Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

29 reviews

peachmoni's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Self harm, Grief, and Pregnancy

quietlyfierce's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Rape, and Sexism

fiveredhens's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

folkloric winter horror horse girl book

the first third of the book was p slow but it kicked off in the second half. kinda petered out at the end but still really good

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Death of parent

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Vomit

soaphest's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

Amazing, brilliant & gorgeous. Just everything about this book is perfect, from the gorgeous cover art to the incredibly immersive storytelling. I’ve never been happier to learn that this is the first part of a trilogy so that I still have two more books to enjoy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Misogyny, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Gore, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Sexual harassment

The misogyny, rape and adult/minor relationship cw warnings are very period-typical as it (sadly) was the norm for that time. It’s the whole *hand wavy gesture* women being treated as objects with little to no agency over their lives and futures & teens being arranged to marry men twice their age thing. Also I wasn’t sure whether to tag for psychosis as Anna wasn’t really delusional, but her attacks were pretty intense (as were how she was treated by those around her) so that’s why I still chose to.

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

3.5

Once I got used to the narrative voice of this book, I really enjoyed listening to this one on audio. It was definitely an immersive experience, with some moments near the end getting pretty creepy, TBH. While I did like this book a lot, I didn't love it on the level of, say, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, which I was sort of expecting to based on reviews I'd heard. I think I'll pick up the next book in physical copy, just to see if perhaps this is something that needs to be enjoyed more quickly than the realities of my life allow for with audiobook listening. But overall, Katherine Arden has created a gorgeous world, with both loveable and love-to-hateable characters. The plot is very much fairy tale-esque, so if a more whimsical narrative isn't your style, I would say to steer clear of this one. I'm excited to see where we go with (hopefully) Vasya in the next installment!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

pades's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Blood

Minor: Rape

mitzireads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I felt transported while reading this. The layer upon layer that was given to the story was phenomenal. 

I haven't read a book like this before and it honestly took my breath away. The details described give the characters such depth that even by the middle of the book you feel like you have know them your whole life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

gwynsvan's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, and Grief

kestrel's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Animal cruelty and Body shaming