Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

33 reviews

lkristin2018's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

In a land where citizens are dying of fever, there is only one treatment, and there isn’t enough for everyone. Tessa and Wes steal from the rich and distribute it to the poor until things go badly. The world building is excellent, and feels relevant in the world of Covid. The characters are complex and engaging and the political intrigue keeps the reader guessing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Ableist language for mental illness used multiple times (crazy, mad, insane) suicidal/self-harming thoughts including

tossing oneself into a fire, insisting on being killed with a crossbow as a sacrifice for one’s kingdom being glorified

knich's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Audiobook was good, liked the male and female narrators. Story was just okay

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

oakairi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Torture, Blood, and Grief

lawbooks600's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

Representation: N/A
Score: Seven points out of ten.

One year ago, I mistakenly read the sequel to Defy the Night, Defend the Dawn. I initially enjoyed it, but soon enough, I picked out the flaws, now making it only an okay read. One year later, it was time to read the first instalment in the trilogy, Defy the Night. I soon picked it up and read it, and when I finished it, it was enjoyable.

It starts with the first person I see, Tessa, whose last name I forgot, working alongside her friend, Wes, to steal medicine and food to cure people from the epidemic that plagued the country they lived in, Kandala. They had to do this because the price for a cure to this disease is exorbitantly expensive and creates a barrier between the affluent king and his associates and the ordinary citizens of Kandala. It feels a lot like Robin Hood, but with an original twist. Defy the Night has an explosive beginning but the middle is where the pacing slows, with someone killing Wes, much to Tessa's dismay. I predicted that Tessa would have an enemies to lovers romance with the antagonist, Corrick. It turns out I was right. I don't know why the romance had to be there when it took me away from the fantastical aspects. I engrossed myself in Defy the Night since it was so immersive, but the worldbuilding left me one question: where did the epidemic come from? I don't know--that is an inquiry that has no answer yet. The conclusion picks up the pace, ending Defy the Night on a cliffhanger, but I know what happens next. The library has the final part, Destroy the Day. I'll pick it up when I have time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Full trigger warnings: Fire, pandemic mentioned, near-death experience, kidnapping, death of a friend and murder of parents in the past, physical assault, poverty, medical content, imprisonment, torture, blood, grief and loss depiction

middle_name_joy'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Though the main themes are beaten to a pulp by the end, this is a decent adventure story with characters you come to be invested in. There are slow sections, but there is also action and shifting loyalties and castle intrigue. Lots of gore, too. I'm going to need a romance cleanser before reading the second book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

calicat42's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

thumbeleia's review against another edition

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

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

annelihghh's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

lisashelves's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Physical abuse and Fire/Fire injury

raineedayreader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Torture, Violence, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Excrement, and Fire/Fire injury