Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

6 reviews

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty and Domestic abuse

ofbooksandechos's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Alcohol

Minor: Blood

maeverose's review against another edition

emotional reflective

3.75

Mainly about dealing with grief, this one is a little different than the other books in the series, as there isn’t much storytelling until the end. But it still has the same feel as the other books. Almost Brilliant is back, as well as several other neixin. We get to see the Singing Hills and learn a little more about it, and meet other clerics. It made me emotional a few times, and overall I thought was very well done.

The only thing that disappointed me a little bit, was that I thought Chih was non binary, but it seems all the clerics use they/them pronouns (as a sort of symbolism of giving up a part of themselves to dedicate their life to being a cleric? Maybe? It’s not explained). I can’t remember if that was explained in the first book. If so, that’s my bad for missing it, if not, I’m a bit disappointed that what I thought was representation I identified with was taken away in this book… (it’s not exactly trans rep if their pronouns have nothing to do with gender) I’ll have to re read the first one and see if it was already explained. Because if it wasn’t, that feels like queerbaiting.. I don’t believe there have been any other characters in the series that were portrayed as non binary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Violence

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a beautiful little story about grief, change and growth - coming home to a place and people that have changed, ways to handle grief and what you carry with you. I thought the ending was a little too convenient but overall I loved this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Self harm, Transphobia, Blood, Excrement, Alcohol, and War

ezwolf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Mammoths at the Gate is the fourth installment in The Singing Hills Cycle where we follow Cleric Chih and their companion Almost Brilliant as they collect stories and history on their travels. In this book Chih has returned home to their abbey to something amiss. 

This series is so fascinating and I love the way that the book uses stories from its characters to create the story we read. How once people are gone, its only the stories that remain. 

I am pleased to have Almost Brilliant and Chih reunited. I love their dynamic and Almost Brilliant is such an interesting character and meeting her daughter was so fun! Being back at the abbey also meant that most of the characters we met had gender neutral pronouns and presentation, I think this was the most characters using they/them pronouns I've read about all in one book. 

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

uranaishi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail