Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

22 reviews

chris_reads's review

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying and Sexual content

Minor: Abandonment

blewballoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

I admit I bought this based on the cover, and I can happily say that the cover matches the tone and quality of the book very well. I would recommend this to fans of Howl's Moving Castle the Studio Ghibli film (not the book it's based on), but the atmosphere is somewhat darker and less fanciful. I would also compare it to Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, but the writing felt closer to the characters and easier to submerge into. I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator did a great job of  handling the complex pronunciations and reflecting Liska's positive attitude in the face of danger and horror. 

I expected the ending, but I hoped I might be wrong. The epilogue offers a small glimmer of hope.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

alexijai98's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.5

Was going to give this less than 3 stars but it did nearly bring me to tears at the end so! Overall a fine read, if you’re a fan of Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf you’d enjoy this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexism and Religious bigotry

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

miblette's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore

allyareads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad 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

One of my favourite things in the universe is a sentient house. My other favourite is a broody, chaotic, bisexual wizard. Niche, I know but you can understand how excited I was when I found out that it wasn't just Howl's Moving Castle that fits the bill.
This is the Polish folklore version of Howl's Moving Castle (the Ghibli movie not the Diana Wynne Jones book). It's just as beautiful, atmospheric, and genuinely sweet.
It doesn't reinvent the wheel but it's a solid cozy fantasy easy read.

Thank you Penguin for the reader copy I had such a good time. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Abandonment

thewitchykitty's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

mirimira's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Murder

kaneebli's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

why can't books like this ever just have a goddamn happy ending. why's it always gotta be so bittersweet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide

abby_can_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

📖
I had high hopes for this book. I think this lived up to my hopes. I liked the worldbuilding and the lore and the magic systems. I liked the relationship between Liska and The Leszy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Violence, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content