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tinyelfarcanist's reviews
323 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
We follow a 20-year-old Galva dom Braga surrounded by flesh-eating creatures, seeing the dwindling numbers of friends and foes alike. It's a somewhat coming-of-age tale, so even in such an inauspicious environment her life is also made out of warm moments of friendship and love as much as loss.
From her first skirmish against the goblins, dedicating her life to a death goddess, suffering heartbreak, experiencing sexual pleasure, and dealing with men's egos, we see her becoming the woman that Kinch gets to meet.
My only grudge against it would be the romance we see in Galva's future is intriguing enough to spark an interesting story of how it came to be. It can be summarized in insta-love and a couple of sensual encounters with a tinge of grooming.
The Daughter's War expands on Buehlman's world-building in The Blacktongue Thief. It's grimmer and more gut-wrenching than its predecessor, portraying not only the glorification and violence of war but its consequences, the unplanned last words and unspoken goodbyes.
War doesn't spare the good or the brave, just the unlucky enough to carry it with them.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, and Pregnancy
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We see her dealing with the hardships of motherhood in a hostile environment despite living in luxury. Sometimes, she seems more worried about the status and potential glory of her children than their own safety and healthy upbringing, resenting those who take after their father’s brutality. She makes sure her kids stick to gender roles (men as leaders, women as wives and childbearers) to avoid awakening her husband’s ire, in her mind guaranteeing their happiness and success.
The prose transfixed me from the start and I was instantly transported to the setting. The book elicits strong emotions with the blatant misogyny and cruelty Clytemnestra suffers, making her not justified but at least understood for her decisions.
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Death of parent, and War
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Minor: Torture
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Death
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Torture, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, Medical content, Grief, and Stalking
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Violence and Medical content
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
Minor: Death and Grief
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Child death
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Medical content