Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

52 reviews

rhi_'s review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Murder, Animal death, Incest, Blood, Death of parent, and Death

nicetomitchya's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Abandonment, Racism, Bullying, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cursing and Drug abuse

meepmeepmia's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

I have read this series a few times, I always think this is the lowest of the three. Just as how it is written you don't really get a full picture till you have read everything, so while this may be gritty and certain character may be down right un readable for those who like a good pay off keep going!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Racism

Minor: Death, Cursing, Sexual assault, Incest, Torture, Drug use, and Death of parent

violetlunablossom's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.25

For years, I had put off reading Captive Prince, partly because I had other books higher on my TBR list and partly because of the ever pervasive controversy of its handling of certain subjects. And honestly, I can completely understand why people are put off by this book. There are definitely scenes that are hard to get through and language used to describe what's happening doesn't make it much better. To most, this does seem like a book that fetishisizes such subjects, and I wouldn't blame people for thinking this. But it gets a little easier to understand certain world building decisions that Pacat made, in my opinion, when you view them through the historical inspirations that they come from. Akelios and Vere are very clear based off of two different cultures from the past, so things kind of click into place when you realize the context. 

That being said, I did find the political intrigue and world building to be surprisingly strong, and the way that deceit and the abuse of power is displayed is incredibly engrossing. Damen is a protagonist that I was immediately endeared to and watching him navigate Veretian society and politics while trying to keep his identity a secret was very engaging. Conversely, Laurent was a compelling secondary protagonist, with all his brutality and wit. Every time him and Damen shared a scene, I was glued to the page because of how unpredictable everything was. The two of them are obviously being set up as a slowburn enemies to lovers and I couldn't be more excited to see how their relationship grows. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Murder, Blood, Child abuse, and Trafficking

paholizz's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Blood, Physical abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Trafficking

Minor: Animal death and Incest

1undercover's review against another edition

1.5

Ain't it for me chief. I'm fine with an amount of consent issues in my guilty pleasure romantasy but there are deeper problems here. Some genuine (tw)

rape, pedophilia, and public sex without consent

. I like the different cultures, different skills setup and I can see that this is going to a place with an interesting relationship, but the story was in no way wrapped up in the first book and the lads didn't even get to bone. I didn't get any of the answers to my theories. Uncool. And something about the romance being between someone and the man who

deliberately had them nearly publicly raped and then flogged TO DEATH and did both with satisfaction

? I don't really care what the cultural norms are, I really struggle to believe that love's coming out of that idk. By almost halfway through the book I was still wondering if I'd misunderstood and the main character was supposed to be with someone else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder

woza's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

It’s a good book in the sense I found it enjoyable to read and not that I would recommend it to anyone else

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Incest, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Blood, and Bullying

teagstime's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Very VERY interested to see where this series goes. I ate this book up in a day, which is saying something because reading is terribly difficult for me lately! ❤️ The political intrigue is so fun to read, and really just... takes a good look at power and war and the ruthlessness which accompanies it. 

Personally a big fan of Damen and his struggle to understand anything about Laurent- because I, too, struggle to understand him. Laurent... I want to crawl inside your brain. That boy definitely has so much emotion hidden under the cold, cruel demeanor... and I'm sooo ready to dive in 😌

I cannot rec to anyone without them looking into the TW first, because there's some content I can see being... problematic, let's say! But in my opinion, none of those acts are really glorified- our main two characters are/become aware of these issues and want to change things. But, imo, a very good read and I definitely have high hopes for the rest!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Blood, Confinement, Death, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Classism, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent and Drug use

frantic_vampire's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

Well, I think I found a new bookish obsession! This was so good and I just couldn’t put it down. But it was also really, really fucked up. And yet, I loved every minute of it.

I loved that Damen is our pov character. He’s not shy with his opinions and he’s willing to risk his neck for the injustices he sees happening around him. And I love him for that, even when it leads to worse things for himself. I also love that he’s so against Laurent right now, it’s really building a true enemies-to-lovers romance.

Captive Prince is getting a solid five stars. I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the books!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, War, Violence, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, Rape, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Adult/minor relationship

30something_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

Did I randomly pick this up at 10pm last night to feel out the vibes, stay up until 1am reading, and then wake up to finish it this morning?

Yes.

And now I have to go get the other ones because I am invested. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Violence, War, and Blood

Minor: Rape and Animal death