Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

16 reviews

hexatrance's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

Between a 4 and a 4.5. I have to admit, it took me a bit to get into it because I knew right off the bat, based on historical context, what was going to be the reveal for the first part of the plot. However, the second half did keep me on my toes and I found myself not wanting to put it down. This is a really clever use of historical context in a way that truly encapsulates what it means to be historical fiction. The approach towards using the slave trade as the background and focus of the book was done very well. It created a fictional plot without having to fictionalised the facts or contexts of the time. The historical note was also very good with some good boon recs. I would have liked to have seen more of Caro and Corsham's relationship, and a lot of things are forwarded by a repetitive use of bribery, but other than that, it was a great read. I've also bought the next book that focuses on his wife Caro and the murder of a prostitute. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Torture

hannahrhian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

applekettle's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a better historical novel than it was murder mystery - it didn't blend the two as well as Daughters of Night. Writing is also weaker, though I guess that's to be expected since it's a debut. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Torture

violentlyagitated's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Torture

michael_hayden's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Trafficking

Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual assault

abbieinwonderland's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Mental illness, Rape, Excrement, Vomit, and Medical trauma

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Blood