written_between_the_stars's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In many ways Docile did exactly what it promised to do. It's a trope many of us probably read once or twice in a fanfaction before. And it's one of my favorites (if done right). I was honestly surprised to find out Docile was published traditionally, and so recently too. Daring titles like this get rare in trad pub and I'm not sure if three years later it would still be published as it is.
I can't lie the first half of the book infuriated me at times and all I wanted was to jump inside the story and shake the characters until they snapped out of their behavior. I couldn't predict where the story was going at all or imagine many endings that would've satisfied me. Elisha was at points so submissive and Alex SUCH an oblivious prick, I struggled to root for either or see a possible redemption arc.
One of my favorite series of all time is the Captive Prince trilogy by C. S. Pacat and I have to admit I'd pay LOTS of money to read a snipped of the the characters meeting. It would take Laurent of Vere probably less than a minute and two sentences to make Alexander Bishop cry and break down in on public.
During my read and comparing the protagonists I realized I only like to read about bratty subs that fight back, if not externally than at least internally (like Damon).
Alex's behavior is so ignorant and horrible at times, while Elisha is brainwashed into only existing to make him happy. I worried this dynamic wouldn't be explored properly and in the worst case romanticized. (There's enemies to lovers and then there's THIS).
In the end we - thankfully - get a story that deep dives into the psychological aftermath of breaking a person and I think that was the only and necessary decision to make and direction to go
Spoiler
in the second half. If Elisha & Alex simply would've gotten together with little struggle (as it seemed at points in the first half, you got me there K. M. props to you) this book would've been highly problematic (and I don't throw those words around easily).The system of Docile is interesting as well as scary, which is exactly the point K. M. Szpara wanted to deliver. It doesn't romanticizes it's heavy themes but shows a dystopian world that - I'm sure - many would read as a modern psychological horror story. (I'll just categorize the book as dystopian horror for myself).
I'm not sure if the execution was 100% on point though and wish the author would've explored different aspects of the system. I think the concept had lots of potential that wasn't completely exhausted. Again, in many ways Docile reads like a Fanfiction you discover at 3AM. Unputdownable. Thrilling. But slightly rocky. You wake up dizzy and confused the next morning, wondering what the fuck you read.
In my opinion the book could've done more and while the entire second half
Spoiler
and the court sectionI also think Docile would've benefited from a trim. This novel easily could've been 300 pages instead of 500. Was it still incredible fast to read? Yes. But still. Like I said, I searched for exactly this trope and wanted to read a book with "bad" and adult queer characters. It did what it promised. But I wish it would've done more with less... I think if Docile were a bit sharper, shorter and nailed the message/horror and characters a bit better, this easily could've been a new favorite and five star read.
In the end, it scratched the right parts of my brain but I'm not mind blown by the story and the second half dragged out and steered in all sorts of directions. There was no real structure to the book (why I think it ended up being this long). Definitely an interesting read though and if you've never read anything with that trope it might be more surprising and shocking to you than it was for me.
Graphic: Alcohol, Rape, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Classism, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Body horror, Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
carolined314's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Torture, Sexual assault, Confinement, and Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Dementia, Drug use, Grief, Dysphoria, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Excrement
lamegod's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Confinement, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Rape, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Torture, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Drug use, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Medical content
ashlikes's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Slavery, Self harm, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Physical abuse, Confinement, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Torture, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Addiction, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
julesloyola's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Confinement, and Drug use
Moderate: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Dementia
edunbar87's review
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse
anth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use and Medical trauma
bimeariver's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Slavery
Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide
mderesende's review against another edition
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
luckykosmos's review
- 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
4.75
I'll say straight up that when I first saw the announcement for this book, I was immediately pulled in, but didn't realize the use of sexuality and sexual content until later. That all being said, up until the last 100 pages, I was ready to make the argument this was a psychological horror. Because it was horrifying, watching Elisha change and live with his new traumas, watching Alex justify every punishment, watching the fear and hostility toward Empower's workers (side note: support your local union and mutual aid group).
So the .25 off is purely because the last act, while still amazingly crafted, went a slightly different direction. Szpara still did a phenomenal job showing Elisha's reconstruction, re-learning how to communicate and set boundaries. And while it had a very ACAB-style resolution (
Spoiler
that is, the bastard rich stay rich, and the non-bastard rich lose their status in standing up to the systemTread with caution. This book isn't bloody, but it's violent, and as shining as the blurbs are, I wish they reflected the violence and abuse.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, and Medical trauma