Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

23 reviews

deniseaz2021's review

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Violence, and Murder

katherinehamilton's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

gordosaurusrex's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

The Winter King is an interesting read. A historical fiction that doesn't shy from the history of the period (or what we know about it at least). Cornwell has obviously done his homework, but I found the endless names and places a little hard to follow at times, and only a select few characters lasted enough in my head to have any clue as to who they were when they showed up. It took me a while to get through it, and although the story beats were interesting, the focus on it being historically accurate while also being a retelling of what could have been the inspiration of Arthurian Legend means there is a whole ton of stuff to keen track of, and to keep the story moving and readable, could have been done away with!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture

henrikv's review against another edition

Cynical, gritty fantasy about post-Roman Britain where everything and everyone is ugly and grim; the men, the women, the pagans, the christians, even the nature. There is no magic or beauty in this world.

I read this 25 years ago and remember liking it, so I grabbed this again as I wanted some easy escapism. What a mistake! The book is well written though, and I like the Brittonic setting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

adearajean's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

4.0

King Arthur is not in much of this book. It's very focused on war and I found myself zoning out at times but there are parts that I was very hooked. I'm interested in reading the next installment. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and War

amber_lfor's review

I wanted to like this book. I read the series when I was younger, and put up with a lot, the second reading I just couldn't do! The women lack personality, and are mainly seen as beautiful and meek, or defiant and ugly in some way. I'm about 100 pages in and 3 women have been raped. All I want is a good historical book that does women justice! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and War

I would only bother if you have a strong stomach and can bare outdated writing about women.

unluckycat13's review against another edition

Really vile, sexist stuff in this one. Not because it's historically accurate mind you, they never are when it comes to women. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

edenpadzinski's review

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Rape

nerdkitten's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Drug use, Infertility, Pedophilia, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Abortion, and Classism

andrealinia's review against another edition

There's only so much I can stomach of the female characters being raped, "taught their duties", and kept as sex slaves.

Not a book I was enjoying so I decided to call it quits.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Rape