Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

869 reviews

jays_secret_garden's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-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

“How could she compare the lives lost? One genocide against another—how did they balance on the scale of justice? And who was she, to imagine that she could make that comparison? ‘What have I done?’”
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•6/5⭐️ 

Nothing could have prepared me for the third part of this book. I foolishly thought that the second part was absolutely crazy, but the third? Devastating. This book completely changed my perspective on life. It was so beautifully written that I feel like people don’t write books like this anymore. The FMC, Rin, is one of the best characters I have read in my entire life. From the first line she had in the book, I knew. Her absolute rage and hate actually means the world to me because how dare they make women and children hurt this much?

The topic of war, genocide, r*pe, etc., is HEAVY. I didn’t really read the trigger warnings because I like to go into books blind, but please read them :). Nothing could have prepared my heart for the heartbreak it would experience while reading the Golyn Noriis part, and even more so after reading the author’s note and finding out everything was inspired by real-life experiences of Chinese people. It broke my heart to read Venka’s story—I was sobbing!!!

I cannot wait to continue with the series because every two pages, something insane and unpredictable happens, and I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, War, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Self harm, Physical abuse, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gun violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Blood

ashlyncherie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

This was not my first time reading this book. I listened to the audiobook 18 months ago and couldn’t really get into it and never finish the series. I decided to give it a second chance  actually reading it and I’m glad I did. This book is so well written, but I expect nothing less of Kuang. Some of the chapters truly nauseated me, and it sickens me to know that atrocities like what is written in this book occurred in real life. This book makes you think and reflect life, history, war, and more. It was truly an excellent and yet difficult to stomach read. I will be continuing on with the series this time! But I do need an emotional break first. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Rape, Torture, War, Addiction, Murder, and Colonisation

pinkystar_bobsky's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-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

5.0

Never before has a book moved me like this. Never has a book left me distraught and at a loss for words. Never has a book moved me to tears. The Poppy War reached into my chest and ripped it straight out, cut it to pieces, feigned putting it back together only to crush it yet again. It took me four days to complete this and yet I do not regret the length. I needed to let this book simmer in sections, to digest it in chunks at a time, or else it would completely overwhelm me. 

R.F. Kuang's writing is gripping from beginning to end. Her words brought every scene to life right before my eyes.

I was there, in Golyn Niis, walking beside Rin, taking in the devastation inflicted by the Federation. I saw the bodies, I smelled them. I felt all the grief, the anguish, the rage.

If there was a happy moment in this book, I do not remember it. 

To read that a lot of the events that took place in Golyn Niis were grounded in reality put a pit in my stomach. Even as I was reading that scene, I got a sinking feeling that it was too real. Real people did this to other people.

But even then, it is still incomprehensible; the level of inhumanity, that people might be capable of such heartless deeds, of such cruelty. That's why my feelings on this book are so conflicting; I start giggling and screaming at how good this book is, at how incredible the author is, but I am always reminded of the reality of it all. It almost feels wrong to say that I enjoyed this book...but I did.

It felt good to cry, when Chaghan revealed the details of the obscenities that young Altan was forced to see, to endure.

It feels good to read such great art, to have a writer be able to pull out such human emotions from me. 

Due to depression and adhd, for months I have had a difficult time reading books. I could not read more than 8 pages at a time before getting distracted, or simply losing the will to read on, even if it was a book I really looked forward to reading. I am so, so happy that I am in a better place now, I'm on medication, I'm exercising, taking better care of myself, literally touching grass. I'm so incredibly grateful that I was in the right state of mind to fully enjoy this story. And I'm glad I took my time with it and didn't rush to binge it on one day, no matter how gripping it was. I'm so incredibly lucky to have read this. 

I am also entirely unprepared to read the next three books. I cannot imagine what more pain R.F. Kuang is about to inflict on me. I don't know if I'm ready but I'm starting The Dragon Republic straight away. Holy fucking shit man, I'm kinda terrified to continue this lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Violence, War, Blood, Genocide, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Grief, and Racism

mollyjoy__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Body horror, Child death, Addiction, Death, Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

Chapter 21 of this book is especially hard to read and details recollections of extremely graphic violence towards women and sexual assault.

miranda_redmond's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Torture, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide

Moderate: Classism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death, Self harm, Colonisation, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

tne_network's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This book got me back into reading. I could not put it down. The author has a way of writing that sucks you into the mind of this young woman and you understand why she chooses the choices that she does. Through circumstance after circumstance that she has been thrown into, this coming of age story is less about the character's maturity developing, but finding the power inside and facing the demons within and outside herself. I have been fully consumed by the main character's emotions and it has been hard to pick up other books after finishing it, so I have decided to finish the trilogy before starting another book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: War, Gore, Violence, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use

Minor: Murder, Racism, Infertility, Vomit, Child abuse, Self harm, and Confinement

afinebordeaux's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, War, Death, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture

ldod's review against another edition

dark fast-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

4.0

Became much more brutal than I expected. Well written but not going to read the next books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Genocide, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, Xenophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Child abuse, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexual harassment, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, and Drug abuse

thehannahclaire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Please read about the Nanjing Massacre/ the Rape of Nanjing before reading this book. I’m so glad this book introduced me to a portion of history I was not taught, even though it is gruesome. Nevertheless, this book has one chapter that included the most horrific scenes I’ve ever read or heard of. It’s not just about checking trigger warnings because this book isn’t just triggering— it’s traumatic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Gore, Child death, Grief, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual assault, War, Hate crime, Rape, Violence, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Body horror, and Addiction

Moderate: Self harm, Cursing, Vomit, and Classism

renorsomethin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Torture, Genocide, Sexual assault, Blood, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Gore, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Self harm, Colonisation, Infertility, Cursing, Vomit, Classism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Child death, Classism, Xenophobia, Animal death, and Death of parent