Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

60 reviews

fakeredshoes's review against another edition

adventurous sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Not for me, but I can see why so many people liked this book (and the sequel). I felt the romance to be too forced (and by extension, it happened too fast), and by the end of the book I didn't really care much for any of the relationships that had developed. I found background characters more interesting that the main characters, and it was a bit too predictable for me. Still, it was a nice, easy to follow read, and I recommend to give it at least a try.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

Part of the plot is about abducting young women to s.a. them, force them to have children and then making them forget (forced amnesia) after giving birth. As I understood it, it was part of this human society to mark girls (read as a voluntarily taken action, think of it as a tattoo) after getting their first period, which later made it easier for this human trafficking and S.A. forced by the higher beings in this universe to take place.

latida94's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy

skienight's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Physical abuse, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent

chloelai12's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

oxian_d's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

This book was the first book I've read with eagerness and excitement to finish and read the next after hp, mazerunner and shadow & bone book series. It had been so long that I found all the good and interesting things in a book. The mystery, the drama, the history, the magic, the color of it all so enamored and intriguing for a YA book to read. 

It's more than a fantasy, more than a myth, it is magic and alchemy of words fused in this book. The book cover itself is fascinating and that's how I was drawn to it, from the cover to the title then unbeknownst to me it was a treasure to be held. I got emotionally entwined and time passed around me, but not so much as forgetting. It was strange like the character himself but beautifully strange in ways one would surmise otherworldly enthralling and captivatingly breathless that I finished in about a week. Really a masterful work, excitingly scary, heart wretching, breaking and maddeningly brilliant. It was poetic and magically made, never have I read a nov l like myth so beautifully wounded and bound. The ending is to be continued and I can't wait for more. Kudos to the author for seamlessly concocting magic, myth and science with grace. You truly are the weaver of alchemical words in music, color and dreams. 
Can't wait to read the next and more of your work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

joymargot's review against another edition

4.0

I’m not a big fantasy reader but received this as a birthday gift. It took me a little while to get into it and make my peace with a couple of fantasy tropes but I was hooked by the end and immediately read the sequel!

I loved the worldbuilding and the characters although I found the romance a little cheesy. Parts of it felt a bit heavy handed as I personally prefer a little more subtlety or subtext but I appreciate that it’s aimed at a younger audience.

All in all, a great fantasy read whether you’re a fan of the genre or not and it’s refreshing to have a MC who’s not a hulking great dreamboat.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault

romaisa_azim's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief

rosysoprano's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

Great book. I would recommend that those who are pregnant, or have small children stay away, however. I would absolutely read this again, and purchase it. I'm on to the sequel next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Sexual assault

suhbreenah's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Rape