Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Deerskin by Robin McKinley

24 reviews

smuttymcbookface's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Princess Lissla is daughter to the most loved couple in the Kingdom. Unable to take their eyes off one another, it looks like a fairytale to everyone. Except, they, and their kingdom, overlook their only child.

When the most beautiful woman in all the Kingdoms, the Queen, dies, and makes the King promise never to remarry unless the person is more beautiful than she is, he falls into a grief. A different kingdom gift Lissla a fleethound to help with her grief, and through this fleethound, Ash, she finds strength to be seen by those she wishes.

Years later, when she's just turned 17, the King realises that she is just as beautiful as her mother was, and so demands that she marries him in three days. Despite her attempts to lock herself away, he attacks her before their marriage.

Clinging onto her last piece of strength, she leaves the castle to a forest, where she and Ash are reborn, though with lasting scars from her trauma.

Deerskin was a beautiful story, told in a fairytale narrative. It was easy to feel what the characters felt, and to understand the hurt, the loss, and the bonds that formed. In addition, it was so sweet to read about the fleethound, and how the character quirks line up exactly with the sighthounds of these ages.

I have two things that I didn't like about this story. The first is that I found it too long-winded in certain parts. Thoughts and ideas were often repeated to show a train of thought, but when this happened consistently through scenes, it became difficult to read. My second issue was with the fantastical elements; I sometimes found these quite hard to follow, or when I did follow, a little ridiculous (

such as when she bled a tree from her vagina in the throne room?

). I loved the premise of the moonwoman, and her escape through her, but some things were taken a little too far.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Pregnancy

generaljinjur's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

cried on at least three separate occasions reading this; really appreciated some of the early craft moves by McKinleyn

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Miscarriage

lillizzy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Pregnancy

lottomotto's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

Wasted fantasy storytelling. I realize this story is dated but it didn’t challenged some boundaries or stretch a classic myth into a unique yarn .

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

ansimps2's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, and Rape

Moderate: Animal cruelty

jessicafee86's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

And what he saw was a Moon-haired woman in a Moon-colored dress with a tall Moon-colored dog at her side. She was barefoot, and her hair hung down her back in a single long plait. Her dress was so white it almost hurt the eyes, while the dog’s long curly coat was softer, silver-grey, almost fawn, like the Moon in a summer fog.

There are so many things that I could say about this book, it is one of my all time favorite books. I've read it at least 15 or 20 times over the years. It's a tough read for a lot of reasons, the content is very adult in nature and is a very tough topic to read about. The book is also a slow writing style and takes a bit to get started but it's well worth it. Some people have problems getting past the first part because of the *spoiler alert!* incest between her and her father and the seemingly calm way that she seems to handle it. But it makes more sense when you keep reading and is such a beautiful story. I've never come across a book like this one before, it's definitely not for everyone, but it's worth trying.

2018 Re-read Update: Been a few years since I've read this and it's still just as good as I remember.

2024 Re-Read: It's funny how six years can bring out different feelings. I had forgotten how many things in this book shaped me as a person when I was growing up. I don't think I will ever not love this book. Discovered it around 25 yrs ago and it's still the only book I've re-read consistently. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

sierrainstitches's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Just… beautiful and awful and magical and heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, and Blood

tasintom's review

5.0

Now one of my top 10 reads. And my new favorite audiobook. A fantastic story told so very well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

sigynmoon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is a beautiful book. Absolutely stunning. It is deep and emotional and portrays trauma with a deep understanding. This was a truly empowering and healing story to read, rendering you raw and then comforting you afterwards. I also deeply appreciate the portrayal of friendship between people and animals and how these relationships were taken completely seriously and never came second. All in all, this book is instantly held as a favourite. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, and Death of parent

Hunting scenes are sometimes described in detail, especially one in particular, hence the graphic animal death. It is mentioned that a dog died after giving birth.

Ash is viciously attacked in a way that can be disturbing and is written brutally but survives. Ash almost dies again later in the book but again survives. All main dogs, including the litter of puppies, survive and live happy lives.

Whilst the rape is on page, it is not described. However, the wounds and pain that is described are still disturbing and the book focuses heavily on the trauma. I would say the miscarriage is the same. The death of the protagonist's mother hangs over the story and follows her quite consistently, however it is unclear if the protagonist mourns her.

ashleyjapan's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence