Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

43 reviews

marysespieces's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Grief

elzibub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

abi_sarah's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

A candidly human story of love, lust and loss. 

When the men of Vardø disappear in the midst of a storm on Christmas Eve, answers are at the top the agenda of the men of the surrounding Norwegian villages. Whilst they search for the truth, they squirm and writhe in the uncomfortable new reality of Vardø. Only women live there. 

The discomfort of the men is apparent and their seeking of the truth in order to bring reason to what has happened is portrayed by Hargrave in such a powerful way. The lengths the men go to in order to find out the truth is extreme and violent. Soon foul accusations against the women are made and are swiftly followed with threats of harm and even death. 

An extraordinary read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Norway in a historical fiction. 

“This was a story of people and how they lived, before how they died defined them”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Sexual content and Violence

mhilt17's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, and Sexism

hannahri0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

windspice's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Vomit

maregred's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity and Sexual content

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Torture

omgmkg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book was advertised to me as witch trial fiction, but it is really much more about the conditions that allow a witch hunt and trial to happen. As a bit of a social scientist, this fictionalized take really speaks to me. At the same time, that makes the pacing of the book a bit odd—first quite slow and then fast. 

The exploration of what it would have been like if a remote place had lost all its men (which did actually happen historically) was fascinating and a part of that slower pace, though, and I really enjoyed it. As one reviewer stated, it is a feminist book without ignoring historical reality. 

I loved Ursa and Maren and really felt I learned their worlds. I was rooting for each of them right away. 

Sort of spoiler (very mild)

I wish that there was a more positive or satisfying end, but that is just not realistic in this type of book.

 

It is written in present tense which is  not my preference, but I got used to it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

miniingrid's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Minor: Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation