Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Gild, by Raven Kennedy

150 reviews

bangiebangs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This was dark. Darker than I expected tbh, so heed the CNs - this has a lot of uncomfortable elements. 

Spoiler

The fact that the king's harem are called "saddles", or that this is also the term for any sex worker ("wh*re" is used a lot) isn't the worst, but there are scenes very close to rape, and one that is a quite detailed rape scene).

The one thing that bothers me the most is the relationship between Auren and the king tbh. I'm not on bord with seeing this as anything but exploitative.

Spoiler

In the backstory, we learn that they started their relationship when he rescued her from an abusive situation (sexual trafficking is implied), and they start a relationship when she is 15 and he is "seven years older". Even if the story picks up 10 years later than that, this still makes this something that starts as an adult/minor pairing... so her sexual desire for him... ew.

I found the pacing a little uneven as it takes a long time to set the scene: I was more than 100pp in before I felt this picking up steam or having much of a story- this is an issue throughout. While there are some nice minor twists in there I think this book mainly sets up the second one and does some basic world-building. Also some serious emotional gut-punch moments, so yeah, this one is not exactly uplifting. 

This is also not a romance, dark or otherwise. There is no romance in this book. Maybe the next? But if you're looking for dark romantasy spice... this ain't it.

Be aware that this ends in a cliffhanger. 
Spice level wasn't there for me - there is a lot of sexual content, but the way it's described doesn't really do much for me. Not that every book needs this, but in this one the sex is so often mixed with abuse or dubious (/absent) consent that it's not exactly something I can enjoy.

All in all, a dark but enticing read, though one that will might make you uncomfortable at times. I'll continue with the series and see how it goes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Misogyny, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: War

angelsfw's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-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

4.0

“a cage is a cage, no matter how gilded.”

auren has been locked away in a golden cage for a decade by king midas. Under the guise that she is being protected by her king, auren becomes complacent in her cage. however, when auren is finally forced to leave her cage, she must confront the truth of her king and the lies she has come to believe.

i loved every second of this book. the world building was done well, while i had hoped for more, i know this is a five book series. i’m really hoping the world gets flushed out a lot more.

while it’s insanely frustrating to read from auren’s perspective because she loves king midas, she is such an amazing character. i really hope she has an amazing character arc throughout these five books and i really can’t wait to read it.

probably hitting in at one of my favorite series of all time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

clemway's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Death

alicelt's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Rape, Alcohol, Body horror, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

aimeefox69's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Rape, Violence, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Sexual violence

jordanez's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

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

2.5

No plot in sight with this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Slavery, and Sexism

Minor: Pedophilia, War, Death, and Child abuse

baileybellw's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

2.75

CHECK CONTENT WARNINGS BEFORE YOU READ THIS!!!! 

But here’s specifics in case you still want to read it: 
There’s is so much on page sexual violence in both the act and threats. Auren gets several threats throughout the book but nothing happens to her directly. She does witness it in chapter 36 (DO NOT READ CHAPTER 36) you need the first few pages and then the last bit to understand what happens for plot purposes. 

HOWEVER, I enjoyed the book, I liked the plot and the “touch her and die” trope going on. It kept me interested and engaged

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment

kiirsekrein's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.0

God, those ~400 pages had been the most boring ones so far because nothing really happens. The majority of the book is Auren's musings and ramblings about being Midas' pet and snippets from their/her past.

Did I feel sorry for her and the other "saddles" (I still wonder why saddle when nothing else has to do with horses or riding in Midas' kingdom.)? Yes. Was I still absolutely annoyed by them? Hell yes.

After 80% something happens because the Love Interest appears and of course he’s fae. Why is every dude in a fantasy novel a fae nowadays?

Also, it’s rather blatant that it isn’t Midas who holds the power over the gold but Auren. I mean the girl is already named after the chemical symbol for gold (au).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Animal death

micaelamariem's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was well written with an intriguing plot and great worldbuilding that had me flirting through chapters. However, there was too much on page sexual violence that we were only sometimes supposed to abhor as readers. The main character definitely has Stockholm syndrome and I don’t think that’s going to be addressed. I’m just so afraid we’ll see more toxic relationships develop as the series goes on but perhaps something will surprise me! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Infertility, Colonisation, and Death of parent

mandi7mm's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Rape

Moderate: Infertility and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Death