Reviews tagging Torture

Witchmark, by C.L. Polk

8 reviews

kaykayjay's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Well that was a good read. Flew by. Got a somewhat lighter Nk Jemison vibe. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Murder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Torture

purplepenning's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Injury/injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Torture, Slavery, Medical content, Homophobia, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

apocellipse's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? No

3.5

i did thoroughly enjoy this book, just felt a little fanfiction-y at times which is not what i was expecting from the outset. also felt like we were juggling a few too many distinct conflicts at times, couldn’t focus on a “main” one really. but i found it really fun to read, so i’m not docking too many stars :-) 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Torture

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Homophobia

20sidedbi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, and War

aardwyrm's review

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A tightly plotted mystery with lots of stakes and intrigue and enough clever worldbuilding interwoven with the historical inspiration to be fun to follow. The romance is given a center stage that it doesn't quite earn, but the relationships are otherwise interestingly sketched.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Gore, and Death of parent

Minor: Colonisation and Suicide

allisonwonderlandreads's review

adventurous dark 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? No

4.0

In this intriguing Edwardian fantasy, readers are blessed with a warm-hearted idealist as our hero. Dr. Miles Singer is in some ways a rule follower who can't fathom selfish motives behind noble acts, and in others, he is a rebel who would run from home and defy his father to stand free and use his gifts to help others. He is such a gentle soul, and I would love to read more fantasy protagonists with his overwhelming kindness.

The story draws on many relevant social issues. Classism is a major component here, since lower class witches are shipped off to asylums, whereas the ruling class of mages keeps their power secret, even as they use it to advance their own importance. Imperialism, war, and its traumas are also a large presence here. Miles works as a psychiatrist at a veterans' hospital. Once a prisoner of war himself, Miles' empathy and patients-first attitude make him well-loved by the men he serves. He can't use his magic healing abilities to help for fear of being accused of witchcraft, so he trudges along, filing paperwork, arguing with his boss, and doing his best with limited resources. I really resonated with the way his empathy was trampled on by bureaucracy, politics, and lack of funds.

There was so much to love here. I would say the world-building skews towards social rather than magical detail. I loved the descriptions of bike traffic (including an adrenaline-filled chase scene!), fashion, and technology. There's also a very sweet mlm romance that had a light touch on the story but was still fully realized rather than an afterthought. In addition, a complicated brother/sister relationship left me with a mix of emotions. The layers of mystery and power-grabbing machinations in the story were captivating. I am eager to dive into the rest of the trilogy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, and Torture

purplatypus's review

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Excrement, Infidelity, and Torture

astudyinfic's review

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If I could give a book more than 5 stars, this would be it. It has everything I love in a novel (queer, romance, supernatural, historical), along with amazing world-building and many fleshed-out characters. I want more time with Miles and Tristan.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, and Slavery

Minor: Domestic abuse and Torture