Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

147 reviews

riverstrongblood's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

I cannot begin to express how thoroughly I enjoyed this book. Somebody else on this app wrote that they wished there were more witches and mermaids and "less of all the other stuff" but let me just say that this books is PACKED with fantasy and pirates and witches and mermaids. A person who simply can't care for the depth of the diversity and intersectionality in this book doesn't deserve the magnitude and life breathed into its pages. 

I'm not one for spoilers in book reviews but I have never regarded a book more highly than this. And I am so appreciative for authors who are writing queer and ethnically diverse books. It's rare. A breath of fresh air against the bland, white, straight canopy that fantasy has been for so long. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Cannibalism

capriqueen's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

3.0

Felt both slow and too short. This is clearly a rich world, but the atmospheric tone and shortness left me unable to immerse myself in it

The pacing really picked up in the last third, and my jaw dropped at the reveal of Callum’s plan. But the ending just left me feeling unsatisfied

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Rape

Rape is off-page and alluded to, not named outright

smellymiche's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

khanibonnie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-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

This has the most beautiful depictions of gender queerness and the normalization of it that I have ever read and the only one that i’ve ever seen or read that is in reference to black people. the sapphic storyline was so beautiful and i now believe in love again 🙏🏾

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Slavery and Vomit

Minor: Rape and Self harm

sn8man's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

haydo's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.5

This book was not what I expected when I started it, but it is a wild ride from start to finish.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual assault

male_soley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

I enjoyed reading this book so much. From the division with the parts (mermaid, witch, sea) to the different perspectives to the queerness of the characters and how it was not labeled but just there as part of their lives. It was a cruel read at times but I liked how it ended and felt the ending did the characters justice.

I kind of wish for a sequel about the pirate supreme and life aboard their ship.

I would also love to read more about Flora and Evelyn's mermaid life!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Misogyny, Vomit, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and War

readingqueerly's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

I read this with half a mind and coming out of a big slump and I STILL cried at the end. 
I wish I had been more present when reading this. I would have loved it even more. 
This whole book while containing quite some action, also had quite a bit of whimsy. It felt similar to watching a studio Ghibli movie if that makes any sense at all. 
It was packed with queer and POC rep which I always appreciate, the main character being non-binary as you learn along the way. Never in so many words. But when you know, you know. 
Yes absolutely read this book. It's very atypical for a YA book I feel and it really reminded me why I do still like reading YA. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, and Violence

littlecatinabox's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail