Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Das Mädchen und der Winterkönig by Katherine Arden

26 reviews

dragonaion's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

It is hard when you start a sequel to a good story; sometimes the time between each book makes the second start with a "jolt" and almost have to remember itself. This book is brilliantly connected to the first, it wove the end with the new beginning very well, and by page 30 I was leaving in my seat and excitedly turning each page. 
It was heartwarming to see a story mentioned from my childhood and the mix of history, fantasy, romance, and adventure with political intrigue was beautifully woven and naturally fell together. I have to get the third book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape

This is a historical fiction with a romance with an ambodiment of Death; the main character has to hide she is female is an extreme example of a patriarchal world.

botanicalbookshelves's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal cruelty, Violence, and Death of parent

cinnamontwisty's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Such a great book, it's a really continuation from the first book. There's so much character development, and each character is so complex and well written. The fantasy/folk tale setting is fascinating and dark. Can't recommend this enough. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence

eagoldberg's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, and Kidnapping

skelleybean's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

sas_lk's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.5

So incredibly good. So close to a 5 star, it just did not give me a 5 star feeling, but I absolutely loved it. Highly recommend this series, can't wait to start the 3rd book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and Vomit

toriffic's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book even more than the first one in the series! If the 3rd installment can keep up this might become one of my favourite series!

I started to love Vasya as the main character even more. I feel like she had so much more personality and drive in this book. Also I generally really love the 'girl dresses up as a boy in order to be taken seriously' trope - especially when she then comments on the things that come so easy to her just because of that small change, as well as all the things she would never have been allowed to do otherwise.
The end was a great conclusion to the story of this book. I realised that even though the story is a continuation of the first book, every book could really stand on it's own as well. They are clearly connected and part of a series, but they all tell their own stories that just happen to the same cast of charaters. I am really excited for 'The Winter of the Witch' and I really hope Katherine Arden will write more mythology retellings because she is truly doing such an amazing job!

I really like reading the Glossary at the end as well as her own reflecton upon the book. In this one she even gives secondary sources for further research into the base myths and storys of the books. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

mmefish's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

3.5

Witch. The word drifted across his mind. We call such women so, because we have no other name.

This one... isn't as great as "The Bear And the Nightingale".

I still love Katherine Arden's writing and the way she shapes her characters but this book feels way less... mature? The beginning is fine and the middle section is great (I was anxious the whole time) but the ending felt rushed, unnecessary and trope-ish.

What I mean by unnecessary is, for example, this:
-

did the traitor really need to be Koschei the Deathless? It didn't serve any purpose rather than to connect Vasya to him, which wasn't needed. His character was good enough as a human and his evilness became a little caricaturish as well.

-

what was the point of  incorporating Olga's pregnancy and killing her unborn baby? Just...why? I think Vasya had enough of courage and determination without it.

-

romance with Morozko. Not necessary and could easily be written as strong friendship/platonic relationship. She's about 16 years old and is often referred to as "child", so it's kinda icky.

And by tropes I mean: Vasya is special, "plain" (so many time it's mentioned that she's ugly and not a beauty, we get it), everyone falls in love with her; Vasya is good/better at whatever; lack of communication, specifically people starting telling something and just... deciding not to (I hate it so much); the "twist" (

"the villain was one of us all along"

), the easy escape at the very end,

teenage girl in love with ancient being

etc. 
It read a little bit too much like YA.

Also, I'm really sick of

Vasya getting sexually harassed/assaulted.

I understand why Katherine Arden writes it but I dislike it nonetheless. 

Overall, "The Girl in the Tower" is definitely not terrible but still feels like a letdown after such a strong first book.
_______________

Edit: decided not to finish the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Animal death, Rape, Slavery, and Vomit

fatherprozac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was kind of a slog to get through from the beginning to middle, but once it started picking up toward the end I was hooked into the series once again so I will continue to the final book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism