Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

10 reviews

alliejm00's review

hopeful tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Stalking and War

Minor: Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual content, Gun violence, Police brutality, Murder, Bullying, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Infidelity

saltybiscuit's review

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The story could have been developed way more, instead we see a lot of

Spoiler

Dani's inner struggle where she talks about how she must not show emotion, not make decisions based on feelings and then proceeds to do exactly that. It got a little repetitive and frustrating. The romance was adorable as it was developing, but also sort of came out of nowhere and felt problematic. It would have made more sense if the characters had a crush on each other or any interest/feelings prior to being "purchased" by the same rich overlord. Instead, it sounds like Carmen was a total bully and just got away with it.

I wanted to rate this lower because of the flaws, but overall I enjoyed reading this, didn't want to put it down and went to get the sequel literally the day after reading this, so it warrants a solid 4.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Murder, and Emotional abuse

sabrinahughes's review

not for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Confinement

kalmia31's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Car accident, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Blood, and Homophobia

longlost's review

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

man this was a lot of fun. I wasn't sure I'd like the book considering I wasn't sold on the premise, but the writing style drew me in and I adored reading about Dani & Carmen + the critique of capitalism and societal structures was fantastic.

Spoiler

the ending, however, hurt me </3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, Violence, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Toxic relationship, War, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Police brutality, Gun violence, Death, and Homophobia

Minor: Alcohol

treeworms's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Sexual violence

Minor: Kidnapping

kaidoz's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-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? No

3.75

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I liked the premise. The story seemed to be moving a little slow even though the pace was quick, and I wasn’t sure if anything new would be offered in the last few chapters. I was wrong. The ending of the book was my favorite part because it pissed me off. I felt emotions that I couldn’t feel in the beginning and middle. This was proof that I had grown attached to these characters- to their story. I’ll be reading the sequel soon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, and Sexual content

Minor: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

The main plot of the book centers around working against a totalitarian government with a violent military. The societal role of women in the book is very misogynistic as well, so be prepared for that along with the violence.

rwmccormic's review

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual content

mothman19's review

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Sexism, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault

obviousthings's review

emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I thought the premise of this story was really cool and interesting, and I was impressed with the worldbuilding and how La Voz was written, but the book as a whole just did not work for me. 

Dani is naive and totally unprepared for the situations she finds herself in. I think this could have worked if it had been the point of the story - that might have been an interesting exploration of morality - but because this is YA, the narrative is on her side at all times. (Not something I fault the genre for, but because Dani is so far out of her depth, it doesn't work well here). I don't mind characters who make bad decisions, but it's really frustrating to watch a character make a bad decision and then have the narrative try to pass it off as totally reasonable. For much of the book I found myself wishing for a more capable protagonist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Warning for fire/a building burning