Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Une braise sous la cendre by Sabaa Tahir

229 reviews

meganders22's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75


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greys_aaa's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


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shananigans's review against another edition

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My biggest issues with this book is how Tahir uses rape and sexual assault as a device for how "dark" the world is. It was an inescapable reasoning at every turn. It felt unnecessary.

I tried to stick it out, but finally with Helen, I decided I couldn't. The story starts out fairly strong with a rotating POV and it's easy to get sucked into at least one of their stories. The pace of the plot for Laia is as slow as molasses, and there was little to no build up as a reader to bond with Laia's desperation to be like and/or save her family. It was a lot of creepy sexualization, which to me, felt a bit out of place for the lore of the world. I'd expected more violence from how wicked cool the Masks are described to be... But instead got creepy rapists and violators of women. On the other side, we're given this hella cool Mask woman, Helen, who is pretty solid up until halfway through the story. Then her strength is torn down by jealousy. Extremely unfortunate. Someone in her position, logically in this verse, would not be as petty as jealousy over a boy. The Commandant is the only one who felt she fit into this sadistic violent world; she's a badass antagonist. It's a real shame because I wanted to finish it, but it felt that at every turn of the story a poor literary device was used to change course.

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luckykosmos's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

Late to these books, but I appreciate how Tahir doesn't shy away from the brutal reality of this society while making it exciting for a YA audience to dive in. 

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otterforce's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book is a bit more graphic than my usual reads. There are some serious streaks of violence and sadism. If you’re concerned, check out the first chapter and know that it’s kind of light compared to what’s to come.

The story and characters are both strong though and the very bad guys doing very bad (and sometimes graphic) things never feels gratuitous. It often reinforces the tension and stakes or serves the story. There’s are so many good people to offset the bad. I wouldn’t say the story is hopeful, but it’s also not overly bleak or dark.

I can’t wait to see how this series unfolds in later books.

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readinabyss's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

4.5


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apple_atcha_reading's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0


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7chiara7's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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malakabdullah's review against another edition

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2.0

Nothing matters except her weak use of SA/r*pe as a literary tool. It doesn't matter if she writes well, which she does. I finished the book knowing wasn't going to continue the series. Her characters aren't fully fleshed out what with all the weight of SA/r*pe dragging everyone down. Left no room for development. Pass.

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seforana's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense 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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