Scan barcode
cerysadarag's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War, Violence, Gore, and Rape
Minor: Vomit
taemd58's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Body horror, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Violence, Vomit, War, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, and Hate crime
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s beautifully written and violent and ghastly and imaginative, an amazing endeavor for any writer but especially one who was writing this as an undergraduate. As in her later book Babel, Kuang’s scholarship shines throughout. The best part, though, is the storytelling. I was riveted by the first sentence (‘Take off your clothes!’) and my attention never flagged.
I’m glad this is a trilogy because I am NOT ready to say goodbye to this world.
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Bullying, Classism, Genocide, Gore, War, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Addiction, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse
loganvw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Murder, Genocide, Drug abuse, Body horror, Gore, Child death, Vomit, Death, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, War, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Torture
lily_kruse's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Self harm, Torture, Violence, War, Sexual violence, Addiction, Animal death, Murder, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual content, Gore, Infertility, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Slavery, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, and Gun violence
rilakkumas's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Grief, Murder, Slavery, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Medical trauma, Rape, Addiction, Torture, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Gore, Animal death, Hate crime, Violence, and War
grandiose_r's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
On a different note, I loved the novel's approach to drugs and gods and hope it's explored further in the following parts of the series.
R.F. Kuang did an amazing job with this debut novel and I will definitely be returning to this series, but I'm gonna have to take a break from this kind of war literature that hits a bit too close to home for a while.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Torture, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Drug use, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Vomit, Violence, Addiction, Child death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, War, Death, Genocide, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, and Confinement
reollls's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Genocide, Addiction, Murder, Child death, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Blood, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Gore, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
xx_salem's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Genocide, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Addiction, Animal death, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Body shaming, Colonisation, Self harm, Mental illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Torture, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Animal cruelty, Grief, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Vomit, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and War
viviandoeshaveaclue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Drug use, War, Sexual assault, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Genocide, Torture, Rape, Drug abuse, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Body horror, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Medical content, and Death
Minor: Vomit