Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten

43 reviews

honeycupreads's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

This was my third time trying to read this book because for some reason I would always pick it up when I knew I was in a slump but you know what they say, third time’s a charm! I really enjoyed this book! I read a few reviews and saw some people thought the characters had no chemistry or just generally fell flat but I didn’t feel that way at all. I really enjoyed the development of Bastian specifically and I’m quite excited to see what comes of his character in the following books.

I will say that I feel like this series has all of the makings to turn into “female character loses/gives up her powers in the end” and I really hope it doesn’t come to that because I think that’s a horrible trope!

One of my only issues is the conflict between Gabe and Bastian doesn’t, in my opinion, make sense for the amount of hatred that there seems to be between them during the majority of the book but I might be alone on that. Overall, this was really good and I can’t wait to get into book two. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and War

rowyn_reads's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A brilliant dark fantasy showing corruption within society. The world building is amazing and also has some casual queer representation such as a bi/pan major character and a non-binary god. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

bzliz's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

Anyone who truly loathes love triangles won’t enjoy this but I’m not terribly put off by it. The plot of gods and politics was so interesting that I didn’t really have time to focus on the Lore-Gabe-Bastian dynamics and I have so many theories about what could happen in the second book. I just couldn’t bring myself to give this full five star status because I don’t think Lore really grew as a person. Sure she adapted to her surroundings but by the end when she was asserting that she was selfish, I didn’t fully buy it. She’s selfish at times and selfless in others. Bastian had the most interesting growth and I’m excited to see how they develop in the second book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

literarymary95's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

This story felt like it fell flat with the potential it had. It was interesting enough to complete it but not enough to keep me needing to read it quickly to the end. The characters were underdeveloped and the plot felt like it stopped often and nothing was happening.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and War

caitbop5's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Kidnapping and Death of parent

sarahfrances52's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I really wanted this to be a five star book because it was so good! I absolutely love a fantasy book with court politics, spying, and intrigue and The Foxglove King definitely delivers! However, I really struggled with the pacing of the first half of the book. I felt the character writing in particular was stilted. I knew Gabe was completely devoted to Anton the first time it was mentioned, it didn’t need to be repeated in such stark terms so often. While the first half of the book was slow and felt a little too meandering, the second half more than redeemed the first! The intrigue and magical mysteries were sooo fun to try to untangle as a reader. I absolutely loved seeing the relationship between Lore, Gabe, and Bastian develop and learning more of their backstories and magical abilities. I am so excited to see where this series goes! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence

quiet_reader's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Death, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

merrnew'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Lore sounded interesting but the delivery didn't land for me.  I didn't like the main characters very much and honestly can't remember much about the book anymore. I finished but only because the pace was pretty fast.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Violence

callistag1's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Genocide, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mandersdraws's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I found this book absolutely gripping. It immediately grabbed me because the protagonist is an underworld spy (and with a terrible secret, my weakness as a reader lol), but slowly but surely Whitten sprinkled in world building and character tidbits that got me absolutely hooked. Characters feeling the pull of ancient magic. Lore seeing underneath Bastien’s princely facade. Gabriel stuck between his guilt, his sense of justice, and his desires. A mystery that revolves around the remnants of old gods. 
Simply put, I love this shit!! I read it twice, once with an audiobook and then again with an ebook. It got me theorizing and highlighting the text like I’m trying to solve a cryptogram. I don’t even mind the love triangle (though I do hope it manages to subvert some of the cliches and tropes we expect with love triangles) 
Edit: I’ve also read the sequel, Hemlock Queen, and I can’t wait for more! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Manipulation is a big theme of this book.