Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Gild by Raven Kennedy

154 reviews

cheryl_gager's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

I really liked the world, our main character Auren and the writing style. However, this very much felt like a set up book. I think the series is going to be amazing and there is definitely more to come but not much happened in the story in this book and though it was quick to read the story didn't move along at the same pace, if that makes sense. This did have some dark moments and there are definelty trigger warnings for this book and I feel for this series. I am looking forward to the next book as I am not sure where book 2 will take us, and I do see lots of potential for the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting

The way our main character is treated throughout and the relationship she has with Midas is toxic as she is under his control but thinks that it is love. There is a sexual assault/rape which is violent to one of the characters, witnessed by out main character, that could be triggering. Overall, the woman in this book are used for their bodies and nothing more.

shea_like_the_butter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Compelling world building, character dev is wayyyyy too slow for me— hate feeling like I don’t even know the MC after ~300pgs of first person narration 

So yeah, still unsure with Auren. Lots of potential but got little to nothing after a lot of on page time together. Very show don’t tell with her development but I want more what’s going through her head.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking

pmphilly_92's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted medium-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? Yes

3.5

Not my favorite writing, but I’m hopeful for this series. I found it really interesting seeing the dynamic between Auren and Midas play out. It’s clearly abusive and manipulative, but the main character doesn’t realize that yet. So you want to see her get past her love for him and step out of her cage, even if she’s infuriating in the mean time 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexism

singingshooter's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping

avialaeleigh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

So far its a bery interesting story and im interested to see where it goes.

In the beginning it seems like Auden was turned to gold, or golden touched as thry call her, by King Midas. And it seems like he is the one with the power to turn people to gold, and maybe he does but im not so sure anymore. Especially since Auden turned someone to gold. And told Rissa not to tell anyone. 

Makes me wonder what King Midas power really is, because he has to have some power because it would be weird if no one had ever seen him turn something to gold.

I guess we will find out as the series continues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

hanschub's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

i had put off reading this book for a long time, simply because i didn’t think i’d be interested, but i was so very wrong. i will say it does start out blandly in the beginning, yet picks up quickly. my interest was fully piqued by page 50 and now i can’t wait to read the rest of the series. i would have rated it 5 stars if it wasn’t for the ridiculous amount of world building and the absolute monsters that were most of the male characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Trafficking

ninja5phinx's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement

viselik's review against another edition

dark

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

4.25

The book does have its issues, and I think if you know what you are getting into it's fine. But please read the content warning, this book is definitely not alright for younger readers who don't know what they are getting into!

The first time I read this I did not know it had the content in it that it did due to me skipping over the content warning and I finished the book feeling like I had missed something and felt icky. I only figured it out once I read the content warning that I had accidentally skipped and reread the book that it clicked what had actually happened, it wasn't what I expected and made me like the book a whole lot more than I originally did.

Edit 22/07/24: I have now read this three times, my most recent is to prepare for the release of Goldfinch, and I deeply enjoyed it. I think now, the first time I read this book, I may have been a slight bit too young as I didn't grasp the subject matter as well, but this time, I understood it a lot better. I still do feel this book can get a slight bit boring at times but I am highly excited to continue to read the series to prepare for Goldfinch's release.

I did find the whole first face-to-face talk with Rip a bit annoying this time, but I think it's more just I felt like I have read a similar thing over and over again by now. This is more a romance/romantasy issue I have though in general not just with this book.
Midus I feel like he was done well for what he is in the story, we can see the twisted perspective that Auren has of him and how it is slightly warped by the end of this book. We see some glimpses behind the mask and I deeply liked those moments where we get to see how he truly is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Animal death and Slavery

deyknight's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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? Yes

3.5

Very well written, but I struggled to understand what the intended overall plot was through most of the book. It felt very much like this book was a pilot episode, laying the ground work, backstory, and world building... But we only really discovered the plot/conflict at the very end of the book. 

Also: definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Torture

liv_182's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment