Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

A Sleight of Shadows by Kat Howard

2 reviews

bkschwartz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.25

When I read An Unkindness of Magicians the story felt complete. It wasn’t a tale than ended with every line tied in a pretty bow, but it felt cleanly finished. 

When I learned there was going to be a sequel I have to admit I was concerned. Would this story live up to the first? Yes. Resoundingly yes. Would it feel like it was grasping at a few loose threads? No. This next chapter of the Unseen World was brilliant and creative. Kat Howard made bold and sometimes shocking choices that kept me riveted. I could never have guessed the direction this would take! It was a dark and deeply satisfying surprise.

That being said, I think there are readers who would appreciate a trigger warning… 

The first book included graphic bodily consequences for magic. While there were scenes of self harm, they didn’t strike me hard. This one is different. It has a couple scenes where I was shaken, hit in a devastating and visceral way. I expected the content; I did not expect how hard it would punch me. I felt for Sydney, and in her grief I was completely transported back to my own moments where self harm felt like The Right Choice. People with a history of self harm may want to be prepared for that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

Minor: Mass/school shootings

roobadger's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Self harm, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Toxic relationship