Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Little Eve by Catriona Ward

15 reviews

bpsalinas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

A cultish family unit living on a rocky Scottish island at the edge of the world. A horrific murder sets the stage and darker horrors unfurl from there. Gripping and terrible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence

lizreaderhold's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

itsalljustsemantics's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage

This is a book about a cult

mispaintedlady's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

A true gothic tale with an unexpected queer story happening. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Abandonment

m_ichellep's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

herasrevenge88's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

_teoeo's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

lancakes's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Sexual violence, and Murder

savvyrosereads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Out October 11, 2022 [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

On the island of Altnaharra lives a clan preparing for the end of the world and the rise of The Adder. But things aren’t exactly what they seem and terrible tragedies will have deadly consequences.

I love Gothic horror, so I when I saw glowing reviews from two of my most trusted book recommenders, I immediately suspected this one would be right up my alley…and I was definitely right. Little Eve has everything you could want out of a horror novel setting—it’s grim, dreary, tense, and haunting while still feeling just mystical enough for me to understand the lure. It’s also historical fiction that manages to feel both of its time and outside of time, borderline surreal while still entirely grounded. Setting can really make or break this kind of novel for me, and Catriona Ward absolutely nailed it here.

If the setting isn’t enough, the plot here is just as rich, smart, and nuanced. It’s culty without being campy, gory without being gratuitous, and surprising without being over the top. I felt like I was peeling back layers of an onion as I read, and even though I saw the end reveal coming, I was still on the edge of my seat in the final pages.

In short, the takeaway: this was my first Catriona Ward read, but it absolutely will not be my last.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Gothic horror; cult-based suspense; intricate settings

CW: Death/murder/blood; suicidal thoughts/suicide; sexual assault/child molestation; confinement; physical and emotional abuse including child abuse; animal cruelty/death; pregnancy/miscarriage.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

savvylit's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Little Eve is a chilling tale that slowly unveils layer after layer of intrigue. This novel focuses primarily on two things: a distinctly unique cult and the power of sisterhood. Dinah and Eve's relationship is nuanced, believable, and heartbreaking. Their family's religious beliefs are deeply unsettling and unforgettable. The remote island of Altnaharra and its rugged surrounds resonate so strongly throughout Little Eve that the island eventually proves to be its own terrifying character. Overall, this novel is a truly original and fascinating look at a very one-of-a-kind family.

Catriona Ward has proved herself to be a master of the literary thriller. Little Eve is a must read for fans of dark fiction!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Catriona Ward for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting