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rivercat0338's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and War
hetismarijkie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship
amyemm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I truly disliked the romance in the book.
The largely redeeming part of the book is Kasia. There aren't many other relationships with characters that develop enough to know them and care about them much. I did enjoy parts of the reveal at the end of the book, however, and wish there had been more exploration around that.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
jenny_librarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I had zero emotional attachment for the characters in this book. At most, I can say that Agnieska and Kasia's relationship had some potential, but the way it's tackled, Kasia's just a pawn to further Agnieska's development. As for the "love interest", well Sarkan has all the red flags of a horrible partner (calls her an idiot constantly, doesn't display any kind of warmth towards her except when they're sleeping together, etc.) without any chemistry with Agnieska whatsoever. I might call them f**k buddies at best, but there's no love there -- or a very unhealthy kind.
The Wood itself was a great concept and pretty much the only reason I kept reading, until the end when I got so bored I skimmed the last 50-or-so pages. Take all the sexism, patriarchy and shitty relationships and there might have been something worth 435 pages. As it stands, it was just okay.
Seriously, though, what is it with fantasy writers who can't ever let go of patriarchy and sexism? You create a whole-ass world with magic, but you can't be bothered to stop objectifying women and seeing them as currency? There was no need for the near-rape scene and the passive misogyny in every single chapter.
Graphic: Sexual content, War, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and Body horror
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
antjeliest's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Vomit
Minor: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
amberqn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Moderate: Toxic relationship
acreatureofbooksandtea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
My main gripe is with what passed for romance it the story. The heroine and hero spent very little page time together overall, and most of that time he was being condescending and insulting everything from her looks, to her intelligence, to her magical ability. He was just an unpleasant character, even outside his interactions with the heroine, and only seemed to become even worse whenever he interacted with her.
As far as I’m concerned, the heroine had heaps more chemistry and depth of relationship with her childhood best friend, who was the other character I loved the most aside from the heroine. She was brave and selfless, and stayed at the heroine’s side helping and defending her with unending determination and bravery, and was always supportive of the heroine.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, from the story to the heroine and her best friend and their quest to defend their land and the people they love from some truly terrifying situations. Just don’t read this book expecting a romance (like I did) because you won’t find anything but a single non-graphic, awkward, rushed sex scene that was apparently supposed to represent the love between two character that spend most of the story acting like roommates at best, and antagonists at worst.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault, Body shaming, Confinement, Grief, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Kidnapping
There is a lot of death and violence in this book, some of it mentioned in detail. And some of the imagery is just generally disturbing and unsettling, like a person being trapped inside a tree to feed it while dying slowly. There is also a scene in the first 1/4 of the book where one of the recurring character in the book tries to rape the heroine, but she attacks them and only some groping actually takes place. But afterwards the hero blames her for the assault, and insinuates it would have been less trouble if she had just let the assault happen and that her ‘virtue’ wasn’t worth the trouble it was causing him to have to cover up what what she had done to her assailant.readerette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Animal death, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
starlightsong's review against another edition
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexism
nicolinebl's review against another edition
2.5
I'm not going to finish it so I won't even be able to mark all the graphic warnings but you get the picture.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse