Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

5 reviews

ana_belen_herrera's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

I liked the magic system, since is the first book I would have liked to explore of how it works  and also why the war started. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Death

hendrixpants's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Slavery

archcon's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book. The beautiful writing and descriptions pulled me into the world better than anything I've read in a long time. The world details that were just there and not necessarily explained made it feel natural that I should know them and, again, pulled me in. And then the romance. Tender and sweet and organic.

As someone interested in WWI, I enjoyed the clear parallels and the interesting new aspects added to the familiar parts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Confinement, and Mental illness

Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and War

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug use

llyrian's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

So good it deserves a place in my physical-bookshelf-collection! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Murder

foreverinastory's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

 3.5/5

Miles Singer has run from his past. His magical ability to heal is treated as nothing more than a trick by witching society, so determined to do some good Miles enlisted and went off to war. After serving, Miles goes into psychiatry and is determined to help other soldiers who are also suffering from PTSD. But the illness seems like more than just PTSD. When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder.

This Edwardian world of magic was really interesting. For the first half we don't really see how witching society works as Miles is incognito and hiding from all witches. But when his family comes back into the picture, we see what Miles has run from and see his worst fears come true. The one thing I really liked about the world was that gender wasn't a factor in magical society. It was all based on primary mages and secondary ones. Primary mages can control the weather and are called storm-singers. All other witches with magic are considered secondary and used as batteries to power the primary mages with a bond that basically takes the secondary's will.

The plot kept me guessing the entire time and the last 30% was basically my brain imploding by what had happened to Miles patients and other witches. I did also enjoy the relationship that developed between Miles and Tristan, but the pacing of it felt a bit weird--a little too insta-lovey for me. I'm definitely curious to see what will happen next.

Rep: Achillean male MC with PTSD, achillean male love interest. Many side characters/patients with PTSD.

CWs: Violence, alcohol consumption, blood, confinement of patients, death, death of parent--flashback, drug use, gaslighting, grief, kidnapping, medical content, mental illness (PTSD), murder--flashback, physical abuse, forced enslavement of MC and many side characters, implied sexual content, suicidal thoughts, talk of committing suicide, suicide attempts and side characters who commit suicide. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual content