Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Das Reich der sieben Höfe - Flammen und Finsternis by Sarah J. Maas

225 reviews

tinyarthoe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Body horror, Physical abuse, Gore, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, and Stalking

adrienreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book focuses a lot on the protagonist's recovery from trauma, and realization of her place in an unhealthy relationship. This was done surprisingly well, and really gripped me through the book. Of the whole series, this one was best executed, in my opinion!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Vomit

Moderate: Mental illness, Confinement, Eating disorder, and Kidnapping

gracedayy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

As much as I enjoyed the world and the steaminess, I couldn’t engage with the writing and once the romantic tension was (finally!) broken, I skipped through. 

There were mundane things like inconsistent technologies (flushing toilets but no similarly developed communications/heating/vehicles/weaponry?) and out of place language used (‘male’/‘female’ was cringy af, why ‘go to hell’ in a world that doesn’t seem to have any religious context for hell, and can we please stop using ‘prick’?). Some of the vocab felt very thesaurus-insert and lines that were written to be jokes or zingers didn’t land, despite the characters around trying to convince us they did. 

The romantic dialog seemed juvenile with flirting coming across as very schoolyard, fights happening for no real reason, and characters seemingly being matched up quickly on vibes alone. This would be fine in a YA book if we didn’t then get non-YA smutty. Here I thought the scenarios were hot but the writing was so distracting. Attempts at sassiness or comedic brevity felt out of place and really stunted any passion building.

DV comparisons were not subtle or constructive, and the power dynamics became increasingly uncomfortable. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

rkeith94's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Domestic abuse

nkmustdie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Eating disorder, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, War, Genocide, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Blood, Drug use, Sexual content, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

wdanielle1227's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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: Sexual content

Minor: Eating disorder and Domestic abuse

csifbi23's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

josiee's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Mental illness, Stalking, Biphobia, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Vomit, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Body shaming, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

allyourpagearebelongtous's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Not a spoiler to me but maybe to others.

The change in plot direction was as jarring to me as for the main character, I think. In hindsight, maybe is wasn't a complete surprise, but it sure didn't feel like the novel I was expecting. I like that, though. 

The introduction of new characters, and the higher focus on main character development works for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders