Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

6 reviews

emma_sky's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Vomit, and Lesbophobia

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Deportation

churrocaitie's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What a fun book that felt like an adventure of a lifetime for women in the “Bridgerton” era (aka Regency England). 

It took me a good halfway through before I saw where the book was going but when I got there, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I enjoyed how special each new character was that was introduced, and I loved how unique and dark Alison Goodman wrote the storyline with “history” as a baseline. I’m always a sucker for anything not-modern and I totally got my fix in this, while also enjoying a story that was perfectly adventurous enough for my liking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexism, Violence, Excrement, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

aseel_reads's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

4.5

I truly didn't think I would enjoy this book was much as I did. It striked a good balance between historical fiction (for that time period) and adventure/mystery! Just the feminist tones while kicking ass, fantastic. I also loved the sister relationship so much. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Excrement, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

I loved this book from beginning to end but I confess that if I hadn’t had to read it for a book group, I’d never have picked it because it looks and sounds like it’s a lightweight “cozy mystery,” the last thing I’d normally choose. This has lots of humor and it’s quite entertaining but it’s about as far from cozy as you can get. Vivid descriptions of truly appalling situations abound. 

This is a feminist tirade against the abuse of women in the 18th and 19th Centuries, and nothing about it is gentle. I am not one to cry at books but I had tears in my eyes reading about the conditions at the private insane asylum - women chained half-naked in feces up to their ankles is just one example of the many cruelties and injustices. 

The author has done copious research on the Regency period of England (1811-1820), and it tells in the detail she brings to the story. This would be a good companion to Jane Austen’s books and the somewhat later ones of the Bronte’s. They focused on polite society whereas this book shows a part of England they may not have known existed. 

Unfortunately for me, this book was only just published so I’ll have to wait all too long for the sequel. I know it will be well worth the wait, but still….

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

alhalpern's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment