Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon

14 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

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.

basementofbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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 death, Death, Hate crime, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, and Abandonment

sadetanssija's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: War

alisaur's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

I was surprised by how quickly I was absorbed into this story.  The book is a low simmer that serves up a rich batch of intriguing lore and complex relationships with a deft, almost subtle, hand.  The mysterious unraveling of plot points bring our main character through much conflict and pain, pushing her to grow into the inner strength needed to handle her gift.

I rooted for H., but was also  frustrated at times with her feelings of helplessness.  

I’m looking forward to seeing the plot seeds planted here grow and hopefully bring resolution in the next book.

Ps.  I know this is a sapphic tale,

but the confusing tension between H. and Mostly-Unnamed Death Gatekeeper has me shipping them a bit.

Just a little.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Murder