Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

54 reviews

kissingface12's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.25

I’m not a fan of mediums or fortune telling. It’s not my thing to read about. I’m not interested. I read the book because I like fantasy and thought this could help me try something new.

the drug use and magic were an odd mix in my opinion. I also don’t love the use of the secret societies and the surgical torture methods.

None of that sat right with me. Maybe it is for someone else but I didn’t care for it too much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, and Torture

fantaiil's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcohol, Gore, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Blood, Classism, and Cursing

Minor: Torture, Islamophobia, and Toxic friendship

csmall73's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

Dark intriguing mysterious 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Excrement, Classism, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, and Violence

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.25

An interesting take on the dark academia genre though I would call this more of a murder mystery with some dark academia in it - Alex Stern is not in a secret society, she is the “law and order” for them (vague take). I ultimately think this was trying so hard to be an adult book that it was over complicated and confusing, but I had fun and I’m excited for the sequel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Excrement, Vomit, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Addiction, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

daisy2050's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, Murder, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Self harm

Minor: Blood, Suicide, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Medical content, Addiction, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

dokushoka's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Sexual violence

Minor: Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Death, and Adult/minor relationship

laurenbb23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gun violence, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Murder, Medical trauma, Drug use, Grief, Sexual content, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Physical abuse, Self harm, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Sexual violence

christina95's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

3.5

The overall story of the book is really interesting and written very well, but there are of few scenes - mainly the 12 year old Alex butterfly sequence which I felt was really not needed in the book and spoiled my enjoyment of the novel. I would highly suggest checking the trigger warning for the book, as there is plenty of them.

Putting that to the side the murder mystery story was really intriguing and the magic system (for lack of a better word) was really cool too! The jumping timeline was a little hard to grasp at first but helped keep the story moving. The twists and turns at the end of the novel gives the book a great ending and an eagerness to read the next in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Medical trauma, Murder, and Torture

bookishaddy's review against another edition

dark 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: Cursing, Murder, Physical abuse, Addiction, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Sexual violence, Torture, and Sexual content

savannah_amdahl's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Blood, Drug use, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Torture and Abandonment