Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

7 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

ursimae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gore, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment

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.

jodean's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Classism

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief

Minor: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Torture, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

missgarceau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kirbylover16's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

4.0

After years of people telling me to read a Brandon Sanderson book and the whole Kickstarter fiasco, I have finally got around to it. Thus this is my first book ever by Sanderson; I don't know how this book score could change based on the rest of the series or the rest of the Cosmere. (yet) My overall feeling is mixed. It was a good read, and I did relate to the main character, Vin. Most of my problems are just nitpicks and my preferences for faster, more romantic, and shorter stories. However, the plot suffers from a very repetitive and slow style that can really be insufferable.
Vin is practically illiterate, as are most skaa, and it comes off quirky? Especially with Vin and Spook, and that rubs me wrong. The whole free will theme and religious tones are huge turnoffs. (apparently, Sanderson is a Mormon) Vin's mentor Kelsior is supposed to be charming, but he's not. He got worse as the story goes. Maybe I'm biased tho? Every mentor, grandfather/or father figure in media tends to be manipulative.

his fight dragged on way too long. When Vin and Elend showed up, I thought it would finally end, but nope it dragged some more.

I am more invested in all the other characters. Which there are too many. I kept going back and forth on if I liked Sazed but I think I warmed up to him. 
 What made me want to read this book was the idea that the prophetic hero fails and the evil rules, but that's all in the background. The bad guy won centuries ago! We slowly get the hero's journal, but the story would be the same without it. (shorter at least) The better description is a magical heist with politics and slavery thrown in. I enjoyed the romance and sexual tension, but I don't think he met latter.

even tho there are not many interactions between Elend and Vin or Spook. The sexual tension I meant with Ham and Bree. Perhaps he realized that in the editing phase, and that's why towards the end, they make Ham have an off-scene wife and kids he hasn't seen in months. :(

The world-building is the best part of the book. For example, the different ways metal and magic interact, the flying by dropping coins, and people looking like hellraisers walking around. The last 20% is fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

There isn't really any sex/skin, just one brief kiss described, some mentions of rape, whore houses, and underage sex. Vin does run around in boys' clothes and in her undergarments. Mostly for comic effect. Also, mental health/postpartum depression/suicide as Vin's mother kills her baby sibling and herself. Oh, and lots of murder, which we get to see very graphically. A shocking amount of beheading.

lydiavsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

(This was a reread to tab and annotate a copy for my bf)

My rating feels harsh, but this is very much based on my enjoyment not the quality of the book. I did enjoy it, but it was also an effort to make myself read at times. In fairness, I have realised that fantasy isn't my genre, so this was never going to be 5 stars for me. 

My main criticism is its just too long, 100 pages could easily be cut. I found the action scenes in particular just very drawn out and repetitive, but again that might just be me. 

Vin is a character I like, but found myself easily getting frustrated with. Elend is fine. The romance in this book is sometimes almost sweet if you ignore the age difference. Sazed I love, obviously. Marsh I like a lot. Spook is really oofed in this one, he's a cool character who is just kinda dismissed as being a lil pathetic in this first book which is a shame. One thing that I think my opinion has really changed on upon reread is Kelsier. Really not a fan this time, I don't hate him but he just irritates me. 

The ending was good, if a little (a lot) dragged out. Glad I reread it but also very glad to be done with it now. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Classism