Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

20 reviews

annachannabanana's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

This book made my heart ache so much! The characters go through a lot of suffering and hardships amidst the turmoils of the volatile Empire and its many warring factions of people. There is just enough hope to keep going (and to keep reading), but oh how the characters' suffering and impossible situations to navigate made me feel sad and just wish they could get some semblance of peace and happiness for even a moment longer.

The alliances, enemities, and friendships shift fast, making it hard for everyone to react, let alone plan their actions accordingly. Many people must adapt to use improvisation as their tactic – something my favorite character Jovis is very familiar with.

Maybe no one was a hero. Maybe I'd gotten it wrong from the beginning. Maybe there were only heroic moments and decisions and we all had to keep choosing those as best we could. When we could.

– Jovis

We learn a lot more about the worldbuilding, especially about the Alanga and their ossalen.   Most of it was hinted enough to predict, but enough was also left unsaid before the reveal to feel the satisfaction of finally getting the last shards of knowledge. Even if this book wraps up this trilogy, I hope we'll get to return to the Shifting Isles at the Endless Sea; even glimpses at the bittersweet aftermath of everything and the lives of these beloved characters would be much appreciated.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Murder, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Xenophobia

kmoz's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and War

krumanda's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• 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: Death, Genocide, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War

atalea's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Torture, Xenophobia, and Grief

lucystolethesky's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Genocide, Slavery, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

lpdx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

alexalily's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

mcluster1's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Solid end to the series. This trilogy really excels in creating interesting characters that are neither ‘good’ or ‘bad’… well outside of Ragan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

alexijai98's review against another edition

adventurous 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

3.5

I enjoyed The Bone Shard Daughter so much I went to the library the day after I finished it to check out books two and three, so it’s disappointing that Bone Shard War didn’t stick the landing for me. 

For one, it feels endless. So much and also so little happens in 600 pages - I feel like it could’ve been almost half as long. It felt like a slog through conflict solved in one page to conflict solved in another page to no real end. The multiple POVs felt more necessary in the first two books, but in the finale they felt almost like obstacles in front of the weirdly paced conflict resolutions.

It’s amazing how many dire moments were solved by a rousing speech or a quick conversation.

 

I think the interpersonal relationships were my favorite aspect of this book. I am a huge fan of Stewart’s world building in terms of romantic relationships (if Ranami and Phalue have no fans I am dead). I appreciated Jovis’ continued humor, and Mephi is definitely my favorite chatacter.

Overall, I’m a bit sad at the conclusion to the Drowning Empire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Racism and Xenophobia