Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

107 reviews

qiaokelibar's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring 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

This is now in my top 5 favorite books of all time. The prose was engaging in a way I could only hope to emulate. The characters, from the heroine to even the smallest side character, were all so interesting and well fleshed-out. There were little mysteries peppered throughout that kept me guessing until the end - and the ending itself? Amazing!! The reveal of

the scribe's identity

had me doing cartwheels of joy (Lie: I'm literally laying in bed). I need everyone in my life to run to their nearest bookstore and buy themselves a copy ASAP. I can't wait until the next installment!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Murder and Classism

Minor: Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content and Slavery

chanlo1994's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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

As a white person, it's so refreshing to have story based in Middle Eastern/Indian Ocean culture. I had to forget everything I knew about the typical (western based) mythology so I could truly learn about these mythologies while I listened. These narrators were fantastic and I truly enjoyed listening to them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Transphobia, Islamophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic

jiffygiraffe's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense 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

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Rape

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kesreads13's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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: Genocide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Torture and Colonisation

Minor: Sexism, Slavery, Transphobia, Blood, Islamophobia, and Trafficking

yrc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Once in a while I don't know what kind of story I'm looking forward to before I actually start to read/listen to it. This is a prime example of exactly that. 

I enjoyed the humor in this book greatly, the epic and larger than life adventures against both wicked men and sea monsters alike. I also felt that the swashbuckling tone was sourly needed as a scratch to my itch. Life can't be taken seriously every second of each day.

Amina is a wonderous character and actually goes through the hardships of being separated from family,  limitations of age and biases towards women, which was a refreshing character arc often not seen enough in fantasy.

The rest of the crew was terrific as well, especially Dalila and Mahjed. The historical touches were fun to encounter and the narrators did a magnificent job with this text. 4 starts and recommended if you are looking for a fun book, that doesn't shy away from dark situations but does it with style and purpose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry

meggiemeggie52's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.25

I'm not usually a fantasy girlie, but I really enjoyed this! It was so descriptive and well-written, and I quickly grew to love the characters. Some parts got a little gory for my taste, but it really wasn't that often compared to the size of the book.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Torture, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

There's not a LOT of the really graphic stuff until the last third of the book, I'd say, but even that isn't as high in quantity as one might expect from a pirate fantasy. But it does get quite descriptive and gave me the heebie jeebies a few times.

kirtreads's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was really fun! The story was interesting, but I think that the characters are the star of the show. Each character has a really unique voice and feel like a fully fleshed out person. They each brought something fun to the story and I never felt annoyed with a character. I honestly would just be okay with a book that is just the characters hanging out on a boat and doing nothing else. 

I listened to the audiobook and I really loved how each of the characters were narrated. The voices all were really distinct and really communicated the characters personality. It was such a fun story to listen to. 

The book did take a little bit of time to get going and it did sometimes feel like the story was slower paced than I wanted. I also wanted a little more of her crew, which I am hoping that I will get in a sequel. It also felt weirdly episodic and chunked out instead of one smooth story, but I don't mind that. 

I thought that the book presented the idea of struggling to be a mother in this chaotic lifestyle but that sometimes felt like it was on the side for a lot of the plot. We had Almina constantly mentioning getting back to her daughter but then

when she decides that she does actually want to travel and balance a life on the sea with being a part it feels rushed and there is almost no consideration for it. I know why the author did it, but I wanted a little more from that theme if you are going to lay it out as the main premise of the novel.

Overall, had a great time with this book, it was super fun and the narrator work was great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual content and Religious bigotry

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content