Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

3 reviews

a_bow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny tense fast-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? No

4.5

Excellent example of how unchecked capitalism negatively impacts everyone, including those it benefits. It's in the same vein as Hunger Games.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Vomit, Medical content, and Abortion

deanswallow's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

4.0

Red Rising is a fast paced book with a constant flow of events and action, the authors writing style really lends itself to the fast paced narrative that this book presents. However as a side effect, alot of information is left out and sometimes I found myself having to reread/relisten to sections as I thought I had missed something. Unfortunately alot of descriptions for locations/items are not present, which while it does leave it to the readers imagination, I found it also left me with little to no starting point or inspiration. The themes behind the book are really great, seeing almost a parody of what real life demographics could evolve into in the extreme.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Minor: Drug abuse and Cannibalism

rubyroses's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-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? No

4.75

Red Rising is marketed as a mix between the Hunger Games & Enders Game. Like the Hunger Games the society of this novel is fractioned into  classes all with specific job and varying hierarchies. Meanwhile, like Enders Game it focus more on a battle arena type school then an all out Hunger Games killing fest. Yet, even with all this being said Red Rising is a unique novel. It’s premise is fresh and feels unheard off even in the vast sea of YA dystopian sci-fi that exists. 

Our main character Darrow is an interesting one. The journey he goes on is long and never ending. He’s a smart boy who is always struggling to stay ahead and often is falling one step behind but when he wins he doesn’t it magnificently. It’s the struggle that makes him interesting. Like most characters he is not perfect at the beginning and he is not perfect at the end. He is overwhelmingly human (😉). 

But, don’t read this book just for Darrow. Every character from Cassius to Servo (he’s my favourite) have their own brilliant moments. The writing is genuinely hilariously witty even in the most tense moments. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism