Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

261 reviews

lilly24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book and the entire saga, is a piece of art. We can see the work behind. The author did a lot of work and depicted everything with so much precision that it became sometimes difficult to read (!chapter 21!). It's heartbreaking, it's horrendous and I love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Deportation, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Excrement, Xenophobia, Classism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Racism, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

icy_queen's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Genocide, War, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, Death, Colonisation, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction and Bullying

stephsbookedout's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Sexual assault, Classism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, War, Body horror, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Grief, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Vomit

wingsofareader's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Addiction, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Xenophobia, Bullying, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Racism, Confinement, Ableism, Animal death, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Author R.F. Kung explains - in a note at the back of the paperback edition - that the vivid descriptions of war violence, including sexual violence against women and children, we’re taking from historical documents and personal accounts from World War II survivors. Kuang’s rating offers specific sensory imagery, alongside a listing of violence observed by the characters as a means of connecting the reader with both the profound horror and the casual brutality of wartime atrocities. These descriptions do not seem gratuitous, when taken as part of the overall level of description of character experience and visual detail throughout the novel, as well as the context of author, intent bring awareness of historic events and truths that are buying large ignored in the West. The details are, however, unflinchingly described, as are the characters emotional, mental and physical trauma responses to what they see and endure. Some readers may find detailed descriptions difficult to read or process, particularly depending on personal circumstance and experience.

adri_enne's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Drug abuse, Blood, Drug use, Murder, War, Addiction, Child death, and Colonisation

Moderate: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Torture, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

tano's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, Torture, Drug use, Violence, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Suicide, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy

gkgkgk's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Genocide, Hate crime, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Physical abuse, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, War, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Violence, Racism, Colonisation, Gore, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, and Xenophobia

artmuseam'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

4.0

this book was definitely one of the darkest and heaviest themes i faced when reading a historical-fantasy novel. while it had a fast-paced action sequence that had me hooked throughout the story, i was more interested in the character of rin and loved the challenge set by the author to decide whether i supported rin or not. i eventually found that answer later on, but i think this book wasn’t as compelling as i expected it to be for me to want to read the rest of the series. i still appreciated the grim realities of war that rf kuang did not shy away from within this book, as it serves as a reminder to the tragedies people had to face during those times. overall i would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in east asian history and fantasy. 4/5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Racism, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, Medical trauma, and Torture

samflowerv6's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I was assigned this for school. The poppy war is a bloody, scorching coming of age story of an angry orphan who finds power within herself. Rin is such an interesting and complex character. Based on historical tribulations of China. Check trigger warnings. Kitay, Nezha, Altan, Jiang and Rin are such deep and beautiful characters. I will be continuing this series.

“I have become something wonderful, she thought. I have become something terrible. Was she now a goddess or a monster? Perhaps neither. Perhaps both.”

“I don't love you. And I can kill anything.”

Well, fuck the heavenly order of things. If getting married to a gross old man was her preordained role on this earth, then Rin was determined to rewrite it.

“Nothing is written," said the Phoenix. "You humans always think you're destinied for greatness. Destiny is a myth. Destiny is the only myth. The gods choose nothing. You chose. You chose to take the exam. You chose to come to Sinegard. You chose to pledge Lore, you chose to study the paths of the gods, and you chose to follow your commander's demands over your master's warnings. At every critical juncture you were given an option; you were given a way out. Yet you picked precisely the roads that led you here. You are at this temple, kneeling before me, only because you wanted to be.” 

“Jiang was wrong. She was not dabbling in forces she could not control, for the gods were not dangerous. The gods had no power at all, except what she gave them. The gods could affect the universe only through humans like her. Her destiny had not been written in the stars, or in the registers of the Pantheon. She had made her choices fully and autonomously. And though she called upon the gods to aid her in battle, they were her tools from beginning to end. She was no victim of destiny. She was the last Speerly, commander of the Cike, and a shaman who called the gods to do her bidding. And she would call the gods to do such terrible things.”

“I don't need your pity. I need you to kill them for me. You have to kill them for me," Venka hissed. "Swear it. Swear on your blood that you will burn them.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Infertility, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Sexism, Gore, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Death, Drug abuse, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Excrement, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Drug use, Rape, Animal cruelty, Deadnaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Classism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and War

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Genocide, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Animal death, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Violence, War, Blood, Child death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Torture, Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Murder