Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

6 reviews

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

If someone asked me if it were possible to simultaneously copy the Victorian memoir style and acknowledge the political and social culture that created it, I would ask if they liked dragons and hand them A Natural History of Dragons. Lady Isabella Amherst is a fascinating character as she tells the story decades later of her first expedition into the treacherous mountains of Vystrana in search of information about the biology of dragons. The split between the Isabella who is narrating the book and the Isabella we see in the narrative itself is astoundingly well-depicted, showing what decades of research and growth have given her over her younger counterpart. The care given to all aspects of the worldbuilding (religion, dragon and other creatures' biology, economics, politics, even language) creates an incredibly believable and lifelike setting. I cannot recommend this book enough!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Antisemitism, Trafficking, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

The Vystrani religious practices very closely mimic orthodox Judaism, so I've categorized Isabella's comment about her younger self writing the Vystrani religious practices in a exoticizing/fetishizing light as similar to antisemitism (although this is in no way obvious in the text itself).

Technically the villain's burn is from acid and not fire, but the injuries are described similarly.

lizclev's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cursing

lunep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Colonisation

kalira's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Racism and Religious bigotry

featherinthewind's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

A magnificent read about dragons and history that had an underlying note of love. I really did enjoy this book but boy was I not expecting that ending.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief

Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Colonisation