Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi

8 reviews

thoughtsontomes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

The second book expands way more world building wise than the first, but does still feel like it has slight second book syndrome.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Blood, and Torture

fairyollie's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

oh, Battle Drum; oh, Saara, you did not hesitate to fill my heart and crush it now, did you? what a poignant, heart-wrenching, tumultuous, devastating story; what an honest and raw tale that has been woven here. it is painful and stressful in the most glorious ways. it feels so raw and real that at times it felt more like I was reading a hidden book of world history: climate crises, fights for power, classism, inequity, all wrapped up with stunning world-building and complex characters.

I know people complain that Sylah and Anoor have regressed without one another, but long-distance relationships without means of communication would be HARD! can you even imagine? 

all goes to say that I fear I will be empty until The Ending Fire is released (thankfully I have pre-ordered!) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Genocide, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, Colonisation, Gore, Murder, Violence, Self harm, Slavery, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Stalking

abnerbee's review

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Miscarriage, Body horror, Murder, Slavery, Addiction, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual assault, Blood, Drug abuse, Rape, Drug use, Death, and Grief

porcupine_girl's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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: Religious bigotry, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Ableism, Genocide, Alcohol, Gore, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, Body horror, Cursing, Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Medical content, Torture, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Murder, and Police brutality

Moderate: Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content, Infidelity, and Animal death

lettuce_read's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Violence

Moderate: Genocide and Addiction

hailstorm3812's review

4.25

I think this was an interesting second installment in the series. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat. I audibly gasped at the end. The development of 3 of the POV characters was so good.

I hate to admit it, but especially Jond. Anoor on the otherhand is being manuevered to have interesting developments in the next book so made a lot of not good choices now.

Excited for the next book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Death, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, War, Sexism, Xenophobia, Ableism, Colonisation, and Rape

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

nefariousbee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

how does it keep getting better. this is genuinely my favourite fantasy series, maybe ever. so excited for the final book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Self harm, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Medical content, Violence, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Genocide, Slavery, Abortion, Murder, Trafficking, and Grief

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Child abuse

additional content warnings: extreme climate phenomena, intergenerational trauma, mentions of human experimentation