Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

1094 reviews

ringofkeyz's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

i really loved this book and r. f. kuang truly has a way with words. the world-building was incredible from beginning to end, whether it be through the history of the nation and provinces or the continuously building lore around shamanism in both the characters and warring nations. 

while the tonal shift between parts i and ii was jarring, it felt necessary in terms of story-telling. upon reading part i, you assume that you're in for a more magical/martial arts focused schooling story; something where the education aspect is the primary focus. when part ii hits, you're IMMEDIATELY thrust onto the frontlines of the war and kuang does not hold back. the tone immediately becomes gruesome and dark, almost unexpectedly so. however, this works narratively because it mirrors the experience of the protagonist, rin, in the novel. there is no lead-up, no warning to the prompt arrival of pillaging, murder, r*pe, and bloodshed for the reader because there is no warning for that in real life. while it was definitely off-putting at the start, in hindsight it not only makes sense but also feels necessary in order for kuang to accomplish what she set out to write.

the book was incredibly well-written, the world-building sucked me into the story immediately, and the downfall of rin's morality has me eager to read the second book. 

it just needs to be said to incoming readers that this book is dark, gruesome, and describes the perils of war in extremely vivid detail to the point where i had to put the book down and walk away before picking it back up because it made me nauseous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Slavery, Grief, and Medical trauma

Minor: Infertility, Excrement, and Colonisation

kingspite618's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

magicstasis's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

vermilliontoad's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

The beginning with the gifted school environment was a little hard to get into, but by the midway point I was fully engaged and tore through the rest of the book! It’s definitely dark, but so captivating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War

potatolord's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

em_of_swags's review against another edition

4.5

what if I also combusted 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Racism, and Kidnapping

Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Self harm, and Gaslighting

gabbysoltura's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and War

chronicoverthinker'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alisonmr5's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Genocide, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

eemahlee's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Abandonment, and Classism