Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

10 reviews

levesc17's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This was a wildly long tale! It could have been two or three books easily. This was on my radar because Sarah J Maas had mentioned in an interview in 2015. You can definitely see some inspo from this book  in Throne Of Glass.

 I had read other reviews about not liking how sex was so central to the book. I wish I had known before I started the origins of this complaint. To be ultra clear, the fantasy place this is set in completely de-stigmatizes sex. The origin of the fictional universe is based loosely on Jesus and Mary Magdalene— except that Mary Magdalene’s role as a prostitute is exemplified as the holiest work you can do. So the whole culture worships sex as a holy activity with no stigmas. Sex work is the primary focus of the first third of the book- the main character is birthed by a sex worker and grows up in the trade. Children as young as ten learn about sex in this fictional world. 

The second third of the book has the MC sold into slavery by a court rival. The final third of the book has no onscreen sex and is about saving their country from invasion. 

I hope this helps you decide to read this book, going in with a better understanding of what the book is about. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and War

Minor: Abandonment

This book has a lot of sex, but it’s not as graphic as it could be. Mostly, it has the start of a sex scene and then fades to black. There’s some BDSM content as well, but again just the first minutes or so of a liaison and then fades to the next chapter.

spiderelsa's review against another edition

5.0

Oh wow, I didn't know what I was getting into with this book, and it's been a real journey. Engaging all the way through. Sometimes stressful, sometimes beautiful, sometimes harrowing. With love woven throughout. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, and War

karanextweek's review against another edition

3 reasons for DNF: 
1. I really hate the writing style. It’s exhausting and feels pretentious. 
2. The first 30th pages are lore. I don’t want to start a book with all back story. Tedious and boring!
3. I’m so tired of fantasy books that sexualize CHILDREN. It’s so unnecessary. I do not want to read a book about a SEVEN YEAR OLD discovering they’re a masochist.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Slavery

Moderate: Pedophilia and Trafficking

jonezzzing's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, and War

Moderate: Vomit, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Rape, and Pregnancy

zone_a3's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-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

5.0

This book is a political intrigue, erotica, epic fantasy.  In that order.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Trafficking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Abandonment

strawberrypinch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

reading_rainbows's review against another edition

adventurous challenging slow-paced

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

3.0

This is very much an epic. Though we stay with the main character Phedre, there is a lot of detail about a lot of people that I mistakenly tried to keep up with.  If you like lots of details to keep track of you might just love this book.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and War

meganphilippa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

micaela11'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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Trafficking

howwoolatthemoon's review against another edition

I am not into this nearly enough for thirty+ hours, plus sequels

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment