Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Misrule by Heather Walter

6 reviews

jasmindragon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

Such a good book, but weird how they skip over multiple centuries like it's nothing? I expected more of the lovers from the first book and was disappointed. Amazing world-building, betrayal from left and right, angsty lesbians with tension in the royal court, what more could you want.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

WHY MAKE THE ENTIRE ENDING ABOUT "LOVE SAVES THE WAR" AND THE ONES BEING IN LOVE NOT EVEN BEING TOGETHER AFTER CENTURIES OF YEARNING FOR EACH OTHER, VI I AM SO COMING AFTER YOU AFTER YOU RECOMMENDING THIS TO ME KNOWING THE ENDING, ITS BULLSHIT. THE FUCKING KISS THEY SHARED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOOK THAT AURORA INIATED, ONLY JUST FOR HER TO BACK OFF AND SAYING "ITS TOO MUCH", GIRL, YOU STARTED IT!?@? INFURIATINGG AND ALYCE NOT BEING ABLE TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" FOR THE ENTIRITY OF THE BOOK WHILE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO WAKE HER UP FOR A CENTURY LONG IS ALSO, MIS-FKING-CALCULATION, I KNOW THE ALYCE FROM THE PREVIOUS BOOK WOULD HAVE SERENADED HER ON HER KNEES WITH WHATEVER AURORA WISHES TO HEAR. good book tho

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

THIS BOOK WAS SO MESSY! The plot of the second book was so much worse than the first one. The first book had great world building, which is expanded on in the second book. But

the main character is hopelessly and problematically in love with her oppressor. It’s a whole mess. There are so many plot twists that will make you so frustrated.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism

princess_sara_sparkles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Great duology and story. Heart-wrenching the whole way through 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

quitegood's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad 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

3.75

I have to say that once its all been said and done, I did enjoy my time with duology. There's certainly many ways the books could be better, but I believe the author's intention was to write about the trauma of abuse, and how the can end up swallowing you whole if you're not careful. I myself am a survivor of constant bullying in school resonate with Alyce, and seeing her stumble way throught the maturation one needs to go through in order to get over the bullying was equal parts inspiring and frustrating. And I fully believe that frustration was intentional, because it can be difficult to help someone with trauma. You're brain is like that of a teenager; illogical and regressed. Outside obersevers can see so many paths to a better you, but you as the victim see them all, and the indecision can be crushing! 
If I was to offer literary criticism, I'd ask for more world building. I can't place my finger on it, but the world didn't feel rich enough. It felt like I was reading a text book at times, as opposed to a narrative. Maybe the author was going for a more magical realism vibe, but considering large plot-points hinge on how the magic works in this world, it reading less like an instruction manual might have helped. I also feel teh characters were a little inconsistent. Their logic didn't quite work, and while yes, its a story about victims of trauma and how you can't think straight, the book would spell out a character's internal logic, and then they'd act completely against it. 
All that criticism aside, I did like the ending. No spoilers, but it was a refreshingly real ending what wasn't bitter sweet. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Murder, and War

scifi_rat's review

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Plot: 3.5 ★
Prose: 4 ★
Pace: 3 ★
Concept/Execution: 4 ★/3★
Characters: 3.5 ★
Worldbuilding: 3.5 ★
Ending: 3.5 ★

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

booksthatburn's review against another edition

The first one wasn't really my thing, and I think I don't like "will they get back together" plots where their original romance was brief and one person truly became awful in the meantime. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Self harm

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy