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arielthereader's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
cmfrendon's review against another edition
Incest, rape, and no plot whatsoever
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, and Abortion
There is no plot, 33% of the way in and I can’t see where this book could possibly be going that makes the graphic content worth reading.bhard07's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
emfo5777's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Vomit and Cannibalism
katkatz's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
mlcutter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have so much to say about this book. Some spoilers.
The good:
It's well written
The world building is phenomenal
The characters are fleshed out, even the evil ones
It is unique
The bad:
There are sooo many characters!
A child is badly abused and there is too much detail
There are sex slaves
Adults are badly abused and there is too much detail
There are so many just plain evil characters, it's hard to imagine anyone that awful and you wind up hoping that everyone is murdered in awful ways because they're so terrible.
The black jewel trilogy, which is now a whole series of books written by Anne Bishop, are HARD. TO. READ. These are not light, they're not easy, there is no comic relief. They're dark. DARK, with a capital D. The people who have magic are born to a jewel. Depending on a color, they can be powerful. Black jewel holders are the most powerful. The queens are powerful and terrible. They're jealous, petty, petulant, conniving, and willing to do whatever they have to do to hold power. There is a promise of a queen that will rule well, she will fix what is wrong. She is a child of 12 in this book. She is innocent and naive but the most powerful ever to be born. Everyone wants to either protect her or kill her or break her so she is unable to use her power. Because no one understands her, it is assumed she is unwell.
There is some fascinating imagery that makes me wonder if Anne Bishop struggles with mental illness. There are the "twisted lands" which we come to know as a place where the mind has been broken. She describes the mind as a chalice and once its broken, it has to be repaired before the person is whole again, but it is fragile.
I don't think abuse has to be spelled out. It's too hard to read. I think it was done better in the Shaye Archer series by Jana DeLeon. you get enough glimpses that you know Shaye has suffered, but you don't get the gory details.
All in all, I want to never read this book again. not sure I will continue the trilogy. I will stick to my favorite Bishop books The Others series, which is a unique take on shapeshifters and one of my favorite series ever.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
ratproofed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
jj7twin's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Kidnapping
wemily0's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Blood
luuvalladao's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I tried to read this book a few years ago and DNF it because of the BLATANT GROOMING AND PEDOPHILIA. But after reading and loving everything else this author wrote, i decided to give it a second chance and the benefit of the doubt.
Don't get me wrong. I still find this book disturbing and problematic. And the grooming is still there (along with borderline pedophilia). But I kind of understood where it was going and I could appreciate the plot (and the other books in the trilogy).
Anyway. Beware the problematic content but great worldbuilding nonetheless.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder