Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

12 reviews

aytac's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Violence, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Genocide, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse

mlottermoser's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

3.5

Retelling of a classic tale from a new character’s perspective. Dark. Full of abuse and revenge. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Child abuse

Minor: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Classism

r_a_bell's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Gaslighting, Blood, and Gore

vivavia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

mpbookreviews's review

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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Alcoholism, Animal death, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Murder, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

aformeracceleratedreader's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This was a surprisingly heavy story using folktales/fairytales and the typical princess imagery as a backdrop to a sinister situation rife with magic. It's a tale of growth, of hurt and healing, of reclaiming autonomy, and ultimately of justice. Seriously enjoyed it but def recommend anyone to check out content warnings first.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

5.0

Full review to come - but for now, let me just say I adored this!

I don't say this often about a book, but I'll say it for Little Thieves - I bow down to Margaret Owen, because this is a work of genius in just about every way.

First of all, let me heap praise on the way this novel has been constructed, because oh, wow. The only way I can describe it is like one of those Russian matryoshka (or nesting) dolls. The overall novel is divided into three parts. Within each part are "tales" - initially told in the third person in a fairy-tale style to illuminate a past event, before switching back to the present day in first person, our narrator and (somewhat anti) heroine, Vanja. And that isn't even the end of it, because each tale is further divided by chapters. Confused? Don't worry, it makes sense once you read it. Oh, and one more thing - the beginning of each "tale" is accompanied by stunning black-and-white illustrations, which I have just discovered that Owen created herself. Seriously, it isn't fair how one person can have THIS much talent.

The world-building is brilliantly intricate and comprehensive, which isn't something I say a lot when it comes to fantasy novels. But this one was *chef's kiss*.

Diversity in characters is spot-on, too. Even though this world is clearly inspired by central Europe, within that Owen has taken care to include people of other ethnicities and religions, briefly sketched but still vivid. LGBTQIA+ rep is also pretty solid, with various minor (and major, although I won't spoil who) characters who identify as being somewhere on that spectrum.

And the characters, I could go on and on (except for Adalbrecht, he's evil and nasty, and Irmgard barely rates a mention for the same reasons). First up, Vanja. I really appreciate how Owen wrote her character. Almost straight away I admired her cleverness and ingenuity, although she wasn't the most likeable at first. But Owen dropped subtle hints as to why Vanja behaves the way she does before it is explicitly revealed later on in the novel. I figured it out pretty early, and it was nice to be proven (mostly) right. 

Emeric is an absolute cinnamon roll, and I loved the way he

Spoiler

turned the tables on Vanja

and their eventual

Spoiler

romance was developed subtly and beautifully

. 

Ragne is hilarious and I adore her cluelessness, humour, spark, and honesty. The character of Gisele was well done too, and I loved the

Spoiler

development and backstory of her relationship with Vanja

. I also enjoyed the minor characters, like Joniza, and Ummaya - and who could forget Death, Fortune, and the formidable Eiswald (

Spoiler

Ragne's mother

).

The plotting was excellent too, and that final climactic twist had me gaping. 

I'm pleased to hear that there is a sequel coming, and I'm looking forward to reading it when it comes out. Brava, Margaret Owen!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Abandonment, Violence, Animal cruelty, Classism, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cursing

grace_yin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault

Minor: Lesbophobia

shaipanda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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

This book was super intense but honestly? By far one of the best books I’ve read this year and possibly ever read 
The main character was such a morally grey little shit and I love her so much 
I would actually do almost anything for the sequel cause I can’t believe it comes out in almost a year and I can’t get it till then 😭😭 I’m literally considering trying to become a book influencer so I can get the ARC sooner lol 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual assault

sarahaf712's review

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Violence, Classism, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Fatphobia, and Ableism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship