no idea if Arcturus survived the bombing in Paris. This will be on my mind for quite some time.

I also felt that some of Paige's

escapes this book were a bit shocking. How many times will she slip through Nashira's fingers? The break-in at Sheol II seemed to happen so fast, and rather easily. I wonder if our characters could've endured more challenges during that sequence of events to make it more believable.

Watching Paige and Arcturus learn more about one another was a highlight of this book. Their relationship is so interesting and adds to an already rich plot. I am so excited for the next book, and completely heartbroken that it's over 1 year away. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Torture

foxonabook's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol and Gun violence