Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Crier's War by Nina Varela

23 reviews

unoriginalusername's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Has a bit of a slow start, with all of the world building necessary for the story. This is a queer sci-fi fantasy duet, focusing on a “forbidden love” aspect of our couple, war, overturning powers, deception, betrayal, and so much more. These topics can get a little heavy and possibly confusing, however, the author does a wonderful job of adding a map and a timeline to the book for easier tracking!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Slavery, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol

This book deal with some heavy topics such as war, colonization, genocide (using this term loosely, will explain), and death This book contains two races: the Humans and the Automae. The automa were created for the humans, and were treated mostly like pets for the ultra wealthy. The tides changed, there was an uprising, subsequent war, and the Automa winning said war. The scripts flipped for the humans and Automa, and the humans are now treated as “less than”, with forced labor, mass deaths, raids, and the like. With topics like these, other smaller aspects (I.e. blood, injury, etc) are bound to be prevalent too. Despite the heaviness of the history, the book is very LGBT friendly with no apparent homophobia

fairyollie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.75

what an amazing, wonderful, beautifully-written book! I can't believe this is a debut! my only qualm is that the romance seemed to happen a bit quickly

at least on Ayla's side; I found it unrealistic how quickly she fell for someone she's spent her life hating and dreaming of killing; someone who represents oppression and evil.

(though, I suppose we sapphics, especially with our first loves, do fall quickly!)

 however, I am so excited that this is a series, and the second I finished Crier's War I began to read Iron Heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

bruhbruh's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Slavery, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War, Classism, and Deportation

datgirllani's review

adventurous emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Slow in the beginning, but overall an okay read. I wish the build up to the romance between the two mc’s was more evident. The plot is okay nothing too exciting or thrilling happens except for a few bombshells here and there. I will be reading the second to see how the story ends. “…and that was how Crier learned that pain was not finite; there was no limit to woundless hurt.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Classism

Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Death and Death of parent

nightshaderoots's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

I liked how complex the plot and characters are. The writing style was something to get used to but I liked the way the author described scenes and the characters. The world building was also something I haven't seen before which I loved learning about. The lore building was also paced well so it doesn't feel like info dumping but it was still enough where I wasn't in the dark. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility

clayclay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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 story challenged me. It was impossible to put down. Incredibly engaging  and visceral descriptions. Summer coming like “a slow descent into boiling water.” UGH SO GOOD. We love a sapphic antifascist sci-fi rebellion 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia

cheeky_biscuits'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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Confinement and Dysphoria

strange_little_ranger's review

adventurous inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

oliverreeds's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism

marshiereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

I really and truly liked this book! The author had me from the very beginning with a timeline. Some fantasy novels can drag you through the trenches trying to learn their world and this one is not one of them! I feel like I’m along for the ride, learning about it with her rather than in spite of her. I’m gonna talk specific so spoilers ahead. Also please look at the trigger warnings for this book if that applies as this book has a lot!!

The inner turmoil of both, but especially, Ayla and Crier had me reading the book in only a couple sittings. I almost couldn’t put it down. Trying to figure out what was and wasn’t one of Kinok’s manipulations had me reeling to the literal last pages of the book. I mean wow! The romance was certainly a part of the plot but this is not a “romance book” it is fantasy first but it still felt completely integral and not just thrown in there. I was also a fan of the fact that it wasn’t one of those “we can’t do this because it’s wrong because it’s gay” because frankly as an lgbtq+ person myself I was grateful for some relenting on that narrative choice. There still was an element of “wrongness” but more because on girl literally wanted to kill the other. Overall an excellent start to the series and I cannot wait to read the second (I’ve got it on hold now).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, and Blood

Minor: Miscarriage