Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

10 reviews

singalana's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

Kirjan luettuani minulle jäi hieman kaksijakoiset fiilikset, vaikka kokemus jäi selvästi plussan puolelle. Kirjan genreä on hieman vaikea kuvailla: kirjan tapahtumat sijoittuvat 1600-luvulle, ja siinä on murhamysteerin ja jopa kauhun elementtejä. Kirjassa seuraamme enimmäkseen Arent-nimistä miestä, joka astuu laivaan suojellakseen ystäväänsä, jota ollaan kuljettamassa Amsterdamiin tuomittavaksi. Toinen päähenkilöistä on kenraalikuvernöörin vaimo Sara. Henkilöhahmoja on paljon, mutta heillä on mielenkiintoiset persoonallisuudet ja motiivit. 

Kirjassa seurataan seitsemän laivan saattuetta, joka lähtee Bataviasta kohti Amsterdamia mukanaan maustelasti. Pian alkaa tapahtua pelottavia asioita, ja herää epäilys siitä seilaako paholainen heidän mukanaan? 

Kirja piti hyvin otteessaan alusta loppuun saakka. Pidin kirjoitustyylistä, ja lyhyet luvut koukuttivat lukemaan aina seuraavan. Myös henkilöhahmot olivat mielenkiintoisia, ja heistä paljastui koko ajan lisää. Kirja oli jännittävä, eikä loppuratkaisua ole helppo arvata. 

Spoiler

Spoilereita! 
Loppuratkaisusta puheen ollen, Drechtin miesten suunnitelmat kirjan lopussa olivat vastenmielisiä, ja mietin olisiko ollut parempi jättää se kohta lukijan mielikuvituksen varaan. Koska kirjassa on leikitelty yliluonnollisen mahdollisuudella, loppuratkaisu tuntuu lässähtää hieman. Lisäksi syyllisen paljastuttua hahmojen tulevaisuudensuunnitelmat tuntuvat ehkä hieman liiankin näppärältä.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Blood

Minor: Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Confinement, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Murder, Child death, Cursing, and Death of parent

maddyjo's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Medical content

Minor: Rape

wrestleacademic's review

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Torture, and Ableism

kimberlyswalters's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I know how unlikely it is, but I'd willingly read stories of Sammy & Arent's previous mysterious in a heartbeat. They sound so thrilling and wonderful, which is just a testament to how amazing this book is. The few times their past cases are mentioned is more than enough to convince me of their greatness. I would also read a sequel

Spoiler

about how they manage and pull off their plans afterwards and spin Old Tom into a warning for horrible noble people to fear

. The afterward/apology at the end was also a delight to read. I think I just really love Stuart Turton's writing. It makes me giddy. I feel excitement like I imagine Sara and Lia probably did reading stories of Sammy & Arent's cases.  I can't wait for his next book (although I'm well aware it will have nothing to do with this story, and that's fine. My wants are just praise for his world-building.). All of this is just me trying to say that if you're reading my review, you should read this book. I love it.

Spoiler

Addressing the afterward;
P.S. I imagine Arent as John Cena, but gruffer. Not necessarily sexy, but not not sexy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Torture, War, and Pregnancy

ok7a's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Animal death

Minor: Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Rape

laurataylor's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Rape, Violence, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, and Death

tamara_joy's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy, Rape, Colonisation, Excrement, Animal death, Genocide, Alcoholism, Grief, Misogyny, and Infidelity

arce's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Very good book, at every point of the story I kept wondering what would most likely happen next, sometimes I was right, and it still managed to surprise me.
The explanation is not farfetched and seems reasonable, but I am not completely satisfied with the ending.

Spoiler

Sammy/Hugo doesn't seem to feel anything? Gives me strong psychopath vibes...
Also, what happenes with the other passengers on the island? Do they sail to Amsterdam afterwards?
And I'm definitely not a fan of Sara's solution. I liked neither of the options, but don't have any better on my mind. Vigilante justice is not the right way. Creesjie and Sammy/Hugo shouldn't go without punishment.

I would be interested in the more horror endings Stuart Turton mentioned in the interview at the end of the audiobook.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Excrement, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content, Rape, War, and Pregnancy

tallbox's review

adventurous mysterious fast-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Colonisation, Child death, and Vomit

Minor: Pregnancy

maddiebusick's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Not bad, lots of twists and turns but I felt it dragged on a little bit which took away from the thrill and suspense of a murder mystery

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Confinement, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child death, Colonisation, War, Vomit, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Gun violence