Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

38 reviews

agenericmirkwoodelf's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Absolutely in love with the characters, magic system, setting and atmosphere! 
Some of the payoffs- especially within the climax- fell a little flat, but I still plan on continuing this series when time allows. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Incest and Fire/Fire injury

meggomyeggo1210's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

shaestrong's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This is a pretty straight forward magic-as-power fantasy, with multifaceted characters who are challenged to grow or die as the adventure progresses. I could wish the world building included a little more detail on the "physics" of the magic system, but it was overall enjoyable and feels as if there is more story to be told in this world. Thankfully there IS more since this is book one of a series, and we can hopefully learn more about Kell and Lilah are faced with new dangers and intrigues.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Classism

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

Pika-arvostelu: Kerronta on viipyilevää, miljöötä ja henkilöitä kuvaillaan paljon. Jos pitää eläväisestä kuvailusta ja uuteen moniulotteiseen fantasiamaailmaan tutustumisesta, kirja miellyttää varmasti. Jos taas kaipaa nopeatempoista toimintaa ja isoilla panoksilla pelaamista, sitä saa odottaa ensimmäisten sadan sivun ajan. Sitten kuitenkin myös juoni ottaa enemmän tuulta siipiensä alle.

Fantasiamaailman rakentuminen: Magian syvempi sävy esittelee kiinnostavan ajatuksen rinnakkaismaailmoista, joissa Lontoosta on olemassa neljä eri versiota, kukin eri suhteessa magian olemukseen ja käyttöön. Eri maailmojen välillä voivat matkustaa vain vahvat, mutta harvinaiset verimaagit eli antarit. Heidän voimansa ei periinny suvussa, vaan on arvoitus, miksi jollakin henkilöllä on tämä voima. Tämä rinnakkais-Lontoiden universumi on rakennettu niin tarkasti aina taikuuden toimintaperiaatteista eri maailmojen omiin kieliin, että uskon antareista paljastuvan vielä lisää tietoa jatko-osissa.

Henkilöt: Päähenkilö Kell esitellään voimakkaana verimaagina, joka virallisten kuninkaallisten tehtäviensä ohessa tekee sivubisnestä salakuljettajana. Tähän nähden hän on kuitenkin hämmentävän hyväuskoinen ja toistuvasti kävelee vailla epäilyksiä ansoihin kuin neito hädässä.

Sen seurauksena Kell on useamman kerran vähällä menettää henkensä tai joutua orjuutetuksi, mutta onneksi on Lila pelastamassa päivän.

Henkilöiden välisille suhteille annetaan kirjassa huomiota, mutta niillä on vielä paljon tilaa kehittyä eri suuntiin jatko-osissa.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Genocide, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

bean_7088's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.25

That was fun. Loved it. 
I also loved that even though Kell was supposed to be 21, the narrator read him like an gruff 50 yead old man and it was fun. 

I really hope nothing romantic develops between Kell and Lilah in later books, I like them being friends. 

I'm learning this is my kind of book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Trafficking

It's got magic possession and that leads to some fucked up stuff.

zoeelora's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

books_and_rainydays's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I love Schwab's writing style and perspective but with this book (and especially in the ending) I felt that it was a little bit too rushed. I felt like somethings were just thrown into the story for the sake of the plot without the reader really understanding where they came from and how they are related to what happened before.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

stargazer_ley's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm quickly finding Schwab to be an author I enjoy reading. After finishing the Villious duology and seeing the blurb for this book in Vicious, I decided I had to read this one and I'm glad I did. Kell and Lila are as compelling as the mystery of the black stone. I'm quite interested in reading the rest of the trilogy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and Classism

littletiramisu's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

loxeletters's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Slavery, and Torture