Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

8 reviews

ariep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

Really loved this read!! The story was engaging, and the characters were very fun and wonderful. I thought it was a great book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Sexual content, Medical content, Infidelity, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

dk00's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

This was fine. It was a good palate cleanser -- lighthearted and entertaining. At first, the constant internal dialogue was a little tedious, but I got used to it as the story progressed. I also found Grace to be slightly annoying. I think I've learned that I like a little more edge to my romance! The end of the book was compelling, which might motivate me to continue with the series. Otherwise, I would probably just leave it here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Grief and Vomit

Minor: Suicide

marsh_mall0w's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Murder, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Infidelity

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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

The White Rat books definitely have a trend towards featuring broody men who are good at stabbing things and carry around an enormous amount of (understandable but often overwrought) guilt. Stephen is no exception to this. He is a paladin whose god died suddenly three years ago, which left people disturbed and confused that a god could die, and triggered berserker rages in many of the paladins. The survivors are now in one of the White Rat’s temples, offering their services as protectors, guards, and whatever else the temple needs where muscled and frequently brooding swordsmen are of use. Grace is a perfumer who has an excellent sense of smell and finds herself rather suddenly in trouble. 

Grace is so genuinely trusting that she needs someone more cynical and observant around to keep things from turning out badly when people take advantage of her. She can, and has, reset her life after betrayal, but it's so nice to see a part of her life where people help her rather than leaving her to sink or swim in the wake of abuse and betrayal. Stephen and his fellow paladins are living each day without their god, trying to be helpful rather than letting the black tide swallow them. It's nice to read a story where the main characters have lives separate from each other, but it's obvious how their lives are enriched by each other's company and possible affection. Zale is a fantastic wit and an even better lawyer, it's great to see them again.

While technically not a sequel, this is set in the world of the White Rat, mentions places featured elsewhere, and includes at least one character from SWORDHEART. The story itself is entirely new. The worldbuilding focuses on just a couple of locations, but describes places in a way that provides relevant information for this story while giving details which complement what that other White Rat books established. I recommend reading at least SWORDHEART before this, but the main thing that will affect is whether Zale is a new or familiar character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Cursing, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Child abuse, Excrement, Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Animal death, Alcohol, and Suicide

wilybooklover's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

5.0

If there’s one interest that I love almost as much as fantasy romance novels, it’s fragrance, so a fantasy romance featuring a perfumer heroine felt like it was tailor-made for me. 

Besides that, this was a delightfully fluffy romance juxtaposed against quite a dark storyline. That balance can be quite tough to pull off but T. Kingfisher does it so well. Grace and Stephen are two damaged but kind people who fall in love despite getting caught up in a web of political intrigue and a preponderance of severed heads (the cause of which was unbelievably creepy). Despite the dark background this story is infused with so much humour and warmth and hope. The hero knits socks! I loved it and will immediately move on to book two. 

Oh, and we see the return of Zale and the Temple of the White Rat, from Swordheart! Sardonic Zale may be my favourite secondary character ever and I kind of want to read an entire series following them as they solve legal problems. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail

hailey_mack's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Body horror, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders

beholderess's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse

affabletoaster's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Well, this was delightful. I knew it would be, and then it was, and I devoured it. I will read anything Ursula/T. puts out there. Except the horror, because goodness knows there’s enough of that in her fluffy romances.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide, Murder, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Violence