Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Rizzio by Denise Mina

3 reviews

bonsai_delores's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

3.5

As a historical piece, it was excellent. The author did an great job placing the reader in the setting. The action was pure adrenaline. Not what I was looking for, but well written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

Alcohol is used, and abused by several people. Two murders occur, and are referred to several times. There is also a graphic recount of a public hanging. A miscarriage is pretended, and the queen’s husband attempts to cause her to miscarry.

bethsbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I am quite fascinated by Mary Queen of Scot's story so it was cool to focus on one particular moment in her wild history. I felt that Denise Mina did an astounding job in the short word count that she had. You definitely need to know a little bit about Mary & this story to get fully invested and involved in this novella. There is a bit of world-building and you can go in blind, but I think I would have been so hyperfixated on the history if I didn't previously know the story. Instead, I got to enjoy the delicious, poetic writing, the eerie setting, the "real-time" pacing, wandering through Edinburgh with Yair, the references of Mary's past and future, and of course, witnessing this horrific murder once again.

I think if you've seen any film or read anything about Mary Stuart's life, you will enjoy this book. It's short, it's emotional, it's gory, it's bloody, and it's unlike anything else I've read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

alisonannk's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism