Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Les Oiseaux du temps by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

21 reviews

sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

I’m sorry. I know from all the reviews this is a much beloved book but it just wasn’t for me. I had high expectations: initially when I saw this book floating around I thought it was nonfiction due to the title and cover. After realizing it’s fiction and about time travelers falling in love, I was excited! Unfortunately, the writing was too sparse and I did not feel much for the characters, making it made it a very difficult read.

I think my biggest issue might be my disinterest in science fiction. I am always trying to reach outside my comfort zone and read genres I may not consider. In this case, the characters were so science fiction they didn’t feel human, although I think that was the point? I think? I genuinely don’t know if they were supposed to be nonhuman or just futuristic humans.

I really struggled with the writing. There were some very beautiful sentences but it was not cohesive and felt confusing. This also made me sad because normally I love wordy books and reading between the lines, but here I just felt frustrated because I didn’t feel any sense of a plot. Again, maybe it’s just not my cup of tea, but the fact that there was so much time jumping between letters and points in their lives didn’t help me see how their relationship developed over time (this is ironic for a time traveler story, I know).

Overall, I would recommend this to fans of science fiction and queer literature. Maybe only people I am acquainted with, though, I don’t think I could ever recommend this to a friend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement and Colonisation

fynm's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

complicated to read and tough go get into at first, but once u get the hang of it, it‘s actually quite sweet 
pretty dramatic writing tho, idk why they write their letters so out of character and posh 

P.S. for a book about and with letters in it, it‘s really good

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

monstrouscosmos's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional fast-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

Characters: 10/10
Relationships: 10/10
Atmosphere/Setting: 9.5/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot/Intrigue: 9.5/10
Internal Logic: 10/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Overall: 68/70, 5*

I love epistolary novels, quantum time travel plots, and messy star crossed sapphic romances, so I figured from the get that I'd be really into this. and I was! I especially loved the ways the characters spoke with one another across timelines, and gave context for themselves as individuals, within their respective collective experiences, and within their shared relationship over time(s). the writing about writing was also really fun! there are definitely moments that delve into disturbing themes and events, but for the most part I found the tone stayed hopeful in belief for better circumstances. 

it's definitely something I need to relisten to (I feel like I missed a lot in my first run thru due to the narrative bouncing around quite a lot), but I'm so excited to revisit it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Graphic: spiders

24carrotgay's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

i would give this book 10 stars if i could!! it is hands-down the most beautiful story i have ever heard. i am in awe of how the story was so beautifully woven (pun intended) together. the love between red and blue is palpable. it is so deep and so vast that my arms get goosebumps and my eyes threaten to cry. i am left speechless. this book is everything. it will forever be one of my favorites.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Body horror and Confinement

Minor: Torture

readsandsuch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

I have just been unmade and remade in the image of this book. Don’t text. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Suicide attempt, and Murder

dannothedino's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Cannibalism and Abandonment

banscout's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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

5.0

i said midway through reading this that i wanted to inhale the words and grasp desperately to each syllable as if it were the last breath i ever took, but honestly, after finishing the book i now know that i want for more than that. i want to tear apart my heart and embed each word onto each and every artery. this is a masterpiece, well and truly. i have never read such a thrilling piece that has had me in ruins because good god, that writing is not even phenomenal, it is a word not even fathomed to language yet. this is a gift to the writers told that to write, you must meet tradition. fuck tradition. write with the flowers in mind, and love with your words entwined.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Minor: Medical content and Grief

mobymaize's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit this book rocks my socks off. I genuinely love sci-fi that doesn’t need need a complete explanation or description of super complicated politics. I just need my time & space lesbians and I’m happy :)

Also romance through letters and missives is incredible. Especially when it’s queer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

spookily's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Torture, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Cursing, Gun violence, Vomit, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

abookwormspov's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny slow-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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail