Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

9 reviews

chasinggrace's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I was so excited for the premise of this book, but unfortunately I was disappointed. The first installment of this series felt like a prequel with one of the most drab main characters I’ve ever read. Her development from meek and clumsy to angry and clumsy took 490 pages, and her relationship with Thorn moved at a similarly glacial pace. This book was dedicated to Ophelia understanding court politics and having her innocence completely shed, whereas I was expecting more - more interactions with Thorn, for the main character to have a quicker mind, for SOMETHING to happen. But it’s 500 pages of her getting pushed around like a rag doll. This truly could have been condensed, and I wish it had been. 

The world is fantastic, I will say. It reminds me of a cross between Studio Ghibli and Bridgerton. 


While I’m not completely put off from the series, it’ll be awhile before I decide if I want to continue with Ophelia’s story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

a_islandcriptid's review

adventurous mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Police brutality, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, and Classism

jstilts's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.25

The first part in a series, this book nevertheless is just about satisfying for the emotional/confidence journey it takes the lead upon (albeit slightly rushed at the end but I carries through well enough in book 2). I won't recap the plot as that would remove the tension, but this book is basically about an arranged marriage between two countries - but our lead character has been kept in the dark about how much danger this marriage will expose her to, to the point where she has to spend half the book in disguise amongst those who wish her dead. It's an interesting mix of fantasy and what could have been a period drama (almost a Jane Austen romance but one gone deliciously wrong). It probably wouldn't have been enough to be one or the other, but both genres combined lift this into a compelling tale of intrigue as she tries to survive the world she has been thrust into, and rise above the limited role she is being forced to play.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

brennagraphs's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

taaya's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

1.0

 Die Protagonistin macht nichts außer husten, der Weltenbau konzentriert sich viel zu sehr auf Details am Pol und ignoriert die großen, wichtigen Fragen, die man vorab hätte klären müssen und ... joa, wenn man auf Intrigen einer Adels-Daily-Soap steht, ist das hier vielleicht was für einen. Tu ich aber nicht. Daher versteh ich den Hype leider gar nicht. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage

kindredkayjay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

Warning for spoilers.

I've seen the reviews of people disliking this book because of the way Ophelia is hardly treated like a person the entire time, and I understand it. Believe me, I was infuriated for Ophelia 95% of the time, but also? I'm hoping that she'll get herself to a place where she's proven herself and overcomes what she's faced with in the sequels. The tension between nearly all of the characters and the mystery and learning about the different magic systems with Ophelia was so interesting that I couldn't stop reading. I love a genuinely good hearted character, but what I love even more is a character so terrible that you want nothing more than to see their downfall. It's even more interesting when it's a small handful of decent (questionably decent anyway) characters entering a space full of the most vile people. If you don't enjoy being infuriated for the main character the entire time and hating just about everyone else, this book probably isnt for you. But if you do? Absolutely read it. I really liked it, and I'm reading the sequel soon.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol

amazelan's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol

saoreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing slow-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

5.0

It's an easy read and the world building is also easy to follow, from the prologue till the next chapters, how the metaphors are used is essential and pleasing when it evokes a play to create the figment world. This is really more plot driven and if you're looking for romance it's basically just a sublot since Book One focuses on introducing how the system functions and the characters which serve a purpose throughout the story. I'm excited to read the second book and want to see more of Gail and Mother Hildegarde, even some of Ophelia's siblings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Abandonment