Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

10 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

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

foxonabook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Gun violence 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

sarahholliday's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

She's done it again!

Samantha Shannon writes poignant, lyrical fantasy with first-rate world building and characters who are so nuanced they seem to leap of the page. It's what makes her novels such a joy to read. 

As a standalone work, I think The Mask Falling has a cohesive feel to it, as well as a compelling self-contained plot. Within the series, this installment is a beautiful combination of slower, more character-driven story and white-knuckle moments of action & tension. More than ever, it's clear that Shannon still has a wealth of information and secrets to reveal when it comes to the Bone Series universe.

The ending of TMF felt a little overly-full to me. Some of the really fascinating nuance of Paris' criminal syndicate gets lost in the back-to-back action sequences, but perhaps that relentlessness is meant to reflect the never-ending chaos of life in the midst of totalitarianism & rebellion. 

If you have yet to pick up this series, I can't recommend it enough. It grabs you from the beginning and, as The Mask Falling shows, never fails to dazzle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Torture and Vomit

tashayns's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, and Vomit

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit