Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Witching Hour by Anne Rice

24 reviews

lauren_honey's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

5.0

This book is weird. Ann Rice is very talented, of course, but also maybe crazy?? I can't believe I raced through this 1,000+ page book--even with all the taboo subjects, disturbing images, and parts that don't age well--but it really was a well-constructed story; very spooky, memorable and rich. For readers: definitely read the TWs! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Incest, Rape, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism and Slavery

Minor: Homophobia

jessicaswhirled's review against another edition

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

4.0

This was…very difficult to rate. Perhaps I’m an outlier, but my favorite part was the history sections. Those were clearly 4 star. The numerous times allegedly consensual sex was described as “rapey”? One star. I don’t know how I’m meant to feel about any of the characters - the “good” ones do horrible things, and vice versa. Having said that, I did finish a 55 hour audio book in the two week library rental, so it was utterly engaging. I will be trying the rest of the trilogy, but I’m not committing to it. In conclusion, from one of the diary entries, the book may be best summed up as “I know I have included more than I needed to here.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Stalking

Minor: Rape

willow1113's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

aliennas's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

It honestly has no business being this long. The “Yes, rape me!” and the pedophilia, incest and other… uncomfortable aspects of the book were big yikes. That being said, the narrative and the plot in itself is really cool. Part 2 is a clear highlight. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

cuteasamuntin's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

I’m not sure I particularly liked this book. It isn’t a particularly fun or nice read, but I can already tell that it’s going to really stick with me. While it’s slow enough that I was at times impatient for Rice to get on with it, the narrative was still very compelling.

I really enjoyed the family chronology and learning more about the Talamasca. My favorite parts were 1) the deep and pure expressions of familial and romantic love dappled throughout an otherwise grim and haunting story and 2) Michael

in a joyous frenzy over restoring the house, to the point that I was hanging onto every word about his historically accurate and thoughtful renovations

, but the latter is probably just a hazard of my day job.

Funnily enough, I just didn’t care at all about the spirit Lasher, to the point that I found myself actively bored when

he is finally present in the narrative and begins interacting directly with Rowan

. I think this may have been a stronger story without that aspect being so explicitly present. This may, of course, be in part to already knowing the general principles of how spirits/“demons” work in the Anne Rice universe due to being a dedicated admirer of Maharat and her Great Family™ from The Vampire Chronicles. 

For audiobook listeners, the talented Kate Reading really makes this heavy tome a lot less of a slog. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Dementia, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Kidnapping, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Colonisation

cgrays's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

The main characters are incredibly dull and their "romance" is one of the worst put to writing. The book swings between the present with the main characters, to stories going from each generation of the Mayfair witches. 

The sections of the book about the Mayfair witches of the past is genuinely exciting to read, but the main plot is so unbearably awful that it can't lift this book beyond two stars for me. The ending as well, is unsatisfying for as long as we spent with the Mayfair family. 

Oh, and in Anne Rice fashion, there's unnecessarily graphic descriptions of children in sexual situations and some strangely racist undertones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Colonisation

_nicolewilson's review against another edition

Content was too disturbing 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Pedophilia

silversparkles50's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Rape, and Pregnancy

lyfeistrip's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

circe813's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Chronic illness