Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

4 reviews

meg_leigh's review against another edition

2.0

I so enjoyed this author's Adventures book, and The City of Bronze. But this one was just disappointing.

Every. Single. Character. Is so deeply selfish and unlikeable. And the level of violence against children, the sheer number of children dying, borders on trauma porn.

Half the characters' choices make no sense or have any consistency from page to page. 

I already bought the third book, such was my excitement, so I'll read it and hope this installment was just an unfortunate misstep. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, and Torture

Moderate: Medical trauma and Sexual violence

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I was consistently shocked through the  entire book. The story never goes where you’re expecting it to. Somehow a cast of treacherous characters making terrible decisions works. Brilliant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Racism, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Stalking, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Suicide, War, Miscarriage, Slavery, and Torture

dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gun violence, Blood, Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Sexual violence, War, Sexual assault, Death, Alcohol, Child death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Slavery

ehmannky's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Spectacular. Show stopping. Amazing. I throw all the praise at this book, because it's so beautifully written and it builds so well on the previous book. It dives deeper into the meaninglessness of vengeance vs. the true healing power of justice. Because the shafit aren't wrong and the Daevas aren't wrong and those clamoring for a better life aren't wrong, but since no one can address the pains of the past without murder, no one can devise a way to move forward. Well, Nahri and Ali could, but no one ever listens to the best characters.

This book also skyrocketed Ali to the top of my list of favorite characters. The previous book of "the oppressed can have some rights" is burned away as he gains more confidence in his own moral clarity and is able to see a life outside of the palace (also, Aqisa and Lubayd are the best additions the vast cast of characters). Muntadhir plummeted pretty far down the list with the petty jealousy and the fear his father beat into him taking over his love for his siblings, Jamshid and what he knows is right. Like, the whole

lie to embarrass Ali and then causing a massacre and like only realizing after the fact that all this death was his fault? Fuck him. Though the ending reconciliation was pretty damn satisfying. But also, fuck him.

 

 I empathize with him, but it's also part of the cycle of revenge and status quo and trying to please their abusive father to become an abuser himself. I also liked the expanded role for Zaynab and Hastet, and it was nice seeing Nahri finding female allies. Additionally, Dara (a character I like in spite of my morals) slowly figuring out Just Following Orders is a paltry excuse when he's doing atrocities. 

Overall, a stunning sequel. I cannot wait to read the final installment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Miscarriage