Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Der Bär und die Nachtigall by Katherine Arden

25 reviews

mmefish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

It's hard to believe that Katherine Arden is not Russian (or just Slavic) because of how authentic this book feels — it is clear she's very knowledgeable on the subject. Well integrated myths and Russian terms brought back memories from my childhood, while masterfully crafted 14th century Rus' landscapes made me want to read more Slavic-inspired fantasy. 
And to think that it's a debut novel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury

ktkeps's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

rotuna's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault

nachtvlucht's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

kappafrog's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

fatherprozac's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I came into this book expecting a first person narrative focused on the female lead (similar to Uprooted) so it took me some time to get adjusted to the ever shifting perspectives. There were many times when I found myself waiting for the story to actually get going, which made chapters like Pyotr and his sons' visit to Moscow especially sluggish for me. Overall though, once the story got going I was all in. I loved Vasya's relationships with the different creatures, the characterization of Morozko, and the sheer evil/selfishness of the antagonists . I am definitely going to continue the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sauvageloup's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

a brilliant book that i got through slowly, but through no fault of its own, i think

pros:
- stunning, lyrical, fairytale writing. simple style but really lovely in originality of description and poignant turns of phrase. the story is carried along beautifully, smoothing over time skips.
- the character development was also so good, with Konstantin descending into worse evils, Anna's rise and fall, Vasya growing into her strength while still being fallible, and my favourite, Morozko, of sleep and death. he was cold but fair, human but other, real and not, and i just loved how Arden wrote him.
- i also enjoyed the setting so much, and the historical details too. the afternotes show how much effort Arden put into historical accuracy.

cons:
- maybe a bit slow, which didn't help my lack of reading focus

looking forward to reading book 2, and glad i won't have to leave the characters :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual assault

warning for eating disorder is really for starvation and struggling to get enough to eat, descriptions of extreme weight loss.

kirschyhershey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

The Bear and the Nightingale is simply magical. Atmospheric with touching scenes centered around family and courage. It also explores questions of religion and what happens when power-seeking individuals use fear to control people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual harassment

thereadingnurse2021's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.75

The first half of the book is definitely slower paced, but once you get past part one things pick up and all the building that took place in that first part starts to makes sense. Then the following parts are deliciously creepy, foreboding, and intense in turns. I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault

reddeddy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Vomit, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment