Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Awakening by Marjorie Liu

24 reviews

vincci's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

It took a bit for me to understand what was going on, and the violence/gore is a bit off-putting, but I am interested in reading the rest of the series. The illustrations are beautiful and the colour scheme really sets the tone (no pun intended) for the story. Interesting to see a work like this coming from a female writer-illustrator duo! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and War

korii48's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Slavery and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and War

a_very_dyslexic_reader's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Cursing

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is just the kind of graphic that I love to stumble upon and find out it's actually pretty fucking amazing! 

I love the art and characters, yes, even the bad ones! Very supernaturally and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

ocean's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

melsmagicalreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny tense 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? N/A

4.75

Kicking off 2022 with a graphic novel and I couldn't have chosen a better way to start my year! The world is on the brink of war, with humans and witches of the Cumaea against the Arcanics, half-human half-Ancient hybrids. Monstress follows a 17 year old girl, Maika, who travels deep into enemy territory. While doing this, she is fighting to keep a literal monster at bay who is residing inside her. With the unlikely traveling companions of a sentient cat and a cute little half-fox, she seeks answers to her unknown past while dodging all the different people who want her and her monster dead. 

I was so impressed by the depth of world-building in this graphic novel! It is so complex with multiple sentient species, warring factions, complex systems of power, and of course, monsters. The art is absolutely outstanding, unlike any other graphic novels I've read. It's definitely got a dark and gory steampunk vibe.

The story had the potential to be too dark for me, but the addition of sentient cats and a cute little half-fox sidekick for our monstress added much-needed comic relief. I imagine I will be flying through the next few volumes this week!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking

elly29's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

This was hard to read. At times the plot seemed nonsensical, and it was very, very violent. Like, dismemberment, rolling heads, blood, wanton killings, life-sucking tentacles that make you age in the blink of an eye, etc etc. The art style is mostly beautiful when it's not bloody, and Kippa is cute and Ren the Nekomancer is funny. I'm not sure they and even four-tailed nekomancer Professor Tam Tam can keep me reading the next installment... I have it checked out of the library, so I probably will give it a go...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Trafficking

Minor: Suicide and War

robinks's review against another edition

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

4.5

I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into when I started this graphic novel. It is very intense and very mysterious, and even at the end, I have many unanswered questions (like Maika). The illustrations are beautiful and horrific.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Slavery, Torture, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

fictionalportal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

For real one of the best books I've read, graphic novel or otherwise. Astonishingly good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

kelpiebooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Torture and Blood

Minor: Sexual assault