Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - The Highlander

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Highlander by Kerrigan Byrne

7 reviews

ivegotyourpaperback's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.75

While I liked this story overall, it’s not my favourite in the series.

I loved Mena, and felt like I could relate to her. She felt very real to me, full of self doubt and anxiety at first. And as we went along she had great character growth: she was in her element and regained her agency during her time in Scotland.

Liam, on the other hand, irritated me as a hero. Jumping to conclusions, irrational fits of anger, a propensity for raising his voice, and making everyone walk around on eggshells around him. What a fucking catch. How are the women not swooning in droves? 🙄

I didn’t feel aroused or intrigued by his blustering character. I actually found myself feeling mostly scared as I empathised with the characters who had to interact with Liam. Though he certainly became more palatable by the end of the story.

As for the audiobook format, the narrator, Derek Perkins, had a lovely cadence and performed the text very well. I enjoyed his Scottish accent particularly. I am, however, unsure if he was the perfect choice for this series as his voice sounds a tad too old for the characters. This was my first romance audiobook narrated by a man, which I found refreshing.

And finally: I hate the word ‘cleft’ 🤢 There’s nothing I about this word that I find sexy.

Content Warnings

awortiz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

Just no.

This book glamorizes the violence of British colonialism as heroic.

As the demon highlander, Liam MacKenzie commits horrendous acts of violence as a Lieutenant in the British Army, including literally murdering entire families and villages in India. After murdering Jani’s village, Liam then takes him in as a valet as an act of compassion? Yeah, no. And after serving Liam loyally for years, Jani rightfully tries to take his revenge only to ultimately forgive him? Oh dear lord, everything about this entire storyline makes me so angry.

Most historical romances completely sidestep British colonialism - and I get it, this is a romance, we’re not here to explore imperialism (although I wish more would). However, when a book specifically makes British colonialism part of the story, authors need to do better. And this is not better.

Beyond that, Jani is characterized as exotic and servile throughout the novel. This isn’t the first time Kerrigan Byrne has completely missed the boat and characterized the only POCs in her stories offensively.

As with the previous two books, the violence depicted in this novel was over the top and gratuitous. This time, not just with Liam’s backstory, but with Mina’s too. Why, after going through what she went through would Mina run into the arms of a violent man?

I’m also realizing that despite changing up the names, titles, and vocations, Kerrigan Byrne has a type: large, dark, dangerous, and deeply traumatized heroes. And it’s starting to get repetitive.

I’m taking a break from this series because I don’t have the time to dig through problematic storylines when I could literally be reading anything else.

Content Warnings