Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

139 reviews

defymavity's review

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

This is an intense book, unlike most other books I've read. I was not expecting anything in this book. I tried to make predictions but my predictions didn't matter in the end.
Definitely recommend, but it is not for everyone. Not a full 5 stars only because the characters were all very similar-ish. But not in a bad way, i just like a little more development I think.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Torture, and Death

Moderate: Animal death and Slavery

Minor: Rape, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Sexual violence

If you like your dystopian novels dark and intriguing. This is for you.

miss_fish's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Classism, Death, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Violence, Murder, and Rape

cats_n_plants_n_cats_n_plants's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Violence, Sexual violence, War, Misogyny, Animal death, and Death

minimoose0's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Torture, Murder, Trafficking, Racism, Rape, Violence, and Sexual violence

mirandyli's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

This book is Brave New World meets Hunger Games, with way more oppression. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, War, Blood, Classism, Death, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism

baileyisbookish's review

I really wanted to like this because I thought the premise was interesting. I did enjoy it up to a point. But the main character became so uninteresting and hard to be in the thoughts of that I found myself dragging near the end. I had four chapters left before I DNF’d. 

I was also disturbed by the author’s use of SA and misogyny as plot points. It is one thing to include these serious, traumatic and triggering topics as a way to explore their impact upon individuals and societies and have readers empathize with what this experience does to you. It is quite another to include this topic solely for world building or moving a plot along (violence against female characters in order to benefit the male characters? really?). That is a practice in writing that needs to be left behind. 

This had a lot of potential for me to enjoy, and I just didn’t. I was disappointed. I hope the author can learn from the feedback he is receiving from the millions of women who love to read sci fi and fantasy stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Body horror

qveenmab's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-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

4.5

goodman is basically a slur at this point

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, War, Death, Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, and Sexual violence

Minor: Cannibalism

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Torture, Animal death, Violence, Murder, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death of parent, Cannibalism, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

Minor: Colonisation

stephanieluxton's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

5.0

This book book did not hook me from the very beginning. It takes a but of time to get a feel for the setting and what is going on. I found myself thoroughly captivated during the second half.

This book is about 16 year old Darrow - a member of the Red's on Mars who beleiie they're slaving away in the planets mines for a higher purpose of terraforming the planet to get it ready for future generations. He lives with his family and wife, in terrible conditions. An act of disobedience triggers a series of events which shatter his entire world and he learns Mars is already terraformed and Mars is a bustling, fairly high tech civilization run by the Golds. His people, the Reds have been lied to in order to create an entire cast of people who are literal slaves. Darrow is then presented with the opportunity to infiltrate the Golds and must push himself beyond the limits to move up in society in order to reform the system.

So much happens in this book. The book takes place over the course of a couple years and it's fantastic. There's a ton of characters but they feel complex. The stakes feel super high in this book. I love feeling afraid for the main character. There's little twists and turns throughout the whole story. I loved not knowing how things would play out. The character growth is unreal. Darrow changes so much during the story and it's empowering to experience his growth - although he messes up quite a bit too.

I can see how some people may think of the Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies while reading this but it's definitely it's own story. I am not someone who enjoys series a lot, but I am really excited to keep reading this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Grief, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Misogyny, Slavery, and Bullying

Moderate: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Alcohol

Minor: Excrement

A lot of dark things happen in this book but none are described in absolutely excruciating detail. You can probably handle it.

okayyyanna's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Body horror

Minor: Rape