Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon

15 reviews

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

NOOOOOO NOT THE SAPPHICS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Violence, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

coffeeandprose's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

thecaffeinatedlibrary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense

5.0

This book is the perfect reminder not to judge a book by its cover because I would not have assumed that this book was what it was based on it.

The Gilded Crown is a masterful, intricate political fantasy that stuns with visual prose and complex characters. When I say complex, I mean Complex. Gordon examines the very nature of humanity, of morality, here in this novel. Using themes of corrupting power, sibling bonds, generational trauma, religious power/corruption, and more, Gordon thrusts the reader into a heartfelt and poignant world that beats with life.

I don't want to disclose too much on characters for fear of spoiling anything, but the dynamics in this story are deeply moving and weaved with intrigue. Take Death (?) for example, a self-serving and morally ambiguous character that adds so much depth and understanding to the story on a larger scale. Sullivain who feels trapped under the weight of wars past and familial trauma, and whose morals lean dark. Hellevir herself and the twisted complexity of martyrdom and how much love can hurt us. The Gilded Crown is rich with interesting characters.

Beautiful, lovely, and tragic. I loved every word.

(Side note: fans of the Agathario dynamic will enjoy Hellevir + Sullivain.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

emzvoice's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful slow-paced

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

3.75

An easy and enjoyable read. A protagonist torn between who she wants to be and who she’s forced to be. Solving riddles and confronting death, while coming to terms with the reality of life.

Very coming of age, for the protagonist and the princess. Both trying to figure out how to operate within their own confines and often making the wrong choices - but they learn and grow, or at least start to given this is only book one of two. 

Fun read, sapphic and immersive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War

ofclumsywords's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This book is not at all what I was expecting. The plot was what drew me to this book but after the first few chapters it fell flat. The characters were terrible and shallow, with barely any backstory to them. The romance was nonexistent with no chemistry between the supposed couple. Not to mention the world building, which had no history to the land or any other magic users besides the main character who could bring back the dead. This book was a complete disappointment and I am not even considering reading the second book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jjvaldezbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

it was compelling enough that I finished in two sittings

CHECK TRIGGERS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Vomit, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

ellenisntcool's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

This was such a good from beginning to end. I’m excited to read the second as this was the perfect build up for more, I wish I could just spew out absolutely everything but I will urge those who like more political fantasies with a sprinkling of romance and death magic to read this book, as it’s AMAZING! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Death

Moderate: Child death and Physical abuse

dcnarvaez's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

This is one of the best books I have read this year. Hellevir was such an amazing protagonist I loved her and wanted to wring her neck MOST TIMES but I really enjoy gentle characters who have a strong moral compass and stay true to their nature of kindness despite all the horrible things she witnessed and was forced to tolerate. I really hated Sullivain for most of the book but at the end I appreciated how well she was written. 

I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Torture

Minor: War

triple_m's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

Don’t judge this book by its cover!

A really solid debut. There’s a lot of interesting and unique aspects of this book that differentiate it from other romantasy novels. 

Death as a character is so, so interesting, and even though he (it?) is certainly not an ally, I don’t really consider him the antagonist of this story. I think the crown causes much more strife for our protagonist. 

I’m not a fan of Sullivan and found Hellevir’s soft spot for her very frustrating, but ultimately they have a chance to win me over as a couple in the next book. I was glad to see Hellevir take the reins at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, and Murder

loafhart's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

The cover is really ugly for such a great book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

If you have mommy issues. Beware.