Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

42 reviews

victoriakerr131's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Frank Muller did an incredible job narrating this audiobook! I didn't know what to expect going into this book; I didn't really enjoy the first book in the series, it was slow and not a lot happened - mostly world building. This one however was much more engaging and will make me continue the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Hate crime, and Murder

oozyschmoozy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

raginsagein's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.25

So I will start by saying that this book is better than its predecessor. During the Eddie arc I was really cheering for King, thinking that maybe this one wouldn’t be racist or sexist. And then we meet Detta/Odetta/Susannah. And Detta is the worst kind of stereotype. And he mentions TWICE that she sounds like a stereotype. And my question is why have her talk like that in the first place when you simply…don’t have to. But all in all, I like the mysticism. I like where this series is headed. I think it’s a really cool and fun premise. I just…wish it was less racist for the sake of being racist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

axeltheredpanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-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

By far one of the best books I’ve ever read. The characters are incredible, the pacing is perfect, and the situations the characters are put through are extremely impactful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical trauma, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, and Classism

The hard r N word is used very liberally at times and a character is a racist caricature (though this is commented on within the book and she’s that way due to certain events)

lvl52_grant's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-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

This one feels much more ... natural? modern? Than the first. The first book of the series feels odd, but this book just moves a bit better for some reason. It's when we meet two more of the party of heroes on the quest for the Dark Tower, and two of my favorite characters. It's also when we learn of the interconnectedness of our world and that of Roland, particularly with New York City. 
It's also the reason lobsters kind of scare me now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse, Racism, and Sexual content

dovahkiin_shea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

the_devotress's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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: Addiction, Gun violence, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

ziopera's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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: Death, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Homophobia

asourceoffiction's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense medium-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

4.0

I'm relieved that I enjoyed this second installment much more than the first. I feel invested in Roland's journey now, and I might actually remember the events of this book when I come to read the third!

This is noticeable in a few of King's books from the '80s and earlier, but he throws racial slurs around carelessly at times, and it's something to be prepared for. He's careful to mention when a particular element of the story is a blatant and inaccurate stereotype, but that doesn't make it any less uncomfortable.

There's something quite lovely about seeing such a serious character as the Gunslinger experience life in our world for the first time. His first Pepsi, his first brain freeze, his inability to pronounce the word aspirin, all humanised him enough to make the whole story more engaging for me.

I was also much more invested in Eddie and Odetta's stories than Roland's alone, and by the third door I was completely hooked. The tension shot up and I rushed through the last 100 pages. There were some brilliant connections made and I feel set up for the rest of the series now.

And the tower is closer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder

socialpsysteph's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

A big goal this year is to make progress on the many series I am reading so I'm jumping back into The Dark Tower to try to make some progress. I enjoyed the first one when I read it (4 stars) so I was excited to go back into this weird, fantasy, Western, world. In this installment, Roland comes across 3 strange doors that are just standing on the beach. When he opens them, he finds something that he hopes will get him closer to the Dark Tower. I think I liked this one even more than the first one (though the rating stays the same). I was intrigued the entire time and felt like I couldn't put it down. 

This book counts for Popsugar 2023 for a book published the year I was born and for Adventures in Aeldia 2023 for the June prompt to "visit a wizard tower" and read a book with a prologue. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence