unfiltered_fiction's reviews
334 reviews

Pearl by Siân Hughes

dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Foxglove by Adalyn Grace

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Maame by Jessica George

emotional hopeful sad 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

4.75

Bliss & Blunder by Victoria Gosling

challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A genuinely stunning book which wormed its way instantly into my heart. This book is an absolutely perfect 21st century answer to the medieval Romance. The way it unpicks questions of sexism, racism and colonialism within the framework of a hyper-online society is phenomenal, as is the philosophical depth of how this is reflected on. The author blends all of the strangeness of myth and technology into one utterly compelling story, and retains all the strangeness and grandeur of epic poetry without forcing the characters into a clear-cut moral code.

Lots of heavy and dark subject matter, but all handled with exceptional talent and emotional intelligence - just be conscious of content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, War, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Transphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

Thin Places by Kerri ní Dochartaigh

dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Hate crime

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Murder, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury

Rootbound: Rewilding a Life by Alice Vincent
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

Could not get along with the narrative style of either the personal reflections (which felt extremely self-pitying) or the sections on biology (which read as pretty dry, and in places inaccurate).

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.5