Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Il Regno di Rame by S.A. Chakraborty

5 reviews

literarypenguin's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

I will be honest that it took me a while to completely read this book. It took me longer then I was hoping for but I did manage to get it read. I really enjoyed this follow up to the first one even better than the first one itself! 

This book picks up five years after the events of the first one. Nahri is now trapped in a loveless marriage under the thumb of King Ghassan. Ali is banished from Daevabad trying to build a better life for himself in a foreign land. Dara has been resurrected to once again be used as a weapon for the Nahids to take over Daevabad. This book has a much darker tone with some very heavy themes presented. The theme of war, how both sides are fighting for what they believe is right and no matter what happens no side truly wins a war over something like this. 

Having the multiple perspectives really aided this book! I loved the addition of Dara's POV, I thought it added a lot to see his side of the conflict and why he was doing the things he did in the first and second book. Out of all the stories I really enjoyed seeing Ali's story! Seeing him grow and come into his own. How he learned to stand up for himself against his family, how he was firm in his beliefs and his need to help people. He was still fearful of his magic but he wanted to understand them and why he was granted them in the first place.

 The world itself was still beautiful while there was less magical creatures in this one the city of Daevabad was still a beautiful place to see written in a book. This was a very politics heavy and character driven book! I enjoyed seeing the politics at play and getting to see the characters have to do some less than savory things to get things accomplished! 

I am looking forward to finishing this book and finishing the series as a whole! I cant wait to see how the Daevabad trilogy is going to end! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Slavery

Minor: Infidelity and Sexual assault

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was consistently shocked through the  entire book. The story never goes where you’re expecting it to. Somehow a cast of treacherous characters making terrible decisions works. Brilliant. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism

dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

tahsintries's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

ehmannky's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Spectacular. Show stopping. Amazing. I throw all the praise at this book, because it's so beautifully written and it builds so well on the previous book. It dives deeper into the meaninglessness of vengeance vs. the true healing power of justice. Because the shafit aren't wrong and the Daevas aren't wrong and those clamoring for a better life aren't wrong, but since no one can address the pains of the past without murder, no one can devise a way to move forward. Well, Nahri and Ali could, but no one ever listens to the best characters.

This book also skyrocketed Ali to the top of my list of favorite characters. The previous book of "the oppressed can have some rights" is burned away as he gains more confidence in his own moral clarity and is able to see a life outside of the palace (also, Aqisa and Lubayd are the best additions the vast cast of characters). Muntadhir plummeted pretty far down the list with the petty jealousy and the fear his father beat into him taking over his love for his siblings, Jamshid and what he knows is right. Like, the whole

lie to embarrass Ali and then causing a massacre and like only realizing after the fact that all this death was his fault? Fuck him. Though the ending reconciliation was pretty damn satisfying. But also, fuck him.

 

 I empathize with him, but it's also part of the cycle of revenge and status quo and trying to please their abusive father to become an abuser himself. I also liked the expanded role for Zaynab and Hastet, and it was nice seeing Nahri finding female allies. Additionally, Dara (a character I like in spite of my morals) slowly figuring out Just Following Orders is a paltry excuse when he's doing atrocities. 

Overall, a stunning sequel. I cannot wait to read the final installment. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Miscarriage