Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

38 reviews

kirsten_rainbow's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Minor: Antisemitism and Abandonment

amy_reading_23's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one. It's possibly one of the best historical novels I've read as it does truly bring Elizabethan England to life. There was also a lightheartedness to this novel that the first one lacked. I also enjoyed the more focused exploration of witchcraft. 

The only reason I won't give it 4 stars is because I still don't like how Matthew treats Diana. Mostly he is better than the first book but that's not saying much. He is still abusive and its still excused as being because of his vampirism and past. It is such a shame as without that these would be great books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

joey_paige's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Abandonment

flyintothestorm's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

saroreen's review

adventurous mysterious tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Antisemitism

kat1105's review

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

laurenleigh's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

It’s rare these days that I immediately continue a series, other library holds be damned, but I couldn’t resist with this one. Iloved all the research Harkness put into the first book, but wow there’s even more here! Minor spoiler, but this whole book is set in the past. I kept waiting for them to return to the present, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying the historical setting. I’ve read or watched plenty of stories set in Elizabethan England, but this was the richest depiction I’ve had yet! I see how from a writer’s perspective, historical fiction places a number of restrictions upon you, but to combine that with witches, demons, and vampires is a delightful juxtaposition. I’m so into this world that Harkness has built, and I’m already on book #3!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

Moderate: Misogyny and Violence

micaelamariem's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

A bit disappointed with this one. Good points: it was well written and there must’ve been loads of research put into this which I respect. Not so good points: the books was unnecessarily long and many scenes could’ve been cut out, Matthew was insufferable in his secret-keeping, hypocrisy, and jealousy, and the elements of time travel didn’t make much sense as they thoroughly messed up the timeline!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

redheadsuperpowers's review against another edition

emotional tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

300 pages in and already annoyed with the menfolk.  I am reminded of why I avoid historical romances. Matthew has fallen away from his modern memory, and is treating Diana as if she were from the Elizabethan era and not the educated woman she is. At risk due to a jealous ass of his friend, who has attempted to stir witchcraft sentiments against her in a time and place where witches were burned!! I seethe, as all could have been avoided if her was listening and respecting her intelligence. Men.ugh.

I read this directly after reading the first in the series. It did lend some to the storyline, but overall, it just reminded me I hate historical novels. I am more of an urban fantasy reader.

In this follow up to A Discovery of Witches, we find our leads Diana and Matthew time walking back to Elizabethan England. With a jealous wannabe paramour for Matthew, active witch hunts, and time appropriate intrigue, it drags a bit. Matthew is once again keeping too many secrets, but Diana is finally learning her own abilities. We meet Philippe and Stephan, and see both leads get some closure with their fathers. Diana changes history by being herself. We met lots of major historical players that were apparently Matthew's friends. That man sure involves himself in major events for someone changing lives so often. All in all, it was a decent book, and while long winded, did lend depth to the storyline.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, and Classism

aduqu's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

I almost stopped reading this book many times - it's mottled with both intriguing and painfully slow parts, but the good parts are worth slogging through the bad.

Matthew is less of an ass in this one, and Diana is less helpless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

Moderate: Drug abuse, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape