Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi

20 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

frankieclc's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Self harm, Violence, 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

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

kathyreadsalot's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.5

I just.. whew. This plot got thicker and more twisty in all the right ways! I need Book 3 to hurry up and come out. Took off half a star because Anoor’s character development I wish would have not been so painful at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Child death, Gore, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

Moderate: Misogyny, Confinement, and Miscarriage

annamariem_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

SAARA HOW COULD YOU?!?!?!!!!!! THAT ENDING WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WHAT WHAT WHYYYY

HOLY SHIIIIT this was so good I'm gonna COMBUST! I was truly on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this book. I didn't think it could be any better than The Final Strife but I was very much proven wrong! I shouldn't be shocked thought because it's Saara and she always gives us BANGER AFTER BANGER AFTER BANGER!

Hassa and Kwame were such a lovely and welcome surprise. Also! Even though Anoor and Sylah were separated for this book, it did not detract from the story at all. I was not bored once and I was not wishing that they would both be back in the Warden's Empire together. Anoor's character really took a turn during this book and honestly I don't know how to feel about her anymore. I don't like her but I don't hate her? I don't know what exactly it is but I have FEELINGS. Also wtf was that with Jond???? Now I like him again???? I hope him and Kara end up together so he can finally move on from Sylah. But like... Saara you are truly giving us whiplash with these characters!!! And thank gods for the addition of Rascal. Lil cutie angel kitten!!! Can I also say how much I love the Elders? They are so cool and I want to hang out with them for a day in Chrysalis. Also, Nayeli's story is wild and I am here for it. 100% am here to support women's wrongs and feminine rage!!!! 

The reveals towards the end had me slack-jawed!!!! How could Saara leave us hanging like that? I need book 3 IMMEDIATELY.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Addiction, and Colonisation

Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Blood, Violence, and Vomit

abrataydabra's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

4.75

I am shocked!! The audacity I had when I first started reading to think that this book was not as good as the first. I am just reeling, it was so good. So horrifyingly good! I really liked how the author added the POVs to each chapter, sometimes the shifting POVs in the first book were a little confusing. Hassa and Kwame were such a welcome surprise and I am so heartbroken that they didn’t get more time together. Nayeli is so fucking crazy, the mixed timelines were interesting and really made all the surprises much more surprising (at least to me). It reminded me of The War of Lost Hearts a bit. And Jond, don’t get me started. I was so intent on never forgiving him but Rascal?? How can I not, I’m sorry but the growth! Overall, I am shocked, depressed and I just don’t know what the future holds. :(

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture and Physical abuse

Minor: Animal death

lisacanteven's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative 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'm a pretty visual person, so seeing stories play out in my head as I read isn't a new thing. However, this book was probably the clearest I could ever see a story in my mind. I still gave the first book, The Final Strife, 5 stars but somehow the sequel was leagues above even that book. You learn so much about the politics of this world in the first book, but the second is such an exciting and thrilling adventure. If it wasn't for my Lexapro I would have bawled in several places in this story. Alas, my Lexapro has a lockdown on my tears. 

The last line of the book?!? I read an ebook from the library, so my last line was italic. However, my partner read a Kindle version and the final line was in quotes. I checked a US hardback and it's in quotes too. This makes a huge difference in the ending, so I need to know why my copy was wrong!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, War, and Colonisation

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Drug abuse

malinhalia's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

0.5

I will admit I wasn't going into this book unbiased as I disliked book 1. So why read the second one? I really wanted to review it, and I was intrigued about where the plot was going after the reveal at the end of the first book. I also hoped that maybe the writing would be better than the first, but boy, was I wrong.

The characters are extremely one-dimensional and most are straight up unlikeable (unable to conjure the slightest bit of empathy, emotion, critical thinking, or even a consistent plan of action). The writing style itself is very heavy-handed and every plot point is carefully and patronisingly explained to you in detail (you really don't need conclusion-drawing skills to read this book). In addition to this, the author in multiple instances unnecessarily spoils the plot in advance by having chapter openers (for example, notes to or from certain characters). This works well in some books but not in this one. They detract from rather than add to the story, as they make - in some places - several chapters unnecessary as the plot point is glaringly clear from just this short text.  The writing is choppy and doesn't feel suitable for a book marketed to an adult audience.

Whilst I found the background of

the Zaalam, the Kabut religion and how it came to spread to the Warden's empire

, I thought this was the only redeeming thing of the book. The magic system, which is a very interesting concept in itself, is very underused throughout the book. The plot is shallow and so much of the book feels superfluous - I think it would have worked better as a shorter, more carefully edited book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Child death, and Slavery

evekenzinator's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Blood

Moderate: Slavery, Blood, Colonisation, Torture, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Kidnapping