Reviews tagging 'War'

Das Mädchen und der Winterkönig by Katherine Arden

29 reviews

micallab's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and War

maeverose's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-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

This one is equally as good as the first book to me, maybe even better. I liked it for all the same reasons I liked the first book; atmosphere, setting, writing, realistic characters, the interweaving of the folklore into the story, plus it has one of my favorite tropes (female character has to disguise herself as a man), and Vasya actually leaves her home to explore different towns/cities, including Moscow, and gets to be a badass (albeit pretty naive at times, but what do you expect from someone who's never left her very small town in the middle of nowhere until now?). I really grew to like Sasha in this book, despite him being a bit of an idiot sometimes

(like why are you focused on your sister 'sinning' by dressing as a man when she just saved several kids LIVES?)

The main antagonist was very predictable, not sure if he was supposed to be or not... but I didn't feel it took away from my enjoyment of the story at all.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: War

stillbirth

saoreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

The deception and lies surrounding the novel's continued progression are indeed intriguing. The characters who play important roles in the story are introduced one by one in chronological order so that readers can focus on them. Not to be spiteful, but the way women are treated, with or without special circumstances, or simply as someone who is seen as insane, is baffling beyond measure to me. It's as if no personality can be bestowed upon a woman due to stereotypical beliefs and birthing machines alike, and addressing those issues was both frustrating and raging for some hopeful specks. That is how good this book is at evoking such emotions. I'm off to read the third one now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

susannah_knox's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and War

sarahaf712's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Content warning: birth; stillbirth

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Child death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood

grimviolins's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Vomit, and War

galactic_gigi's review

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

5.0

Following the first book in it‘s magical footsteps, this book delivered everything needed in a sequel. We get a heroine that is maturing throughout the book while facing human and magical dangers. Vasya‘s development during this book is incredible and I wished to protect this innocent child from all the cruel things her world has to offer. However, she masters the difficulties she faces wonderfully given the circumstances and I‘m still amazed how good of a heart she has. If I were faced with all this stuff, I would gladly stay in a not-quite-there-hut in the forest.
The slow-burn left me sighing more than once and at this point I can‘t wait to nearly die in a winter night just to be saved by a handsome frost-demon. Also: the YEARNING. From both of them! And he is always there for her. These are the things that keep the seasonal depression at bay!
Despite introducing a new villain in this book, I still can’t fathom the idea of how much hatred and rage a certain priest provokes in me. The pure entitlement this man feels towards Vasya leaves me with the most urgent need to introduce him to a wall. Of Brick. Repeatedly. Needless to say, Vasya is confronted with a lot of misogyny and sexism, as could be expected in a historical fantasy. However, the reveal in the end was a little bit obvious if you know some Russian folklore but it was executed really well and the betrayal left me aghast (somehow I managed to expect it but also denying myself so yeah, the shock was real).
The things I liked most were definitely the scenes with amoroso and the ones with her little niece. Also, as I mentioned: I really want an opportunity to train my right hook with this blond dude….

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Vomit, Trafficking, and War

leilapeach's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail