Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

134 reviews

catnaps's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, War, Blood, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Child death, and Torture

Minor: Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Colonisation, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Animal death, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Infertility, Gore, Genocide, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Classism, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Abandonment, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Addiction, Vomit, Trafficking, Mental illness, Gun violence, Child abuse, Slavery, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization

ellenisntcool's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

This is by far the best fantasy I have ever read, but also one of my absolute favourite books. R. F Kuanh is an amazing writer and I'm very excited to read more of her work. 

Edit: I also wish I could read this again for the first time, because it's still on my mind 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Slavery, Torture, War, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Excrement and Vomit

lilsneakybandit's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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 feels like the most unique book I’ve read in a long time. It’s gritty, intense, and fascinating. It was much darker than I expected, but extremely well written. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Torture, War, Drug abuse, Blood, Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Genocide, and Death

antoneh's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Genocide, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Torture, Hate crime, Abortion, Rape, War, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racism, Grief, Drug abuse, Addiction, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Gore, and Drug use

georgia7's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Death of parent, Self harm, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, and Infertility

Minor: Vomit

cardanwine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Misogyny, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Addiction, Gore, Animal death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Hate crime, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Abandonment

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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

This book, a fantasy, fictionalized variation on China in WWII with the aftermath of the Opium Wars also in the mix, is frankly amazing. The writing becomes more dark and elaborate as the protagonist Rin ages and becomes less innocent through fighting in war at much too young of an age. The mythological aspects are very inventive and refreshing. The Cike is like a sort of Thunderbolts from Marvel or Suicide Squad from DC, if you’re familiar with these comic book teams. All of the characters that Rin is mentored by and/or befriends brings different aspects of her developing personality to the fore. I can’t wait to see what choices Rin makes in “The Dragon Republic” for better or worse. All of the characters are so intriguing and many of them easily could have been protagonists in their own rights. I got quite attached to everyone. This book is an experience. My only slight gripe is that many characters that the protagonist knows have a sort of low key plot armor so that they can be used to illustrate certain aspects of war later in the novel despite it seeming that they shouldn’t have survived some earlier world building regarding how the war is playing out in different fronts. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

All of these triggers are evident in this narrative whether they’re something that happens to the main character, someone she knows, or is just generally part of the world. It is a brutal world that is in the midst of war and the protagonist is part of a group that’s kind of feared. All of the brutality is mentioned quite specifically in increasingly dark detail as you progress in the novel. Be aware, it doesn’t hold back.

julia1579e's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

what the fuck

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Violence, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Addiction, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Vomit, and War

sacredgayometry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Beautifully written and culturally expansive- the world building and magic system are fascinating. There are some very dark and upsetting moments that feel difficult to read, but the overall result is a great read with incredibly complex characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Gore, Violence, War, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Ableism, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexism, Bullying, and Forced institutionalization

If you have trauma related especially to heroin or opioids, they are often mentioned and abused and this may not be the book for you. There is also heavy allegory to the conflicts in China and Japan surrounding opium and colonization and the wars that have occurred especially during feudal periods. I found it reminiscent of the Vietnam war and World War II. War crimes are a heavy theme. Very well written but can be a very difficult read.