Reviews tagging 'Death'

La marque du sorcier by C.L. Polk

26 reviews

ninjamuse's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death of parent

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

archcon's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

I loved this book. The beautiful writing and descriptions pulled me into the world better than anything I've read in a long time. The world details that were just there and not necessarily explained made it feel natural that I should know them and, again, pulled me in. And then the romance. Tender and sweet and organic.

As someone interested in WWI, I enjoyed the clear parallels and the interesting new aspects added to the familiar parts.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug use

ticktock's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and War

spacecurl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Death of parent

llyrian's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

So good it deserves a place in my physical-bookshelf-collection! 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Murder

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

An absolutely fun read, especially if you enjoy fantasy reads. I loved watching Miles try to figure out what's wrong with his patients and solve the mystery of the murdered magic user all while quickly falling head over heals in love. The characters are really fun, and the pace of the story felt really well done. Definitely will be one of my favorites for 2022.

📘The Gist 📘: While trying to unravel a mysterious illness he sees with magic without letting anyone know he has magic, Miles is visited by a dying man who passes on a dire warning. This adds solving the murder, falling in love, and avoiding his family's notice to his growing list of problems. 

📒Representation📒: mlm mc, mental healthcare

💕 For readers looking for 💕: a fun and adventurous fantasy, secret magic, mystery, magical others, heartwarming romance, political drama, an undertone that things are not as ok as they appear 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Classism

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and War

story_goblin's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

extremely immersive and a quick read, but the story doesn't feel fast while you're reading. I absolutely loved it. It was unique and exactly what I was looking for right now

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and War

The main character is a war veteran who works at a veteran's hospital working with patients exhibiting symptoms similar to what we would call PTSD. He can "see" an "infection" inside them with magic powers he has to hide because all "witches" are sent to insane asylums. He ran away from home because all mages born into rich families that have powers other than controlling storms are forcibly bonded to a "storm-singer" and used as back-up batteries/treated as inferior. In addition to the general medical content of him working in a hospital, there are several moments when it's discussed in the news that a veteran killed innocent people around him. The main character sees this first hand once. They also towards the end visit one of the insane asylums.

allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? No

4.0

In this intriguing Edwardian fantasy, readers are blessed with a warm-hearted idealist as our hero. Dr. Miles Singer is in some ways a rule follower who can't fathom selfish motives behind noble acts, and in others, he is a rebel who would run from home and defy his father to stand free and use his gifts to help others. He is such a gentle soul, and I would love to read more fantasy protagonists with his overwhelming kindness.

The story draws on many relevant social issues. Classism is a major component here, since lower class witches are shipped off to asylums, whereas the ruling class of mages keeps their power secret, even as they use it to advance their own importance. Imperialism, war, and its traumas are also a large presence here. Miles works as a psychiatrist at a veterans' hospital. Once a prisoner of war himself, Miles' empathy and patients-first attitude make him well-loved by the men he serves. He can't use his magic healing abilities to help for fear of being accused of witchcraft, so he trudges along, filing paperwork, arguing with his boss, and doing his best with limited resources. I really resonated with the way his empathy was trampled on by bureaucracy, politics, and lack of funds.

There was so much to love here. I would say the world-building skews towards social rather than magical detail. I loved the descriptions of bike traffic (including an adrenaline-filled chase scene!), fashion, and technology. There's also a very sweet mlm romance that had a light touch on the story but was still fully realized rather than an afterthought. In addition, a complicated brother/sister relationship left me with a mix of emotions. The layers of mystery and power-grabbing machinations in the story were captivating. I am eager to dive into the rest of the trilogy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, and Torture