Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

59 reviews

nolanlucy's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

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

3.0

A fine read but not very complex, quite predictable and repetitive. Didn't find any of the characters very likeable, and wasn't super invested. The blurb was very intriguing but I fear the book didn't live up to it, sorry!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Blood

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Abandonment

bewkgummywerm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, and Violence

valerian_honeybee's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse

reading_srsly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

* Class inequality

* Grooming & Manipulation

* Mystery

* LGBTQ+ Romance

In a world where everything is accepted at face value and even the simplest of things are strictly regulated, all it takes is the slightest seed of curiosity to disrupt the careful balance of their society. 

The writing was a little tough to get into at first, it’s very simple and short despite being dialogue and conversation heavy. But the story itself is arresting (sometimes quite literally), and the mystery of the world is well woven through the setting and characters. The foreshadowing is heavy to the point the plot is somewhat predictable, but it’s still enjoyable to see it unfold. 

Sid is hands down my favorite character. Sid is the quintessential love interest, complete with witty banter and a devil-may-care attitude. She doesn’t hide her plans for the future or her flaws, and the subtle openness without triggering the many thinly veiled alarm bells of some other love interests easily catapults her to memorability. It is worth noting that there is a lot of manipulation and selfishness within just about every relationship of the story, and despite Sid’s levity this is also a pretty heavy read that features childhood trauma and manipulation. 

The big thing that drags this book down from five stars is that the ending felt highly unsatisfying.

I didn’t need a happily ever after, but after so long languishing in parties and the slow trickle of discovery, it seemed like the author rushed her way through to setting up book two.

This is a thought-provoking book that would be a great book club read. It highlights what happens when people neglect asking questions, the importance of a fresh outsider’s perspective, and the importance of holding on to history. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Classism

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Death of parent

dreamdust1600's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

Its sapphic and it slaps

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual harassment

hue's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

The backside text hardly does any justice to the story within. Marie Rutkoski has woven an intricate, fantastically drab world where injustice is hideously clear yet accepted. 

I adored the characters, the differences between High Kith and Half-Kith and Middlings, the writing was lucious and lurid, the telling captivatingly vivid. 

Nirrim was such a pleasure to follow as she wandered through her thoughts and actions, disassembling all that she had grown up believing, never realising how twisted and unfair it all had been. 

If you enjoyed this wonderful story, I recommend two other books that gave me the same feeling as this did.
1. The City of Woven Streets by Emmi Itäranta
2. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

strawberrycandy's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

huonekasvis's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Body horror, Violence, and Grief

lordcass's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful

• 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

Moderate: Emotional abuse

willsnow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Would have been really good as a stand alone but if there is a second book then this was also amazing lol