Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

6 reviews

nicosta_music's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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

3.75

For a book coming off of my Anti-TBR list, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Storm Front. To get this book's glaring issue out of the way -- yes, main character Harry Dresden spends the first few chapters randomly mentioning how much he "respects" women while also being incredibly misogynistic. But honestly, some of his takes were so ridiculous that I thought it was hilarious. Like, come on:

 “Women are better at hating than men. They can focus it better, let it go better. Hell, witches are just plain meaner than wizards. This feels like feminine vengeance of some kind to me.” 

Comedic gold. No person grounded in reality says things like this. It's also extremely telling how the minute Harry

becomes mentally impaired a la concussion, he immediately starts sexually harassing every innocent female unfortunate enough to be within spitting distance.

 

Despite the weird misogyny and perviness that occasionally spewed from Harry's mouth, I thought he was a bit of an endearing character. He reminded me of a lot of my IRL guy friends -- sort of like the quiet, loser-type nerds who are actually chill when you get to know them (except my IRL guy friends grew out of the weird chauvinist attitudes).

The plot was fine. Nothing special, but I appreciate a mystery with magical elements. The way things always seemed to conveniently work out for Harry was also funny to me and kept me entertained. I'd recommend this book to anybody who think's they'd enjoy reading about an incel who lacks self-awareness bumbling his way through magic and crime scenes.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, and Cursing

eab_rose's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

raesansom's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, and Sexual content

Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

sexualedward's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Some people find the first few books sexist, but I see it as the main character being an “old fashioned” noir detective. It is presented as a flaw and characters do call him out (some being strong women). I will admit it could have been done better (particularly how women are written in the first books). If this doesn’t sound like something you’re cool with, take the author’s advice and skip to the fourth book.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, and Alcohol

randanopterix's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious 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? No

2.75

I definitely wouldn’t call this a “good” book, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. It feels like something I’d watch on TV in 2005. Junk food type media. There are lots of women characters in this book, but they’re all pretty flat and Butcher spends most of the text about them talking about how cool and sexy they are.

Dresden is smug and the one liners are mostly cringey but somehow he still comes across as lovable in human-disaster sort of way. The plot was a pulpy, one episode mystery that was enjoyable enough. I definitely felt like the mystery solving was 10% detective work and 90% tripping on an important clue by accident.

This gets extra points for the audiobook performance. I’m convinced I might’ve hated this book if not for James Marsters reading as Harry Dresden. He comes across as the perfect amount of jaded and tired wizard detective hiding a heart of (silver if not) gold.

An Okay Book. Would definitely recommend to my dad.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, and Physical abuse

missangorian's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child abuse