Reviews with content warning for Rape - Shards of Honour

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Shards of Honour by Lois McMaster Bujold

43 reviews

galaxywitch's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

3.25

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read, and has humor throughout that is funny without being over the top or feeling forced. Even though I did enjoy this book, there are some things about it I didn’t enjoy very much which made me rate this as a 3 instead of a higher rating.

This was published ~40 years ago and in some ways it does feel dated. The biggest issue I had while reading is that there were a lot more references to (and/or threats of) rape than I was expecting. To me it feels like this is included so frequently because rape is what Bad Guys do, which is not something I enjoy reading. Also, because the writing style is on the more lighthearted and humorous side, serious topics (ex. Rape, murder, war, etc) were handled in a way that felt casual, dismissive, or humorous at times, which felt weird. I think most of this is just that it was written in a different time so I am not holding these flaws against it too harshly - but it is something to note if this will be a problem for you.

That being said, if you can look past these complaints, I did find it enjoyable. It was not especially deep, and was not very focused on the sci-fi elements, but it was fun. The main characters felt somewhat flat but were likable.

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eternity21's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? No

4.25

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afuzzybird's review against another edition

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3.0

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kbhenrickson's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? No

4.0

After finishing all of the books in her World of the Five Gods series, I've decided to give this science fiction series by Lois McMaster Bujold a try. Her writing is so wonderful and adds an extra dimension of enjoyment to each book I have read by her. This particular story was quite intense at times, which is a bit tricky for me with an audiobook because you can't casually glance ahead to check on the outcome if you need reassurance. I should have trusted that Bujold wouldn't cross the line (for me - I'm sure some other readers feel differently). If you are someone who avoids certain content,

there is a very intense almost rape scene, and, for me, at least, an even more distressing part where the main character is treated very poorly by mental health professionals and almost involuntarily committed to an institution for continuation of same

. I LOVED Cordelia - give me a smart, adult woman protagonist who can take care of herself any day. I also enjoyed the small details added to the story that gave it realism and sometimes humor - like how all of the Betans, when discussing their president, claim, "I didn't vote for him." I was a little confused by the Aftermaths section, though, so if anyone can shed light on that, I'd love to hear it. Grover Gardner does an excellent job with the narration, and it was a delight to hear his voice again after recently finishing the Penric and Desdemona series (which he also narrates). I am already getting started on the next book.

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betanine's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective 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? No

4.0

I like that this book gets me to thinking about biases based on stories I’ve heard. Some stories exaggerate how bad someone is while others exaggerate how good they are. In the end, I appreciate the message from the author that all people should be treated with respect as someone loved and cared for by someone else. Someone, I will admit there are people I find it difficult to extend this treatment to.

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valjeanval's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

I've read this one before, and it's interesting the different perspectives you get when you read books at different stages of your life. Bujold is one of the best adventure writers, if you ask me, and Cordelia is one of her best characters. I really enjoy stories of competent couples, and Aral and Cordelia definitely qualify. I generally don't like too much romance in my sci-fi, but you know what? Neither do Aral and Cordelia. They've got a lot on their plates.

That said, there are definitely parts of this book that do not age well, in particular the treatment of SA. I feel like the subject is treated much too casually and while I see how she is trying to make Bothari into a complicated survivor of abuse himself, I think it puts the emphasis in the wrong place and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. For 1986, it's extremely progressive, but it doesn't pass modern standards in this one area and as such, carries a sizable SA content warning.

Still, if you portion that out, it's a classic of the genre, features one of the best female heroes of the time period, and a is great start to an epic saga.

Content Warnings