Reviews tagging 'Death'

Blood over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

444 reviews

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“It’s much easier to tell yourself you’re a good person than it is to actually be one.”

An absolutely heart wrenching book focusing on the power dynamics of a flawed world. Set in a safe haven with a rotting core, the book explores themes of power over minorities and women, women in academia, morality, and classism as Sciona uncovers the truth of her whole world. 

“I’m starting to understand how ridiculous it is to demand civility when the world is so disgustingly uncivil.”

Sciona is not a “good” person, but struggles with her pride and morality as the absolute horror of her world becomes clear. I loved how the book not only showed how men had used women as stepping stones, but how in the process, it was a cascading effect as women turned on Kwen and each other. 

I could go all day with quotes and praises about this book. I don’t mark many books as 5 star reads, but this one was definitely one of them.

“Kwen were dangerous when it meant tightening control over Tiranish women. Tiranish women were damsels when it meant tightening control over Kwen.”

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

Woof. Ow. My soul.

Would read again, but I'm going to need a minute. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional 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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Well written, but hard to read in other ways...

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Started our almost heading into romantasy which was not needed for this type of story. Glad it didn’t commit to it fully. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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