Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan

9 reviews

electrifyingpenguin's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I love the 1920s Singapore setting and culture, the gothic vibes that draw from local SEA folktales and mythology, and the toxic, codependent relationship between Gean Choo and Mrs. Edevane. This is definitely not for the squeamish or faint of heart; there are graphic rape and torture/mutilation scenes. But I appreciate that the author doesn't hold back and still is able to write such good sex and gorey scenes.

The only thing I have a gripe about is the lack of chemistry between Gean Choo and Po Lam. The choice between two endings is nice, but the romance between these two definitely fell short when compared to the one with Mrs. Edevane.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism

the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.5

The things I liked about this story, I loved. But the things I disliked, I hated. 

The metaphors comparing the vampire and abusive partner to imperialism and white supremacy are brilliant and expertly crafted. I was really compelled by how deeply this story reached into that narrative to criticize the imperial system and how you may think you're immune to its harms when you're really another victim. ("She needs me." "She needs someone like you" will live in my head rent-free forever). This metaphor also explored abusive relationships in a similar way with thinking that you will never become the victim of their rage because you're unique, but truly you're just convenient at the moment. Just truly well-done.

With this being said, the gratuitous and graphic sexual violence was almost made to feel "sexy" in a way that felt deeply upsetting.

The non consensual fisting scene goes on for pages and doesn't serve any real and meaningful purpose for the story. By going so into detail with it, it was hard to differentiate it from the other consensual sexual scenes. Focusing on the unwilling orgasms taking place during the rape also seemed to be "sexy" instead of upsetting as they should have been.

Additionally, the torture chapter felt pointless in the greater narrative and, to me, mainly served to add a "horror" element without really furthering the story. It was graphic and hard to sit through, but I admit this might be my personal taste.

If you are interested a heavy and dark book in terms of violence and can handle a lot of graphic sexual violence, you might like this story more than I did. I have high hopes for future works of the author's, and I think the author is supremely talented. I just would like to see some care in the way certain kinds of violence are addressed through these stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

yuuto's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship

woolerys's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Writing - 3/5 

Plot - 4/5 

Characters - 4/5 

World-building - 3/5 

Personal tastes - 2/5 

TOTAL: 3.2 

I should have paid more attention to the content warnings on this one! There is some pretty explicit content, and dark. 

I thought it was obvious from the beginning that the vampirism was an analogy for colonialism—extraction, control, hierarchy, etc.—and yet the options for the two endings had me questioning my reading! Why is there an ending with

the option to save Verity

??? Is it supposed to be about how we also allow colonization into our minds and struggle to unlearn it? Or

is Verity supposed to be a sexy villain who tugs at your heartstrings? Because I find that disgusting; she is terrible. I 100% support the Po Lam ending, even if by that point it’s the less believable one!

Anyway I will say that I always appreciate a nuanced villain. And even if I thought the choices at the end were kind of bogus, I like the concept of having a choice in the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, and Colonisation

The author has put a detailed list of content warnings in the front of the book that I would recommend checking.

alt_air's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Child abuse

hazel_oat's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

1.0

i willpowered myself through the scenes of graphic sexual torture b/c i was barely intrigued enough to want to know how everything would end . . . and then i had to choose my own ending. if you could have seen how livid i was

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Xenophobia

readsbymoonlight's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Classism

nittiotvaan's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Cannibalism

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Colonisation

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-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

4.5

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

This dark, sapphic horror takes us to 1920s colonial Singapore. 

Gean Choo starts a new job as a lady's companion for Verity Edevane, who unbeknownst to her initially is a vampire. Gean Choo falls hard for Verity, and also for Po Lam, Verity's majordomo. This love triangle is unique in that, we the readers get to make the chose for Gean Choo, with two different endings.

I loved the historical setting of colonial Singapore which isn't something often told in literature.

Horror isn't something I usually go for, but I throughly enjoyed the darkness and steamy of this book. Giving two alternative endings is a great way for the author to keep all readers satisfied.

I certainly preferred the second ending.

The length of this book ensured we got plenty of time to feel for each character and understand some of their motives. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be checking out some of the author's other work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia