Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

140 reviews

iwinatcookie's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Blood, Torture, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, War, Sexual content, Gore, Death of parent, Murder, Animal death, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Classism

Moderate: Rape

lizzye33's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Grief, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, War, and Vomit

Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexism, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Medical trauma

nkmustdie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Classism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, War, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Stalking, and Torture

saramoser's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

This book was enjoyable but maybe too much hype and so I expected fantastic. Outside of my usual genre, this fantasy, world building almost retelling of beauty and the beast was interesting to a point, but the certain points it almost seemed as if we were in a hurry to get the book over with, and lacked depth. 

I’ve heard the 2nd book is better, so I am excited to start that!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Death, Murder, Torture, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Sexual content, and Slavery

rory18's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Gore, Sexism, Slavery, Alcohol, Colonisation, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Sexual content, War, Kidnapping, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Religious bigotry

hopeistryingtoread's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

eviemayhem's review against another edition

With all the hype around these books, I really wanted to like them. For me, the character development seems only skin-deep and is only ever improved to move forward a toxic romance. There's so many violent things that only exist to traumatize the main characters, questionable sex scenes in even more questionable scenarios, and even with the dramatic audio I just could not get invested. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Murder, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Confinement

izzysizemore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, and Confinement

Minor: Death of parent, War, and Animal death

dianak99's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

1.75

I really liked the book for a while but then the story's plot and tone completely chaged in the middle of it. I then found the book to be disappointing and hard to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Murder

Spoiler

1.The first guy is still lying to her when they have sex and later the lines of consent with the second love intrest are blury. Its basically bind yourself to me or die and then he makes her uncomfortable by forcing her to wear little clothing in front of others, drugs her, and touches her afterwards for several nights for months! And she doesn't fully hate him for it because he could have abused his position against her worse. And he sorta admits to her the reason he didn't go further with her sexually was because he didnt want to fight with that first guy (not because that would have be wrong). Both men in the book made me feel icky for how they treated the main female character and the relationship dynamics felt toxic> 2. The main character is forced to murder innocents at the end

chococaptain's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.5

1.5 🥱

TW: mentions of non consensual sexual advances

long story short: I’m literally nursing a headache as I read the last few chapters. why I’m having a headache, you might ask? well… (ellipsis totally intended)

(nah jk my toothache is making my headache but damn did this book make the pain worse)

the book was a difficult read in so many different aspects. the writing style was so bad, the plot was too predictable, and the characters were extremely flat. 

- writing style -

MY GOD the amount of ellipses and em-dashes in this book is so??????????? like why???? SJM has an editor but why are there… so… many… ellipses—and even more em-dashes that don’t make sense!!!!! maaaan this would NEVER pass a basic creative writing class in my uni. it’s unbearable. I swear every time I see an ellipsis or em-dash aged me. why does SJM use it so much? for emphasis? jeez everything is emphasised then. for suspense? it’s just too predictable. 

also, “parameter” instead of “perimeter”? really? AND WATERY BOWELS? girl is your stomach ok?

- plot -

“it’s a modern retelling of beauty and the beast.” retelling? you mean a poorly paraphrased beauty and the beast???

Spoiler

it’s SO beauty and the beast. a curse, handsome prince, servants cursed (as furnitures or as mask-wearing faes), evil witch/queen, i love you, and the non existent rose. like, why is the title of this book A Court of Thorn and Roses? I don’t even remember any meaningful reference to thorns and roses? at least Beauty and the Beast had an actual rose.

Spoiler

but wait! there’s a twist! it now becomes a retelling of Cupid and Psyche! 2 sisters, “hidden” lover, a goddess who got pissed and gave her humanly impossible tasks! *snores*

I know stories are inspired by other stories but this one is just too… (why am I using an ellipsis? HELP) unoriginal. 

another thing that annoyed me is how everything was just so easy for Feyre (more on this later).

Spoiler

rags to riches? check. family taken care of? check. all these as “punishment” for her k wording a faerie.

my god.

LAST THING UNDER THIS! the plot is slower than my brain when faced by a math problem. my work friend asked me about the book when she found out I was reading it. I told her “I’m around 50% but nothing major yet.” and then I realised that dang I’m already halfway and there’s nothing cool happening yet?!

Spoiler

the story only starts moving during the last quarter. you can skip so many chapters and you’ll still understand the story because everything from Feyre killing the faerie wolf then living with Tamlin to her going back to her family are boring and won’t make sense until Alis’ monologue. honestly, just search for Alis’ monologue if you don’t wanna waste time. it’s basically the story and of course a happy ending after that.

- characters -

yep, the characters are flatter than a plywood. Feyre is dumb (everyone: “Feyre, don’t do this.” Feyre: “sorry can’t hear you!”) Tamlin is manipulative and lowkey a sexual predator??? so is Rhysand.

Spoiler

taking advantage of Feyre just because she’s drugged wtf

Lucien is honestly the only likeable character in my opinion. Alis is alright. Amarantha was a bad bitch but she’s annoying. Feyre’s sisters are also annoying and the story doesn’t even need them hahahaha

I also feel like Isaac Hale is not needed.

Spoiler

he’s like the opposite of Chekhov’s gun. I thought he’ll play a part in the love triangle but what’s the point of mentioning his sexual relationship with Feyre if it doesn’t do anything at all??? JUST REMOVE IT GAAAAAH

I already scheduled the rest of the series for my august tbr but uhhh……….. idk. 

wow this is the longest review I’ve ever done (not counting the papers I had to write for my lit classes lol). I didn’t like this book but would totally recommend so I can have more ppl I can rant to about this book 😆

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gaslighting, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault