Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

16 reviews

chasinggrace's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I can’t even breathe rn

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

barda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

A spectacular, incredibly romantic book. Even if the cliffhanger is the worst and makes me cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, and War

julienicole1106's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mollyelyn's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

WHAT DID I SAY? Every book is better than the last! This is a lot slower in pace, and needs to be to show Paige’s recovery and struggle with PTSD from the end of the previous instalment. It also allows time for the relationship between Paige and Warden (now ARCTURUS 😍) to blossom and develop into something truely beautiful. Their relationship is so tender and supportive, and they bounce off each other so beautifully. The lack of most of the supporting cast from the previous novels leaves time for their romance to blossom. However just because the romance is sweet, doesn’t mean the book isn’t heart-wrenching and devastating. The twists are immaculate as always, and a specific third act red herring moment made me SOB MY EYES OUT, as i briefly believed it to be true, as Paige did. I am especially excited to revisit this in May when the revised editions are released, as I rushed my reading as I was moving overseas and didnt want to bring the paperback with me just for the sake of the last 75 or so pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

grets_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, and Trafficking

Minor: Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

eleanora's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

wiktoria88's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

bennispizza's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

bookspaperink's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol

herbivorehaunts's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

 So far this has been my favorite installation in this series. Plenty of time to change around my order, but since the last three books aren't out yet this is my current order from favorite to least favorite:

1. The Mask Falling

2. The Mime Order

3. The Bone Season

4. The Song Rising

The Song Rising was still a near perfect read though, so it being in last place isn't saying much. 

((General spoilers for themes if you haven't read the previous 3 books in series))

Blown away by the amount of world building revealed in this one, as well as the sheer emotional impact of this installation. Four books into a series, the stakes are higher than ever and you are so invested in the characters that every mission is nerve wracking. Shannon doesn't shy away from character deaths, character injuries, or putting her main characters through emotional trauma, so be prepared going into this one. 

I enjoyed the blend of new concepts (Paris as a setting, new world building and lore, lots of new characters) as well as beats that have been in the series from the beginning (exploring emotional trauma as a result from the events of previous novels, Paige's relationships with other people and her own PTSD, and a heavy spy thriller atmosphere). I was nervous going into this one because of the different setting and the fact that the cast would be changing up quite a bit, but I thought this was really well executed. 

I kept finding myself holding my breath as I watched Paige GO THROUGH IT. Both mentally and physically. The ending had so many genuinely shocking twists and turns that were all very effective, once you had finally acclimated to a twist, the next one was thrown upon you. 

That ending. :( Not so patiently waiting for the next one. In terms of writing quality, this series just keeps getting better and better with every book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Torture, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit and Death of parent