Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

133 reviews

catrijn's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Physical abuse and Death of parent

itsnotalakeitsanocean'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

After my last disasterous choice in books, this was a great pick-me-up. Perhaps not the most robust of mystery stories, but if you come into this looking for a fun time with incidentally gay leads and a sprinkling of sex scenes you'll be satisfied.

What I liked

• (Disclaimer that I am not a history nerd so apart from a few things that raised my eyebrows, I didn't find any glaring faults): The two leads were believable, well-rounded characters both plagued by different forms of inadequacy and lacking what the other has. It was nice to see them come into their own and find love with each other with a nice balance between the romance and the working relationship. I did enjoy a lot of the side characters too, but as below you'll see I wish we got more of them sometimes.
• The romance between the two leads was sweet, and I enjoyed a lot of the descriptions of them pining in their minds. It was also refreshing to see that they had a healthy sex life but weren't constantly horny and trying to fuck each other in life or death situations like a lot of romantasy couples seem to do these days.
• Despite my complaint below, I like what we get of the magic system and the magic is used in creative ways. I especially liked
  Robin trying to get a grip on his foresight so he could control it and the tantalising glimpses of the future we got, and Edwin inheriting Sutton Cottage and him being able to control the house (rushed as his mastery of it was)

What I didn't like

• I think the beginning is a tad slow but once the main pair get to the house is when things get interesting.
• This definitely feels like a book that's setting up for a series (of which I accidentally started reading the final book of, oops) so although there is a decent amount of worldbuilding and exploration into the magic system, there is a sense that there's something grander that's missing from this installment.
• A lot of the women in this book tend to be sidelined which, yes women in this period didn't have the same independence as their modern counterparts, but the only woman that really contributes to the plot
  dies so that Edwin can inherit her residence and move the plot on.
  From what I can gather the next book semi rectifies this with an f/f pairing which I want to read eventually.
• This book does the classic third act misunderstanding which is rectified in a couple of chapters too early for my liking, ESPECIALLY because it was genuinely heart-wrenching to see them part for a valid reason.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Murder

Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, and Death of parent

tragedies's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

It’s been months since I read this book, and yet, it still lives in my mind rent free. Aside from the fascinating magic system and a cast of loveable but also layered characters, Freya Marske writes such beautifully woven prose that I am convinced she’s a magician herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Murder

sadetanssija's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

joensign's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent

Minor: Chronic illness

merry_mandolin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Loved it. 
It's giving all I could ask for when looking for a historical, magical fantasy, mystery, smutty romance.
Would read again. Have recommended to others already. :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence

Minor: Racism, Death of parent, and Murder

ximajs's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

kaneebli's review against another edition

funny mysterious tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Blood, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

court_jester's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

I love this book as an entrance to the magical world that these characters live in 
And though I adore this book and characters it’s a little difficult to understand certain aspects of it on first read
It was significantly more enjoyable on a second read 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia

It is a good part of a driving theme of an abusive older brother

booksthatburn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Child death, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol