Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

12 reviews

ithilien11's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Murder

sydapel's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful slow-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? No

3.0

Felt a lot like reading a Dungeons and Dragons campaign in the best way. Equally parts silly, heartwarming and always surprising, plus you can't really get better than an immortal warrior who is trapped inside a sword for a bodyguard. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

ellierumoo'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? No

4.75

Fantastic characters, immaculate narration, I desperately want a sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and War

thecolouryes's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement and Violence

Minor: Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, and War

purplepenning's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Fatphobia, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, and Alcohol

nekoshka's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Torture, Vomit, and War

ollie_again'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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture

Minor: War

drkappitan's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a delight. I cannot wait to pick up Kingfisher's other work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

maiadawn's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-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

5.0

Fun, fast read. Serious grumpy/sunshine vibes from start to finish. The characters were great, I loved Halla's crazy rants that confused nearly everyone within earshot. I also found Sarkis's simple solution of wanting to run people through who were causing trouble for them to be endearing (yes, I know, it sounds crazy.) I enjoyed the world building and I found several of the places they went and the characters they met to be unique and fascinating. I truly think T. Kingfisher is a new favorite author for me and this is a new favorite read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Bullying and Torture

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

Halla is a widow who has inherited her uncle's fortune, whereupon her aunt and brother-in-law have locked her in her room until she agrees to marry him. He has an odious personality and clammy hands, and seemingly no understanding that locking a woman in a room until she agrees to marry you is a very terrible start to any kind of relationship. When she decides that death is better than her upcoming fate, she tries to kill herself with a sword that turns out to have Sarkis, an immortal swordsman, trapped inside. Together they escape and attempt to get help for Halla's legal troubles and grasping relatives.

SWORDHEART is one of the funniest books I’ve read recently, and the main contenders for that honor are other White Rat books by this same author. It’s vibrant without requiring the characters to constantly be witty, the whole thing is a delight. It’s a fluffy romance in desperate circumstances, buoyed by Halla’s never-stymied open nature and endless optimism, and tempered by Sarkis’s practicality. Halla uses prattle, questions, and observations as a multi-purpose tactic on a near-constant basis. Sarkis is trapped in a sword and is unfamiliar with current customs of Halla’s home, creating a natural ebb and flow of competency and possession of relevant information at any one moment. Zale is a welcome addition to their party, a temple lawyer acquired to help with Halla’s legal tangle, and Brindle rounds out their party by taking care of the ox and cart.

SWORDHEART is not technically a sequel, it is a stand-alone book. However, it takes place in the world of the White Rat approximately five years after the events of CLOCKWORK BOYS and THE WONDER ENGINE. It contains details that blur the line between callback and spoiler, I think they’re suitably opaque as to keep from giving away major plot points of that duology, but I do recommend reading this after the duology for the best overall experience. The worldbuilding seemed complete enough to stand on its own, someone reading just SWORDHEART would know everything they need to. It is focused on different aspects than in the earlier duology, complementing the prior information without feeling redundant. Because Sarkis is from another land it also helps to establish the patchwork of kingdoms and territories in this part of the world. 

I had a fantastic time reading this and I'm looking forward to more books set in this world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War