Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

76 reviews

etosaurus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, and Murder

Moderate: Medical trauma, Vomit, and Pedophilia

rsmry's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Torture, and Self harm

amselot's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Suicide, Self harm, Mental illness, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Rape, Homophobia, and Kidnapping

There is hardly a content warning that doesn't come with this book... Don't read this if you are in a bad place, and I'd also recommend people suffering from anxiety take care while reading this. It triggered several anxiety attacks for me while reading and I was high strung and rattled all the way through. The ending does however tie everything up in a way that is calming and satisfying.

emmiemckenzie'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, Torture, Murder, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Rape

daphnehumming's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read Bitterblue before Graceling & Fire, which puts me in a bit of a different mindset. It is one of my favorite books of all time. I love that it is a story about how we heal from collective trauma & balancing the conflict of those things. I love how Bitterblue comes into herself, and makes mistakes. While the romance is not my favorite, I admire the perspective the love interest brings into the narrative. That said, it could be very triggering for some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, and Torture

Minor: Sexual violence

shishirin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I want a library with a Death and Lovejoy of my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Self harm, Suicide, and Torture

jella's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Habe nicht erwarte, dass mich die Geschichte so packen wird. Mein liebster Band der Reihe. Auch der (psychisch) brutalste.

Wie in den Vorgängern endet auch diese Geschichte gut, jedoch muss der Hauptcharakter auf etwas verzichten. In Band 1 war es das Augenlicht von Katsas Gefährten, in Band 2 waren es zwei Finger von Fire und hier ist es die Liebe von Bitterblue. Saf stirbt zwar nicht, geht jedoch fort, obwohl sie einander lieben und obwohl er bleiben könnte. Autsch.

Auch wenn das Ende dem nach nicht 100% zufriedenstellend war, würde ich dafür nichts abziehen. Ich finde die Entscheidung der Autorin eigentlich mutig. In der Mitte der Geschichte wäre es unnötiges Drama, aber hier am Ende wandelt es sich eher zu Realismus.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Violence, Animal cruelty, and Torture

Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, and Self harm

betweentheshelves's review

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

4.0

Like Fire, this is a fairly slow moving book. While it picks up in plot towards the end, the way it's written still feels slow. However, this fits the nature of the story. Bitterblue is trying to pick up the mess her father made, and many are afraid of confronting the past. Therefore, her journey to the truth is a long, winding one.

While you can read this book without reading the previous two (I think), there's nuggets of backstory you'll miss. This book really draws all 3 together. I loved being able to see Bitterblue's journey play out, and I was honestly hooked until the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Alcoholism

Minor: Kidnapping

spanamontana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

Moderate: Self harm

radreadswithrachel's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I’m so glad that reread this now as an adult. I can understand and appreciate the story I never did as a child. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence