Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara

9 reviews

tabbiecat's review against another edition

dark hopeful fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug use, and Torture

blacksphinx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Gun violence, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Medical content and Police brutality

bethmalena's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

This book constantly challenged my expectations, especially around the theme of magic. I loved how queer it was, and that it honoured the different ways people heal from [religious] trauma. I felt uncomfortable with the level of detail around some of that trauma, particularly the sexual trauma - it felt like torture porn in places, and distracted from the overall message. Honestly I could have used more dialogue and less sex in general. But I think it’s still a book that will stick with me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Gun violence, and Physical abuse

alsoapples's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Moderate: Gaslighting, Incest, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Violence, Torture, and Toxic relationship

spacebetweenpages's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Sexual assault

moatzilla's review

challenging tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

foreverinastory's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Transphobia

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Kidnapping

HP references

elliotvanz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I'm really on the fence about this one. It has plenty of ingredients I find intriguing: unreliable narration, cults, queer romance, and overall weirdness. The pacing kept me reading and I whipped through this fairly swiftly. It falls into the category of stories that are super messed up, which is usually something I find intriguing, but was at times really uncomfortable. (This book qualifies for pretty much every trigger warning connected to abuse I can think of, and then some.) I never really fully connected to this narrative though. I appreciate that Szpara wanted to keep the nature of reality ambiguous - is there really magic in this world, or is it all a delusion/metaphor? - but I wanted a hard answer on that, and the doubt made it difficult for me to connect to anyone emotionally. I spent most of my time with this story hunting for clues, analyzing, and just trying to answer that one central question. As a result I never fully invested in the rest. This won't bother some people, so your milage may vary. 

Here's the thing: I'm just not sure Szpara's books are for me. They keep me reading, and have elements I find really interesting, but I come out of them with really mixed feelings and wishing I had read a different story than the one I got. This is just a personal taste thing. I think a lot of people will really love this one. (I also think a lot of people will find this repellant.) I'm glad it's out there, and I don't regret reading it, but ultimately it's just not my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Toxic relationship

caidyn's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I received an ARC through a fairy and this is my honest review!

Wow, Szpara does it again. Another absolutely amazing read that takes so many themes and twists them on their head. I love how he uses sexual content to make a point, especially paired with it being very clearly a cult story. I enjoyed this one a whole lot, including how he used magic and fandoms as well as cult and chastity. It all blended so well together, just like his very first book did. I can't wait to have the finished product in my hands. The story was fantastically done and I know it's going to go so well with Docile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship