Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

7 reviews

pirat314's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Violence, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Suicide, and War

ambs_elizabeth's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

Kingfisher is the master of cozy fantasy! Witty, relatable, kinda spooky with well written romance—perfection! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

miss_berry315's review against another edition

medium-paced

2.0

I originally dnf'd this book, realized the Saint of Steel series can be read as stand-alone books, read Paladin's Strength and Paladin's Hope, started Paladin's Faith and realized I wanted more context so I went back to this one.
 
I dnf'd this book originally because of the scene where Stephen and Grace meet. It is fairly early in the book and I really felt like the author could have done literally anything other than have Stephen practically SA Grace.
IDC if this is a spoiler, it's really not done well and adds absolutely nothing to the story overall.
Stephen is walking back home when he hears someone running and he determines that the person sounds like they're in trouble, so he wants to help (paladin things). Grace approaches him near an alleyway and asks Stephen to help her hide. Stephen then grabs her, shoves her against the wall so she's hidden from the people chasing her, and begins dry humping her and acting as if he is having sex. She plays along with it, he's apologizing the whole time (super uncomfortable) and the people chasing her end up leaving them alone. It's important to note that this happens in an alleyway very close to this city's version of a 'Red Light District' aka a place where sex workers are known to be present and offering services. The author does not write about sex workers in a positive way. The language used is outdated, Stephen says he would 'never be involved with a sex worker' and Grace is relieved. Its just really not empowering and starts the relationship between these two off in a very uncomfortable place. Why couldn't Stephen help Grace into a crate or behind some barrels, or in a pile of trash or literally anything in the entire world that could have been realistically in the alleyway? Why did the author see the only option as borderline SA?? 

Other than that, the book was fairly boring in plot, characters, and romance. Grace is defined by her relationships and career. I felt like the perfume making stuff could have been interesting, but kind of fell flat. I understand it's hard to write about how someone may have a natural ability to create something and how they often will incorporate that into their lives however they can, but the way that Grace can differentiate smells within complex ones just came off like the whole 'chosen one' 'special-special' trope that protagonists often have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

The book starts off with

mass murder by the paladins when their God dies, but it is not super graphic as most of them cannot really remember what happened

The sexual assault is mentioned in my review above. Grace's ex

cheats on her numerous times, brings the women to their home, gaslights her into believing that she is just bad at sex, and generally ignores her.

all of this is spoken about in reflection and is not happening actively during the story. She does

run into him again and runs into one of the women that he cheated on her with, leading her to have panic attacks

mabechel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.5

It's a good mix of fantasy world building and a somewhat fluffy romance. Refreshing in it's approach to both. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, and Abandonment

alainral's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: War

lilbookbee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

T Kingfisher has truly solidified herself as one of my favorite authors. I have been in a book slump since August, managing to start very little, never mind actually finishing. But listening to the Paladin's Grace audio on my new long commutes has been a breath of fresh air. I was excited to get into the car and go to work so I could listen to more. And I was just as excited to leave for the day and get more of this story.

I loved everything about this book from start to finish. The characters were funny and broken and compelling. The story itself was fascinating, full of twists and surprises I wouldn't have expected. Stephen and Grace were such a perfectly awkward matched and reading their romance was such a joy.

I truly cannot wait to pick up the next book in this series. And shout out to the audiobook narrator, he was really amazing!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War

wickedgrumpy's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Stephen's god died a little after noon on the longest day of the year.

With a compelling opening line like that how could I not have a good time reading this book?

To be honest, it kinda similar to The Clockwork boys/The Wonder Engine and Swordheart in that they feature a competent female protagonist in her 30s and a tortured soul of a male paladin(-esque) love interest nearing 40 (+/- a few hundred years), but what can I say beyond I apparently love the trope?  It isn't even that unexpected since it's the same author.

Also worth note is that our non-binary friend/lawyer Zale makes an appearance as well as a few other known entities from the world of the White Rat.

My quest to read all the things written under the T. Kingfisher pseudonym continues.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail