Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

41 reviews

karambit's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Infertility and Alcohol

izzyreadswhilequilting's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Torture, and Blood

noellegrace8's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Unlike some Folk of the Air lovers who were disappointed in the lack of Cardan & Jude or a similar relationship dynamic, I was blown away by Black's ability to formulate a completely captivating story with far less use of such a dramatic love duo. I personally think Oak and Suren are a lovely duo, albeit less romantically present in their story than Jude & Cardan were in theirs. I actually think it's much harder to write a great story without the easier elements such as romance/sex & violence, so this book was next level in my opinion. I found myself hurting for Suren so many times to the point that I actually teared up, loving her adherance to kindness, and pleasantly surprised by plot elements. And the casual drops/updates about Jurdan and their reign? Love that. I just love Elfhame so much. I hope Holly Black keeps writing about it.

I give Saskia Maarleveld 5/5⭐️. Her narration was great, with distinction between characters and what I thought was a wonderful depiction of Suren's character through cadence & voice choices. Additionally, unlike many women narrators, I didn't find her male vocal imitation to be cheesy or too much. It did kind of bug me that she said soo-ren instead of ser-ren though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War

dragon_named_fox's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Holly Black really writes wonderful books. Despite Surren's character development she doesn't entirely change. Years of trauma aren't wiped away, but she does realize she has more power over her life than she thought. I'm so excited to read the second book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

This is a dark fantasy with violence and main characters who went through a lot of trauma from a young age. These abuses are mentioned often and explicitly from time to time, but each mention is fairly brief.

kay_chan's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

1.5

I seriously *struggled* to get through this book. Had to restart over a dozen times just to keep track of who/where/what was going on.

Honestly should've DNF'd. 

Not sure whether it's been too long since I read TCP trilogy (2.5 yrs), but I cannot remember the past characters or events well enough to connect with the any of the MCs here. The storyline is flat for 90% of the book and I kept feeling like I was -missing- something (so I restarted each chapter at least once). 

I planned on reading the duology but have decided to preemptively DNF the Prisoner's  Throne. So so so disappointed 😞 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

thevanessa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Definitely not the same as the Cruel Prince, but it still had that fairytale essence that I love. But with that being said, I really did miss my conniving little Queen, Jude, though. I felt like it really lacked that element of gray, that Jude always gave; the one that always kept you on your toes and on the edge of your seat in suspense, questioning where it would lead and how it would end, so I didn’t read it as quickly as I did with the Folk of the Air trilogy. I do really love Oak and Wren though, enough so that I’m gonna ignore the fact that I figured out the whole plot in the first few chapters😅

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

rory18's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.75

Only took off a quarter star because there was some weird nonsensical tense-switching. (At least in the audiobook)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Child death, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and War

Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

The abuse Wren goes through really has ABA/abuse of an autistic person vibes, and she's autistic coded IMO even if it's not explicit.

starrywrxtes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

THIS DAMN BOOK. Wren is my love, I will defend her always 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

may4la's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm, Slavery, Violence, and War

Minor: Cannibalism

graffitithesky's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

This book sucked me in as much as The Cruel Prince did (and it certainly didn't hurt that I feel as if I'm starving for even a taste of Jude and Cardan again). Wren is such an interesting character and not one that I see often. I'm always hunting for more fae stories and this one did not disappoint!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail