Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

11 reviews

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

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

bennispizza's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, War, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Body horror, and Blood

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Gun violence

bookspaperink's review

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol and Pregnancy

herbivorehaunts's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

 So far this has been my favorite installation in this series. Plenty of time to change around my order, but since the last three books aren't out yet this is my current order from favorite to least favorite:

1. The Mask Falling

2. The Mime Order

3. The Bone Season

4. The Song Rising

The Song Rising was still a near perfect read though, so it being in last place isn't saying much. 

((General spoilers for themes if you haven't read the previous 3 books in series))

Blown away by the amount of world building revealed in this one, as well as the sheer emotional impact of this installation. Four books into a series, the stakes are higher than ever and you are so invested in the characters that every mission is nerve wracking. Shannon doesn't shy away from character deaths, character injuries, or putting her main characters through emotional trauma, so be prepared going into this one. 

I enjoyed the blend of new concepts (Paris as a setting, new world building and lore, lots of new characters) as well as beats that have been in the series from the beginning (exploring emotional trauma as a result from the events of previous novels, Paige's relationships with other people and her own PTSD, and a heavy spy thriller atmosphere). I was nervous going into this one because of the different setting and the fact that the cast would be changing up quite a bit, but I thought this was really well executed. 

I kept finding myself holding my breath as I watched Paige GO THROUGH IT. Both mentally and physically. The ending had so many genuinely shocking twists and turns that were all very effective, once you had finally acclimated to a twist, the next one was thrown upon you. 

That ending. :( Not so patiently waiting for the next one. In terms of writing quality, this series just keeps getting better and better with every book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent and Vomit

vendottie's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Grief

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

terezsch's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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: Torture, Death of parent, and Violence

forthesanityof1's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

This book.
Holy shit.
This fucking book held me by the throat and made me beg for scraps of happiness. This book was so achingly, painfully raw and human it physically hurt me. I had to pause so many times to take a deep breath because I knew what was coming was going to hurt. Samantha Shannon is master at what she creates with this series. The prose was engaging and moving the entire time. The plot held my interest like a vice through the book with no pacing issues, even with the revelations at the last hundred or so pages (*cries*). It flowed well with the set up from the previous books and built Paige and Arcturus in exquisite ways that felt natural. The way Shannon illustrated the growth of the characters is something I'm still trying to put into words; the forward momentum is obvious in the best way-there is still potential to be wrought and revelations to be made. I literally don't know what to say because it was. Just. That. Good. This was already one of my favorite series that I push whenever someone asks for recommendations, but I will be SHOVING this series down everyone's throats whenever possible. Wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence

dragontomes2000's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

5.0

After that ending I'm not even entirely sure I to even write this review. Once again when I tell you that I inhaled the last like 150 pages, I literally mean inhaled them. I am emotionally wrecked, mentally destroyed, and searching for my soul because it has left my body. Samantha Shannon I adore dearly but Part 3 was just too much, way too much. I mean just rude, lol!

The Mask Falling, as some of us who have been following Samantha Shannon, knows that this is where the series is closing arc one, but also opening arc two. Which in a sense means Mask Falling is like a bridge book, I would agree to disagree with that statement. The Mask Falling is so much more, but to go into why that is would hinge on spoilers and I don't do spoilers. Just know that Samantha Shannon had a clear vision for how she wanted this story to go and she executed it flawlessly. I mean seriously from Paige's excellent character development, to shady new characters, gripping action sequences, and even high stake espionage and politics. This fourth novel had it all.

Paige is an extremely strong female protagonist, one of the best in an ongoing series by far. The Mask Falling showed her in such a fragile, yet vulnerable spotlight that was handled with utmost care. Again I don't want to dish out any spoilers, so I am going to be as vague as can be, but if you have read this series then you know exactly what I mean. Watching Paige grow and evolve from book to book is truly amazing and it is one of the biggest reasons I continue to be excited for this series. That is not to say Paige is the only reason because the story is dynamite as well.

The Mask Falling is an extraordinary follow up to The Song Rising and an incredible continuation to the Bone Season series. Definitely worth the 4/5 year wait. However, and this is for you Samantha Shannon, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT MAKE US WAIT THAT LONG FOR BOOK FIVE PLEASE!!!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence