Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

23 reviews

jo_lzr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

I really liked the prose of the book. I sympathized a lot with Fitz. There is, also, a strong focus on Fitz's mental health. Even though descriptions were a bit exhaustive at times, Robin Hobb's talent in story crafting made up for it.

Spoiler

I think that the fog that Galen put in the mind of Fitz so that he would forget about his ability to Skill, which caused him to hate himself so much that he wanted to commit suicide is an interesting metaphor for real life. I don't know if that was something the author did on purpose, but it is interesting to think that in real life the perspective of oneself can become fogged through abuse and gaslighting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

bea_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Child abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Cursing, War, Alcoholism, Grief, Sexism, Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

carrionkid's review against another edition

4.5

This book had me run through the whole spectrum of human emotion ngl

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Classism, Blood, and Animal death

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Grief, Sexism, and Domestic abuse

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Animal death

Moderate: Abandonment, War, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Classism, Ableism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Medical content

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, Infertility, Sexism, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

Corporal punishment/whipping. Poisoning and aftermath. Near drowning.

eileenp59's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Classism, Violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, Animal cruelty, Ableism, Misogyny, Grief, and Addiction

Minor: Body shaming, Vomit, Biphobia, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Stalking, Child death, Sexism, and Emotional abuse

revolution666's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Classism, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Bullying, Confinement, and Death

Minor: Infidelity, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Blood, and Medical content

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense 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

5.0

      I've been meaning to read this for a long time, and I'm so mad at myself for having put it off. I suspected that I would enjoy Robin Hobb's work, and I had hoped that The Realm of the Elderlings would someday come to be one of my favorite series. This first book has convinced me that my hope was not in vain. 

     I can understand why this book may not be for everyone. It's slow, and much more character focused then plot driven. However, it gives me the same vibes as Tamora Peirce gave me when I was a kid just dipping her toes into fantasy. I was a little nervous going in because I had heard several people say that this book was dense, and I was concerned I would be too stupid to get it, but reading this book felt like sinking into a warm bath. I didn't find it difficult at all, only rich and layered. The character work is excellent, and I found myself caring deeply for Fitz before the first chapter was done, and the writing is beautiful. I'm so excited to continue this trilogy and The Realm of the Elderlings over all.
     If you, like me, have been putting this book off for whatever reason I encourage you to bite the bullet. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Animal death, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy, Bullying, War, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Blood

Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Ableism, Drug use, and Infidelity

ariel790's review against another edition

adventurous sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Slow burn, so if you read, be prepared for that. A lot of the set up doesn't pay off until about the last half of the book. Given that it is the first of a series and set up for the character, Fitz, made sense to me for the slower pacing. I am hoping for a better ease into the character in future books of the series.

This book is mainly about Fitz. Fitz is the love child of Prince Chivalry. Due to this, he is left unwanted but is still thrown into a court of a king. This story is about his coming of age, covering from about the age of 6 to 15, and the different difficulties of being born into the position that he is. Thinking that he is unloved and a pawn of the king, he does do what he can to stay in favor.

Fitz is easy to like. As you read, you are growing up with him, experiencing his challenges and view point. He is the hero of this story, and the author makes that clear. As soon as he starts to become a capable, on his own type of person, his world is devastated by war from the outlands. The Outlanders turn captured people into "Forged" or brainless thugs who don't care what happens to themselves or those they once loved (totally a hidden zombie story of the 90's with this side story ;) ). As the outlanders gain ground in the war, it becomes a do or die situation for Fitz and his comrades. Stress and panic ensue. 

Lots of layers to this one, there is the story of Fitz, of his friends, teachers, of the king and the princes, as well as politics and war. Not a quick read at all. Seems worth the investment, if into the sort of thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Grief

Moderate: Murder and War

Minor: Alcoholism

angstifies's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense

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

4.25

i have a personal dislike for fantasy books written in first person narration but this book is absolutely the sole exception. i’ve heard tons of praise for Robin Hobb’s writing and man were they right, her characters are brilliant i loved reading about them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Death, Drug use, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Death of parent, Infertility, Misogyny, and Infidelity