Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

16 reviews

ren_the_hobbit's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• 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

4.0

I love how much the world expands with each book in this series. It also got a lot darker than I was expecting, but maybe I should have guessed as the first book is about an assassin. I also think the author does a great job of making even the side characters three dimensional with complex motives even when I don’t like them as people. But they are so realistic in their internal and external conflicts. Definitely will keep reading the series. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Confinement

Minor: Ableism

jelkebooks's review

adventurous dark slow-paced

• 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

2.0

We have finally arrived at the point in the series I did not get around to last time I tried to read it. I left Heir of Fire really excited for this book, and very curious to see what was going to happen in this book. I now have to report that all of this was wasted hope. This book just didn't work out for me. It felt very drawn out to me.
A lot of big and interesting things happen in this book, however they are few and far in between. In between these events not quite much happens at all. It's just our characters sitting around, messing around, doing nothing really. The actual big events in the book were also glanced over very quickly. It felt a bit dissapointing, and just easy despite having been building to these things the entire book. I don't know. I just feel like we could have spend more time building out these moments, actually make them as heavy as they were foretold, and then have less time just shitting around.
When it comes to the characters I was dissapointed. I feel like Aelin went through a lot of developement in Heir of Fire, and all of it was completely thrown in the trash. She completely acted like she did before, hotheaded, rash, completely selfish, and highly hypcritical. It's made worse by her inner monologue constantly beating you ever the head with how "Celeana Sardothien is dead, and nothing about her is still around" when she's just still her whiny self but with complete ass kissers this time. I don't know how Sarah J. Maas did it but everything I loved about Rowan last book was completely ereased for his ass kissery of Aelin in this book. He and Aedion acted the exact same. It was nausiating.
Contrary to popular opinion I actually love Chaol. I feel like he's the only character the feels realistic, and still has his actual brain in his body. He's rational, careful, but still effictive in his goals. He actually keeps the bigger picture in mind, while still fighting off rational he's been raised with basically. It's just extremely sad to me that it is entirely obvious in the way he's written that Sarah J. Maas does not give a shit about him anymore now that she has found a shinier new love interest for Aelin. Dorian was in an interesting place this book. He was not entirely himself, and we didn't got much of him, but I did think his storyline was interesting, and I'm curious how the events of this book will influence his future actions.
There were also quite a few new characters in this book, and I quite liked them. I think they were great additions to our cast of characters, and I'm curious to learn more about them as the series continues. I even liked the inclusion of Manon and her witches in this book. I think they were much better included in this book than in Heir of Fire. They actually felt like an important part of the story, and I loved seeing learning more about the Thirteen, and I'm honestly most curious about the future of this crew of characters out of them all. So yeah, this book wasn't my favourite but I am still excited to continue on.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Physical abuse

Minor: Ableism, Racism, and Sexual assault

There’s also mention of a stillbirth in this book. There are also characters in forced prostitution in this book, and just a whole lot of slut shaming.

booknerd_life's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Ableism

im_eebee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-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

4.75

This book was just amazing. Everything picked up in the last book, and this one just ran with it in the best way possible. I have to give it 4.75 because I technically didn’t like it as much as Heir of Fire, but this is definitely one of my top reads ever.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Ableism, Sexual violence, Classism, Grief, Gaslighting, and Murder

dalek_caan's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense fast-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

This book had me on the edge of my seat. The last one in the series was a little bit slow to read, but this one was moving from start to finish. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Gore, War, Death, Torture, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Colonisation, Child abuse, Body horror, and Blood

Minor: Ableism

chaptersofamylea's review

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

"Do you believe monsters are born, or made?"

5 ⭐️

There is just so much that happens in this book that makes it hard for me to wrap my head round all of it, but it probably makes this one my favourite of the lot. Just gives me a whole lot of feelings.

This quote also hits home:

"We're not whores for your men to use."
"You are sacred vessels," the duke said. "It is an honor to be chosen?”
"I find that a very male thing to assume."

TWs: torture, ableism, murder, detailed depictions of violence, human trafficking 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Trafficking, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism

undecidedpersonality's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Medical content, War, Confinement, Slavery, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Pregnancy, Genocide, and Sexual violence

Minor: Classism, Sexual content, Child death, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child abuse

joey_paige's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, War, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Blood, and Ableism

Minor: Slavery

aileron's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Confinement, and Gore

Moderate: Body horror, Grief, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent, Miscarriage, Colonisation, Genocide, Slavery, and Ableism

imds's review

• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Medical trauma, Murder, Trafficking, War, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Blood, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Slavery, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Ableism, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Vomit