Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

143 reviews

tiredtori's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Slavery, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, and War

figsofpeach's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

emilywemily6's review

adventurous hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

Amazing!! I devoured this book and I can’t wait for the next one. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed following every perspective and am so excited to see where these characters go from here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content and Medical content

ivegotyourpaperback's review against another edition

3.75

3.75-4⭐️ (I keep fluctuating)

This was another very enjoyable addition to the series.

I felt there was a bit of a lull at the start of the book where the pacing had slowed back down since the ending of book 2. So I found myself almost starting from scratch in terms of being emotionally invested in the returning characters.

In terms of new characters introduced that I’ve come to love, we’ve got:

• Manon Blackbeak (badass bitch extraordinaire)
• Abraxos (cutie patootie)
• Amaranth—— I mean Adarlan’s Whore, Aedion
• Sorscha (under-utilised character IMO)

For me where this book shined was in: 

• the relationship between Dorian and Sorscha 
• The rift between Dorian and Chaol
• The political intrigue and scheming going on in Rifthold 
• Aedion’s feelings and motivations
• Villainous deeds on page from fucked up rulers (side note: does the King of Adarlan have a name?)

I was less thrilled hearing about Celaena’s training montages and depressive episodes with newbie, Rowan. And I wasn’t completely sold on Rowan until he said one of my favourite things an MC can say to another MC: “who did that to you?”. 🫠 After that I was wholly on board with this broody Fae prince.

The last few chapters of the book had me experiencing a roller coaster of emotions and I can’t wait to pick up where we’ve left off (hopefully there’s not another pace change at the beginning of the next book lie there was with this one).

In terms of recommending reading order of the series, I’ve seen a lot of people say Assassin’s Blade should be read next. I’ll try it, but may end up skipping straight to book 4 if I get antsy. 

Content warnings:

⚠️racism towards mixed race beings

⚠️Slurs towards mixed race beings

⚠️implied animal cruelty 

⚠️mention of torture 

⚠️corporal punishment

⚠️murder 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty and Torture

ernis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

A lot of people seem to love this one, but I felt like the plot kinda dragged on a bit compared with the previous 2 novels. I also found it a bit jarring and frustrating to switch between the different, almost entirely unrelated point of views when it felt like a storyline finally was getting going. Love C's development in this one though!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Torture

merrow's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

I always like the point where a YA series turns from adventures to a desperate fight for freedom, and this book is no exception.

Quite the tragic turn of events at the end, but they set up for some potentially good ways out.

The first half is a bit frustrating as the focus is placed on rebuilding and crumbling over and over again for the main character, but it finds its direction very well for the second half.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Deadnaming, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol

anguawolf's review

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders

mangofraiche's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hollymileham's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

this was really good i think the first half was a bit slow but only because it was developing the characters and the storylines, the second half picked up so much and was so eventful the trauma these characters have been through already and its only the fourth book.. very happy to meet rowan he was a bit freaky at first but thats okay

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Vomit and War

liesthemoontells's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

My favourite entry in the series so far. The fantasy and worldbuilding is much more mature than in the first two books. While the pacing sometimes faltered a little bit with the array of characters going back and forward, the widened scope and perspective was welcome.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Slavery and Vomit