Reviews tagging 'Rape'

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

38 reviews

76juliane67's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I liked this book a lot, but found it a bit weaker than the first book.
The story is captivating and very fast paced, but extremely dark with a lot of potentially triggering themes, so be aware when you pick this up.
I never usually say this about a book, but I think it could have been 100 pages longer. There were several instances when something was not explained and I was thrown out of the story because of this. I also found the progression of the

love story between Laia and Keenan

very forced and unnatural and you could see that it was written in there for a specific plot point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

marlene_suntie_helton's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape and Blood

juliapatt2007's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Torture

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

📖
I had a wonderful time reading this book. I'm glad I'm easily influenced and someone convinced me to read this series. I liked Laia and Elias and their relationship. The worldbuilding was good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

alexasolis98's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

3.0

This book makes me feel very conflicted. Like so much happened and not at all. Time and locations at times don't make sense. Laia and Elias are working to free Darin from Kauf. With the help of Afya, Keenan and Izzi. Eventually our group splits and Elias ends up with a side quest-ish. Helene is tasked with tracking down Elias. And the Commandant is up to no good.

At the end when Laia is told that she should take her brother to healers in Marinn because he has been knocked out for a MONTH! Homegirl says no, she's go it. Like i get it he wakes up like the night after but how does that make sense.

Another thing, this is probably more of a personal thing but

I fucking hate the Augurs. I hate when the future is known and people have to suffer for the desired outcome of that future, as if people aren't dynamic. The Augurs say things that make it seem like the characters have a choice, however, they are essentially making those choices for them. Telling Helene she has to be broken and then made. So many people die, and they know this will happen and yet they do nothing. They give people vague information but do not do anything to help. I hope it is explained why they stand and do nothing except shape the future the way they want it to go.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

notapenguin's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

jennireadsmaybe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

A Torch Against the Night is a good fantasy sequel. It definitely has its moments of slowness, but thankfully, there's a bit of mystery/waiting for the other foot to drop that makes you want to keep reading. You also get a bit more into the fantasy elements. 

The reveal in this one!!!! I screamed!!! I definitely wasn't expecting it. The addition of Helene's POV really added to the story. She's such an interesting character to follow. I enjoyed getting to see Laia's fighting/training develop a bit more. She's not the same girl from that first chapter; Elias isn't the same boy from that chapter either. He's challenged just as much as Laia in this one. 

I've got more questions than answers at this point and I'm really looking forward to getting those answers. I'm a little late to the game, but don't let that stop you from picking up this series. It's so good! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

chrisb913'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
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was incredible. The plot hooked me from page 1 and did not let up throughout the entire story. The plot twists had me shook and the character development throughout was superb. Between Ember in the Ashes and now A Torch Against the Night, Sabaa Tahir will forever be an insta buy author for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Rape and Sexual content

crystal18'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Minor: Rape

cemmalyn12's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism