Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Dioses de jade y sombra by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

40 reviews

moonytoast's review against another edition

medium-paced

2.5

I really liked pieces of this story: snippets of prose, overarching concepts, and certain themes. However, the overall book itself felt too meandering in its plot and tone. Casiopeia has the foundation of a great, compelling character, but at moments she just feels like an empty vessel. I still really loved the Mayan mythology here and I will very much be reading other works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia in the future, but this was a tough read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse

wooblatoober's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.75

so glad i read this. i enjoyed it so much & it had an ending that i had wanted to see in a novel for quite some time, which makes it very special. i wasn’t sure about, then eventually loved, the semi-omniscient narration. i thought it was interesting and different, yet wasn’t distracting, & helped to make certain moments more impactful. i felt like something was missing in regards to the romance as i read, but that’s likely purely personal since i couldn’t tell you what it was that i felt was missing. i definitely loved the climax of the story.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

the race through the black road & what happens on it kept me on the edge of my seat. moreno-garcia did an amazing job of writing cassiopea’s descent into irrationality on the black road, & her descent into thinking she’s old, when she “strays” from the path. VERY well-written, as its seamlessness reminded me of my own descents into psychosis that i’ve had. i REALLY appreciated that she chose not only to do the right thing (go to the black road), but ALSO to live her life after. after an entire romantic buildup, an ending where it just simply doesn’t happen, and where the life she’s about to live independently is more romantic than the relationship she would have had, is very special to me. i also like that the reader is unsure whether she’ll be able to be with him after her death, or, better put, after her life. i almost like to think it won’t happen, & that that’ll be okay. but i also like the idea of him watching her fall deeper in love with life, while falling deeper in love with her. but i think i like the first one more. it’s melancholy & beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

fkshg8465's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Loved this book. Main character is fantastic. Imagery is easy to visualize. A strong morality story for life lessons. This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I think I’m officially a fan.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

mariposa517's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicide, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content and War

audreyywood's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.75

This is a simple fairy tale novel that gives a good intro into Mexican/Mayan mythology. However, I feel like it was a bit shallow in its story telling at times, making the story feel jumbled and a bit rushed. I wish that characters stories/motives were developed and explored more; maybe in ways that highlight the character as a whole rather than just as a means to move the story along. It often felt like the book was going in many directions at once. 
Despite all of this, it was an easy read with a mostly satisfying ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

rikuson1's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, and Gaslighting

liesthemoontells's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

Thoughtful, lyrical, and charming. A beautiful fantasy infused with a cultural background and mythology that many western readers may not be aware of, but written in a way that was engaging and accessible to newcomers, and with a gorgeous ending. A very welcome entry into the "reimagined Death God" subgenre.

Good for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, or Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sai_like_sigh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Abandonment

star crossed lovers, suicide as plot device, self-sacrifice, Cinderella trope

peregrinwho's review against another edition

adventurous slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Suicide

boop123's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

 I'm not gonna lie to you, i kind of got bored towards the latter half of the book but I soldiered on and finished it since I've already gotten so far. Don't get me wrong, the whole Mayan universe and mythology was very interesting and I applaud the author because it seems like she really did her research just basing from how well-detailed it was. 

Also, the journey leading to the third act was very passive. Although they encountered many creatures against them, most of the time they were just negotiating and maybe a tiny bit of violence. Not that it needs violence to be good, I just expected more since because the male MC literally wants to gain his throne back. Nevertheless, the I commend the author for her vast knowledge and research on the Mayans, but I liked Silver Nitrate better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse and Murder

Minor: Death of parent