Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

8 reviews

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

While I think the book had solid elements, I don’t think it was too much of a change from the last book.

I enjoyed the narrator and think she’s very skilled. Furthermore, I thought the introducing action of the book was very solid. My favourite part was Nehemia’s plot line and how it led to conflict between her and Celeana. It expanded on both characters very well.

However, I thought there was a lot left to be desired.

I was frustrated that Celeana wasn’t allowed to be morally grey. She’s a trained assassin, stopped in her tracks by a man seeming nice. I can’t buy into it. It also just made me really doubt Celeana and her skill, like she’s not everything the book CLAIMS she is.

I also found the foreshadowing and prose to be rather weak. To start, while the reveal of Celeana’s past was well built to, the big twist of the book was not. It caught me off guard in a bad way and I was baffled as to why and what the motivations for such actions were. The writing itself was also very repetitive. There were a lot of repeated words and phrases that would have been an easy fix, but weren’t. It just got old after a while.

I also, personally, didn’t care for the love triangle. It just severed to make me think less of the characters. Dorian and Chaol came across and entitled and whiny. Chaol especially was disappointing in this book, more than usual. Celeana also just felt too passive. It felt like so much of the book focused on this romance and I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Overall, the book was fine. It’s not my cup of tea but I see why people enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

barbarianmissy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Ok I had more fun with this one than the first one. 

The truth bomb explosion at the end I had my suspicions about for the last 200 or so pages, but it was a great KABLAMO moment to end off the book with! I’m excited to go sailing across the sea for a family reunion!!! 

One thing that bugs me in this series though is that no one trusts each other at all?! They’re all damned secret keepers! Like the three main characters never got told that team work makes the dream work??!! I feel like if they just talked it out or explained their plans before setting them in motion, then they could’ve solved their problems a lot faster!?!! I totally get why they don’t fully trust each other, but at the same time - as George Michael says “you gotta have faith” 

Watch me say that and one of them brutally betrays the others in the future books lol - if it does, please just call me Baba Yellowlegs, clairvoyant evil witch beeyotch extraordinaire 💁‍♀️ 

Also, side note, I really thought this story was about to be a doggie snuff book and I was THIS CLOSE to throwing it across the room. 

Anywho, time for the highly controversial reading timeline placement of ASSASSINS BLADE for a fun lil blast from the past of short stories and then I shall be back to find out what we’re doing with all of this crazy ass stuff going on! 

WHOOP WHOOP

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

cait's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ejreadz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Vomit, and Abandonment

yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

I really enjoyed this one it was a little slow toward the beginning but overall a good read. That last page was such a jaw drop!

Nehemia’s death was so heartbreaking and even sadder that it was necessary for Celaena’s development.

Dorian is a favorite of mine and I want to know more about him. I look forward to seeing where the story goes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, and Sexual content

ladydeathnesta's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.0

I had a harder time getting through this book than any other SJM book. That being said, it was still a good book, and vital to the storyline for the rest of the series. This book is definitely the turning point of the storyline.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kinsportch's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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: Animal cruelty, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Slavery, and Kidnapping