Reviews with content warning for Torture - Gild

I like this! Even though it has many problems and certain scenes might seem unbearable, disgusting, or chaotic (yes I am referring to the orgy in the first chapter, and many misogynic stuff mostly happened throughout this book) to some readers, I found it oddly unique and I could not put this one down. (Also it made me ugly cry when Sail was killed. How cruel you took away the only friend Auren had!) Midas was a manipulative jerk. He seemed possessive but made me feel like he was just using Auren but not truly loving her. Otherwise he would not participate in orgies right in front of Auren's face! Bastard! I bet he was not the true MMC of this series. I will put my bet on the king of the Fourth Kingdom and hoping we will get another shadow daddy like Rhys!

Heat: 🔥

Content Warnings

kalequeentv's review against another edition

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5.0

I feel guilty saying this but; this book feels like a try-hard. It’s wild that I’m going to read the entire series (I’m just not a quitter even when I hate books I have to pray for a redemption). The world building was fine and the characters are mildly interesting, but ultimately the book is so slow it brings it’s own downfall.

Slight spoily and graphic +18 hints in this paragraph, proceed with caution! ⚠️ The fact that we spend 30% of this book waiting for a SA, only for her to be free, only then, yet again we spend another 20% of the book waiting for another SA - this whole thing is leaving me kinda “….??” I think perhaps I have issue with the “obsessively dumping trauma after trauma on your MC until they break and become super strong and can fight the oppressive war because now they understand the oppression of the people”. I really do hate it. I’ll say it. I think trauma dumping on characters until they are “worthy” leaders or power forces in a rebellion is silly and boring. I wish we could find better motivation without the concept of repeated SA? The author literally HOOKED the concept of poverty on a line for the MC to gobble up and feed her rage but it doesn’t matter because BAM let’s assault someone again.

Maybe book two will hook me. One can only hope.

Edit: when I have mental energy to explain I will but this review is trash and in my second read of the year for the series, I think I owe Raven an apology. Sorry I didn’t trust you, I get it now girl.

Content Warnings

mikasana's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I am terribly conflicted on what to rate this. I went into this completely blind. I was only a few pages in when my first reaction was just a loud expletive.

And while I couldn’t put the book down, I felt my skin crawl the entire time I was reading this. It was disgusting, offensive, misogynistic, devious and just had a general… sense of utter depravity. Check your trigger warnings because this entire book felt like one giant, heaping pile of red flags.

But again, I couldn’t put it down despite how uncomfortable I felt. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion — you feel your lowest for looking but you can’t look away either. That’s how I felt for 90% of this. I still feel pretty icky.

While I can confidently say I will probably never reread this again purely because of the content, I am very much interested in what will happen next.

This is NOT the book for everyone. This one is going to be a book you either hate or it becomes a guilty pleasure. I think I am the latter if only because I like what happens from here on out. Despite the content I was thoroughly entranced the whole way so I will give credit where credit is due.

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lucien's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

0.25

Lack of decent character development with a plot that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Things just happen to the character but it incites no empathy. Sex scenes are just glanced over, not fantastic. The only detailed sex screen was the rape, which I'm not a fan of. No real goals from the main character and a little underwhelming in regards to her personality. Author's favorite phrases were "eyes as big as plates" and "on the bright side."

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emskidua's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense 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

2.5

That was wild…. I’m scared

Content Warnings

bee12345's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.25

Fairly simplistic writing and annoyingly modern language. Interesting premise for a story but feels unresolved as a first book in the series.

Also, a jarring choice to take a famous mythological character and UTTERLY divorce him from all historical context.

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