Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

26 reviews

rinku's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Torture, Gore, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

Minor: Infertility, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

unicornofthesea's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gaslighting, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gore, Classism, Suicide, Death, Sexual content, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Confinement, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Animal death and Fire/Fire injury

bookishchef's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.25

The first 50% of this is so so so good. 

But the rest...
Oh the rest...

I went into this book with low expectations. To be reminiscent of the Handmaid's Tale is quite a big claim, so my expectations plummeted to the lowest circle of Hell.

And that's where my expectations would have remained if the first quarter of this book wasn't so good. 

The mystery is interesting. And the flower language worldbuilding feels very unique and not too far removed from our own world at the same time. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Is the magic real? Who are the Poachers and what motivates them? Why is Kiersten such a bitch? They're interesting questions, and the answers weren't bad either but the way we got those answers...

At about the 25% mark the story starts to drag a bit. This is made up for by Liggett's excellent writing. At this point, you don't know whether Tierney is spiraling into madness or whether the world around her is truly mad. The plot doesn't move forward, but the story remains interesting. 

Then at the 50% it all goes to shit. 
Suddenly, we get introduced to the most bland love interest I've ever read about. He has no personality and falls for Tierney for no discernible reason. And of course, Tierney loves him back despite him having the personality of unseasoned chicken. 

The author rushes us through a love story. And when I say rushes, I mean RUSHES. 

And then, after some shenanigans we're back to the plot and the mystery and the book is actually really good again until the last fucking chapter. 

What the fuck was that love story doing in this book? This story really really really did not need a romance plotline. The book would have been an easy 3 (or maybe even 4) star for me if the romance had not been there. It takes away from the themes of the book and undercuts its message. I don't understand how you write a book about sisterhood and fighting the patriarchy, and then have the MC only care about her male love interest for half of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaaah. 

The book also has very white feminism vibes. Can't quite put my finger on what exactly rubs me the wrong way, but to begin with, the book has 0 characters of colour

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Murder, Death, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Medical content

Moderate: Vomit and Lesbophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Infertility

elysianbud's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Went into this expecting a bit more survival and a lot less love story, but overall I still enjoyed it. 
Quick read, finished it in one day. 
I do like that at the end of the book the main character hasn't magically fixed everything in society through the power of gutsy honesty, and that it takes a more realistic approach of showing small steps towards change instead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Vomit, Confinement, Gore, Body horror, Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Stalking, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Outing, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

readingwithmeredith's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Dark, heavy, dystopian, but so thought provoking. This definitely isn’t the book for everyone and I would be slow to recommend it as an actual YA book but if you could handle the graphic nature of the Hunger Games then you could handle this one. Definitely a story that will stick with me for a while and the author’s interview in the audiobook and discussion questions in the physical book really made me stop and reflect on this book more than I would have. Really reflecting on this took it from a 3 to 4🌟 book. 

I will say I don’t feel like this is the best written book and I feel like it could have benefited from some more editing and refinement and it could have been a 5🌟 dystopian read. But definitely a fascinating story that is going to stick with me for a while. 

Themes reminiscent of Handmaiden’s Tale and Hunger Games but also a completely new story in my opinion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Sexual content

winnie_is_swag's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

i really liked this book. 'twas beautifully written, and it made me emotional. the main character is strong and independent. it's like Lord of the Flies meets a Handmaid's Tale. Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Animal death, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Gore, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Bullying

Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical content, Vomit, Sexual content, and Infertility

Minor: Sexual content, Rape, Classism, Abandonment, Homophobia, Cursing, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

thelittlestmermaid's review

adventurous dark emotional

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Violence, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Moderate: Medical content, Suicide, Sexual content, and Infertility

jane_austyn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Spoiler

pregnancy

Spoiler

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Confinement, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic friendship

braelynm_22's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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? No

4.75

This book started out slow, but there was no way I was gonna put it down. It totally draws u in!! It is super dark and the ending was a total plot twist!! I honestly enjoyed this book so much! I don't think I could even reread it bc it just wouldn't hit me the same way. 

"Heaven is a boy in a treehouse, with cold hands and a warm heart." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Torture

Minor: Cannibalism and Medical content

This book is super dark and gruesome at times, but it helps the plot along a lot.

kmayatte's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Blood, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, and Religious bigotry