Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - And I Darken

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

And I Darken by Kiersten White

13 reviews

lunaviolet's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional

That was a lot. The complex sibling dynamics, the parental abandonment, the closeted gay yearning for a straight man, the powerlessness of being a women in a society that limits what you can do… it was a lot. But it was really good. I felt engaged the whole time. I just wish they talked to each other. There was so much sorrow and such little relief because these characters just refused to talk to each other or talk through anything with anyone else. It made sense for their characters why they wouldn’t, but for the love of god, talk.

Mehmed was annoying. By the end of the book I was like

can you please shut up and disappear? The other two would have been so much happier without him there bogging down the story. He was just sooo annoying!

I don’t understand why this is listed as a fantasy? There was no fantastical elements to this story. Like at all. The story didn’t need fantastical elements, it was complete even without them. But then why is this book listed as fantasy? It was purely historical fiction.

Speaking of tags, this book needs to have the lgbtq+ tag on it bc there was a LOT of gay people and gay feelings.

No one does unrequited love quite like a gay person in love with a straight person. And by that I mean, over 80% of this boy’s thoughts were about how he wants so badly to be this asshole’s gay lover but he can’t.

Content Warnings

scepterstar's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous 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: Yes

The romance between Lada and Mehmed felt rather forced and I didn’t understand it. Having not read the rest of the series, perhaps that has some significance, but in the context of this book it felt like we had no knowledge of why Lada was attracted to him. Radu’s attraction felt a lot more vivid and tangible.

Content Warnings

annorabrady's review against another edition

4.0

dark tense medium-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

The story was compelling and interesting. The development of relationships was complex and fitting for each character. The political intrigue was engaging. The reversal of the roles of prince and princess seen wish Lada and Radu was refreshing. But there was something missing in this story that left me unsatisfied in a way I can't identify.

Content Warnings

kassidyreads's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

reclusivebookslug's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I first read this book several years ago. I loved it, even though it was one of the hardest for me to read. It was denser, slower-paced, and had a darker tone than what I was used to. It has this pervasive sense of dread, one disaster happening after another. And there is sparse comfort to be found, even in the characters' dearest relationships. Nothing is ever safe or secure or completely happy. There are scenes of (historically accurate and normalized) abuse and injustice that turns my stomach. At that time I also started reading the second book but didn't get very far in before abandoning it. Since then, I have regularly looked at this series sitting on my bookshelf and wanted to read it but was too intimidated to.

Now I have reread the first book and plan to finally finish reading the series. I'm older now and have more experience reading complex and dark books. It made me aware of my growth as a reader.

I consider this one of my favorite books. It is captivating, even when it is challenging or devastating or frustrating. I have thought about and loved this book even after reading it just once, years ago, and even without reading the rest of the series. I feel so deeply for both Lada and Radu, despite how deeply flawed they are, how different they are, and how often their interests are in opposition to each other. That's what continues to make it a challenging read - I want a happy ending for everyone, but I can't imagine a way that could happen in their circumstances.

Content Warnings

inkandpaperandbook's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

So the question becomes, Daughter of the Dragon, what will you sacrifice?

This book was brutal. But really. In the best sense of the word. This book has torn my soul, my heart, and turn my life a three hundred and sixty degrees around. Originally, I never planned to read historical novels, but now I am here and I am proof that vows can be very broken for good. I will probably continue this habit in the future because I learn a lot from it. This book has been on TBR for almost a full year until I took the courage to read it. I admit it honestly; I saw it so long ago that I didn't even know what it was or how it got there. But before yesterday I glanced at it and its content and cover were quite enchanting, so I started it.

But evaluation of the book; Cover your eyes and shut your ears, let your instincts end you, as do Lada.

———————————————————

In fact, we see Lada's life

as she dies in the last part

. At the beginning of the story, we may be present at Lada's birth, Vlad (yes, Vlad, who is pulling into the stake), of course, deeply despises his daughter and wife, who has just survived the birth. Basically, I could have killed him for treating Lada and Radu's mother like an animal. A girl child was not good for anything but allies to build marriage. Lada would have to do the same if the she didn't take things in her hand. Lada grows up without the love of her parents, but she has her nanny, and her useless brother Radu - who always gets in trouble - and of course Bogdan (whom I hate for no reason). After gaining little attention from his father, she begins to spread her future, which does not fit into marriage to anyone. I could simply scream with joy when we finally got a protagonist who is not only self-sufficient, but not at all interested in men unless she has some benefits. After Bodgan was taken to the Ottoman Empire and Hunyadi broke into Wallachia, it seems they lost everything. This is the case for years until their father sells them to the Ottoman Empire to maintain peace. Due to his upbringing and the apparent lack of love, Lada becomes a cruel, cunning and fearless Amazon, but in the Ottoman Empire She is tamed but not lost. You can take your dragon's teeth out and it doesn't seem so frightening anymore, but you realize that you can still blow fire, which is damn hurt.

Otherwise, I couldn't like Radu as much as his sister and there is a simple reason; The love triangle that no one needed. Mehmed is about the same age as them, so he makes friends with them. He is the Sultan's third son to a slave mother, so he has no chance of becoming a ruler, so he is not taught it. Essentially, the first half of the book revolves around their friendship. They live and behave as children - though Lada is a little more mature. The latter further develops her combat skills and coaches with the Janissaries because she (unlike Radu) has not forgotten that they are only prisoners and not guests. Although they have both fiercely defending Mehmed from the beginning, he's lost his throne after his father's retirement because of them.

The following chapters (about 200 pages) is take place in the future, where they are "adults" or at least approaching it. The teenager Lada is desperately trying to break out of the role she has assigned and not head over. I really like in her character that she has no break point. There is always a point when the protagonist breaks and falls in, gives up. But she doesn't. She is moving forward as a huge dragon, ignoring who is in her way and what the consequences will be.

Radu is one of the Sultan's confidants and becomes a good friend, so much so that he becomes a commander. Unlike Lada, he also converts to Muslim faith. Honestly, I like the writer not turned the two religions and did not accidentally disappear any of them, both of them retaining good habits, leaving both beliefs attractive to the reader.

Radu is not the only LGBTQ+ character, since his wife - this is an arranged marriage - is also a lesbian. Soulmates are not always lover and they fully present this. I really like the little part they were in. In principle, they will get more roles in the following sections, which I am very pleased about. Both sibling are in love with Mehmed, but Lada alone catches his attention. Although their love does not last long and is weak enough still wonderful.

I don't really want to mention side characters, but Mara (!) - she was part of the Sultan's harem and princess of serbia - is one of my favorite characters and barely got a real role. Over the years, she has forged a weapon from her body and has obtained her freedom without violence. She is a believer in common sense and always deeply believes that she will return home, just like Lada. Although she does not have much power in the harem, she becomes one of the good friends - or ally - of the dragon's daughter over time.

At the end of the book, Lada is made a choice, either her home or her love, but she chooses what has always been more important to her; Wallachia. While Radu stays with Mehmed to occupy Constantinople.

I'll tell you the truth, no matter how much I liked the characters, the story, the time, and the turns were somehow not impressed so down. The plot went well, though the beginning was very slow and groaning, but it could still be followed despite the time jumps.

Content Warnings