Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

67 reviews

nicolenoodles's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A beautiful  story of female friendship, bravery, love and accomplishment which absolutely tore my heart out at times.  I did a mix of the audiobook and paper back, and the narration was fantastic. 
 This was a very long book, and I think I would have found it too slow reading the whole thing in hard copy. The ending felt rushed given the set up was probably 7/8 of the book, but by that point I was glad the pace quickened.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

mylxa's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

leahegood's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Summary
Osla, Mab, and Beth ... three girls with wildly different backgrounds and socioeconomic standing, all pulled together by WWII and thrust into the secretive, chaotic, exhilarating work of code breaking.

Told in dual timeline between war time and post-war, this book shows the three protagonists learning to break codes, learning who they are as people, learning their way into friendship, finding love, and losing themselves down the rabbit hole of bombings and the high-stakes wonderland of Bletchly Park.

My Thoughts
This was the most unique WWII novel I've come across in a while. Unsurprising since it's a more niche war time experience (code breaking) and based largely on real-life people. I'm definitely curious to read some of the autobiographies and non-fiction books mentioned in the authors note!

While I give the book all the points for interest and readability, it did toe the line of spice level I'm willing to read. Though not explicit, the narrative nudged a bit past fade-to-black in the bedroom and also blurred ethical lines regarding extra marital (both pre-marriage and within-marriage) sex. The one element that makes me excuse this, ever so slightly, is that some of this content followed the real life narrative of the characters involved in the story.

Content
Sexuality: As mentioned above, the narrative is not explicit but does nudge past the fade-to-black point. This includes making out and intercourse in contexts of marriage, pre-marriage, consensual outside-of-marriage, and sexual assault. Contraceptives are discussed. Homosexuality is mentioned in passing.

Violence: Infrequent. Two instances of bombing aftermaths include stark, but not gratuitous, imagery of destroyed bodies. Nightmares regarding bombing violence and sexual assault are experienced.

Language: Characters swear throughout the book.

Religion: An abusive parent uses Bible passages to enforce her control. Characters mention attending (and enjoying) chapel, but do not live according to Biblical standards 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Islamophobia, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

brianag323's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Abortion, and War

madsmcw_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative mysterious tense 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

5.0

The Rose Code is a WWII story that takes place at Bletchley Park where they were responsible for decoding enemy correspondence. And let me tell you these people were incredible. I loved this take on the era because it's unlike any story I've read from the era! There's a lot going on, for 75% of the story there's dual timelines and multiple POVs but it flowed so well. I never felt like I wanted to be reading the other timeline or a different POV because it was so perfectly paced, and for a 600+ page book that's not always easy to do. Quinn does a great job of keeping things historically accurate and changing details when necessary to move the story. There are obviously a lot of content warnings as this is a story set during war time so please take care with those.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War

Moderate: Cancer, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, and Alcohol

valthegervs's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

jenna11's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault

val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

2.0

The way I made so many notes on this book and I barely remember what happened, can't remember the character's names and I finished this in one day even though I found it kind of boring?? I think I found the audiobook kind of addictive because of the narrator or maybe it was the writing idk 

Osla, Beth and Mab.
 

What I found interesting is how there's mention of Prince Phillip of Greece and that he was dating one of the main characters. 

I felt so sorry for Beth because she grew up with this abuser mother but at the same time she made me so mad!! I can't stand people like her. 

By 20% I knew this was kind of boring lmao but I just kept going. 

I don't like it when the story is going back and forwards and it was annoying here. 

I feel like Osla could've been the one with a more interesting storyline because she was dating the Prince, but suddenly Mab took the focus with her husband and then Beth was supposed to be a bigger main character in the end with her finding a traitor, but I just didn't care about any of the girls to be honest. 

Omg Beth is actually such a f*cking terrible friend I had forgotten about this!! After all the girls did for her!! Because

she knew where the freaking bomb was going to hit and  she knew both her friends, including the husband and daughter of one of them, were going to THAT place and she said nothing about it?? 

This book is called The Rose Code, and that freaking code just mattered in the very last chapters lol 

By half of this book this was a 3 star, but now I think this might be a 2 stars which for me means it was just okay. And honestly I felt bad because I saw that half of the ratings are 5 star for this book lmao HOW and WHY. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault

Sexual assault: One of the main characters had to fight off some guys.

Sexual content: This woman at 17 had sex. This other woman gave an oral to some man. The girls have a conversation about sex. This woman has sex with her husband.

Racism: This man has dark skin (can’t remember where he’s from) and his father in law asks if he has N blood.

Death, child death, grief: This woman looses her husband and daughter in a bombing.

Cursing: There’s A LOT of this when they fight.

kailiyahknight's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

hematthews's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal cruelty and Drug use