Reviews tagging 'War'

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

5 reviews

uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad tense 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? N/A

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent

sunbearbeam's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and War

Minor: Blood

werepsyche's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

5.0

okay, i will be frank, from my poor memory, it is not the most amazing novel in the whole world. but whatever. WHAT FUCKING EVER. i will literally NEVER forget the scene

of the main character interacting with her boyfriend who was now a ghost, who had died in the first world war, and how his fear was described. how he was caught in this purgatory of pure terror for the rest of his existence

. it was so impactful. i literally don't know why. i just never forgot that scene, and i want to read this book again and catalogue that part because i thought about it so much i had a character or two that was inspired by that one scene. man. MAN. man. man. i think that alone also propelled it to a 5 star rating, to be honest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and War

khakipantsofsex's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and War

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization

ever_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was a really well done horror. There was mystery, intrigue, genuine moments of fear and underneath all the fantastical elements the haunting horror of reality. Reading this book during a pandemic is a surreal experience. It isn't easy but it's not supposed to be, the Spanish flu and our current pandemic are terrifying beasts that you can't fight. The effects of war on both those who didn't come back and those who did is incredibly well done in this book. It's gruesome and unpleasant as it should be. The spiritual elements of the novel were also really well done and the twists were unexpected. While I did find the characters to be the weakest part of the novel they were not poorly written, I just felt they served the plot more than the plot served them. A really well done book for a world in the midst of uncertainty and chaos which reminds us that there are more horrors in the world than just those we can see, or even can't see.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Mental illness

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Death of parent