Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

L'ombra della notte by Deborah Harkness, Cristina Volpi

12 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this one just a little bit less than the previous, but that’s because I generally get annoyed even famous historical figures are reimagined in time travel tropes. My brain also tends to try to work out all the knots created with time travel that trickle back through the ages into the present storyline. So I tend to spend too much time overthinking something that has no need of my energy, given that it’s fiction. There were a few other things that bothered me, but to get into them would be giving away spoilers.

Excited to read the third installment as well as the prequel as soon as they come off hold at my library.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookwyrmjulia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexism

gillian_aftanas's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Antisemitism, and Alcohol

micaelamariem's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

A bit disappointed with this one. Good points: it was well written and there must’ve been loads of research put into this which I respect. Not so good points: the books was unnecessarily long and many scenes could’ve been cut out, Matthew was insufferable in his secret-keeping, hypocrisy, and jealousy, and the elements of time travel didn’t make much sense as they thoroughly messed up the timeline!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

redheadsuperpowers's review against another edition

emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

300 pages in and already annoyed with the menfolk.  I am reminded of why I avoid historical romances. Matthew has fallen away from his modern memory, and is treating Diana as if she were from the Elizabethan era and not the educated woman she is. At risk due to a jealous ass of his friend, who has attempted to stir witchcraft sentiments against her in a time and place where witches were burned!! I seethe, as all could have been avoided if her was listening and respecting her intelligence. Men.ugh.

I read this directly after reading the first in the series. It did lend some to the storyline, but overall, it just reminded me I hate historical novels. I am more of an urban fantasy reader.

In this follow up to A Discovery of Witches, we find our leads Diana and Matthew time walking back to Elizabethan England. With a jealous wannabe paramour for Matthew, active witch hunts, and time appropriate intrigue, it drags a bit. Matthew is once again keeping too many secrets, but Diana is finally learning her own abilities. We meet Philippe and Stephan, and see both leads get some closure with their fathers. Diana changes history by being herself. We met lots of major historical players that were apparently Matthew's friends. That man sure involves himself in major events for someone changing lives so often. All in all, it was a decent book, and while long winded, did lend depth to the storyline.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, and Classism

baearles's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

maggies's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Similar to the first book in the series, I found this one maybe a bit too long, but it was still totally enthralling. I loved the setting, watching Diana and Matthew learn more about each other and themselves. It was especially more realistic that this story took place over the course of a year rather than just several weeks, like the first book. The

time jumps back to the present

were also *chef's kiss* perfection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Miscarriage, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

goosegrimm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Sometimes you need a campy book about witches timetraveling to elizabethian england and getting married to a vampire. This is that book. I found it really slow in the beginning, and while I do enjoy (somewhat) how complex the plotlines are, there were a few times I was frustrated by the detours. However, Harkness still has a really interesting way of handling prose. And I am a sucker for all of the history bits. And overall the last 3rd of the book was quite tight and very satisfying. If you like paranormal romances with a shocking amount of history in them, Harkness is where its at honestly.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and War

Minor: Xenophobia

katielaine_w's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.0

Turned from a problematic relationship to an abusive one all the good parts of the world building were thrown out ant turned into literal knitting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment