Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

13 reviews

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a re-read and now that I have read more of the cosmere the little bits that nod and hint to other things are actually really fun to notice.  I still love the world building and the magic system but the characters are pretty meh.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alannad396's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing 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

4.25

I quite enjoyed this book throughout. It’s fairly well thought out. It’s not perfect as many have suggested it is. However the characterizations and a good portion of the world building is done really well. These characters already are very memorable to me. I honestly can’t wait to get to the rest of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

There are references to the potential for SA throughout the book. Also, there’s literal references and allusions to slavery and the types of work involved in real life slavery also happening in this fictional world. The nobles are also quite misogynistic at times.

jonwood's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense 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

4.0

Really enjoyed this. It's the best first book in a fantasy series I've read, as it gets the plot moving (driven by characters) fairly straightaway and acts as its own self-contain story (sure, there are a few threads to yes-and to in the future). Gripping adventure as characters look to see if they can make a difference. I might actually read book 2 less than a year from now.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Sexual assault

dollarsignimp's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism

stephaniemcuervo's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

myrini'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Classism

arytia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

My first glimpse into the cosmere and Sanderson‘s work in general and I absolutely loved it! I was a bit worried as it was my first high fantasy novel as well but I got right into the story. I can’t wait to see how the story will continue and how Sanderson, as an author, has grown over the years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, and Racism

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

dragonbornsandwaffles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

It lulls for the first third of the book or so while he's worldbuilding, but once things started to pick up, I quickly couldn't put it down. It's a very intense gritty fantasy (see content warnings for details - it's...a lot), and the characterization is so good that they feel like old friends. It does have a shock twist at the end, so if you don't like those, I'd stay away. It made me absolutely bawl like a baby for a good hour after I finished it. Fantastic book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol

pogue's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

I liked the magic and the world but to me the characters seemed flat. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment