Reviews tagging 'Murder'

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

87 reviews

jess_always_reading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This sequel to She Who Became the Sun blew me away. It's much darker than the first novel (TW: more graphic sexual violence than She Who Became the Sun) but it doesn't feel gratuitous. 

Parker-Chan has a gift for creating complex characters and wonderfully intersecting storylines. In a rare move, I found myself looking forward to reading about and even loving some of the 'villains' (more like antagonists) in the story and there were some unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing. 

He Who Drowned the World maintains and further develops the queer themes and relationships Parker Chan set up in She Who Became the Sun in a way that feels more bold than the first novel but still authentic to the world they have created. 

I can't recommend this series enough! 10/10!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Torture, Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abortion, Body horror, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and War

Moderate: Blood and Murder

ginabelle'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? It's complicated

5.0

I could not stop thinking about this book. I really took my time with it as I LOVED the first one and knew it would get complex to wrap up all the leftover plot lines. This book is absolutely NOT for everyone, but the political intrigue, the questions of identity and ambition, and the world building was definitely for me. I’m so thrilled with how this series wrapped up and while my only complaint is those last 5 pages seemed to feel a tad rushed, this duology feels like the most epic fantasy from an extremely talented writer. I don’t know how they keep this all in their head, but I’m so grateful they shared their stories with the world. Check content warnings for sure, but if you like Game of Thrones, Mulan, and (dare I say) Avatar the Last Airbender, look into this one. I love it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Cursing, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Classism, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Biphobia, Confinement, Mental illness, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Acephobia/Arophobia, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Animal death, Cursing, and Toxic friendship

justasillygirl04's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Rape, Blood, and Murder

charlieeew's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Ableism, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.75

I kind of wish this book was split into two, and this series was fleshed out into a full trilogy. The pacing meant that a lot of major developments and plot resolutions ended up feeling anticlimactic, and I would’ve loved more time living in the second act of this story. There is a lot to love here, especially if you enjoyed its predecessor, but I was a bit disappointed in how this story ended.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Rape, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Torture, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War

judythedreamer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

  I had the impression after the first book that Shelley Parker-Chan has difficulties maintaining tone and was proven right, because I just read the most hippie ending to an exceedingly grimdark and trigger-filled book. It's such a weak ending compared to all the existential horror and gore that came before. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Self harm, Infertility, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Classism, Bullying, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Ableism, Abortion, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

themdash's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Ableism, Blood, Sexual assault, War, Death, Body shaming, Sexism, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Colonisation, and Violence

justinekorson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Ouyang deserved better.... I felt so bad for him by the end of this story. The Third Prince also deserved better. I didn't expect that kind of betrayal from Baoxiang at all. Ma ALSO deserved better too instead of doing what Zhu asked of her!! It sounded like she chose to do it in the end but that's... it's still very sad. The one who DESERVED BETTER MOST OF ALL THOUGH IS XU DA. I'M GOING TO BE SAD ABOUT HIM FOREVER. Also go Zhu!! I support women's rights and women's wrongs!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Violence, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Grief, Body shaming, Gore, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Sexual content, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, Slavery, Toxic friendship, and War

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

I don’t know if I’ve read a book with so many complex and tortured relationships to gender. Ambition, sacrifice, autonomy, revenge, regret, grief, sadism and masochism, spirits destroyed and indestructible, actual spirits both benign and lethal… plus conquest and war strategy- a lot happening here. Some parts dragged a little for me but all in all a compelling and thought provoking read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Grief, Sexual content, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Sexism, Blood, Misogyny, Violence, War, Murder, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Torture

throwback682's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

As I’ll mention in the content warnings section below, this book is much more triggering and more violent in specific ways than the first book (She Who Became the Sun) in this duology. 

That being said, I couldn’t put it down. I finished this one much more quickly than the first. It was very gripping. The reason I gave it 1/2 star less than its predecessor is just because of the r*pe scenes honestly. 

Re: the title

I wondered if the title of the second book referred to the main character of the first book just with a different pronoun but this book focuses more on a different character, who was in the first book but didn’t play such a major role.

He sort of comes from behind unexpectedly and becomes a major player in this installment.

The backstabbing really gets kicked up a notch in this book too. 

I kind of thought at one point that the book was getting a bit predictable/tired and then OPE THERE’S A TWIST and then WHOOPS ANOTHER ONE. Hang in there. 

The protagonist of the first book continues to beat the odds in unexpected ways as she did before and again it’s spectacular. Also as before, I found myself rooting for and even loving really cruel, dark, awful characters. The author has a talent for coaxing out empathy for the worst baddies. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Grief, Slavery, Sexual content, Ableism, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Self harm, War, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Abortion, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Torture, Animal death, Body shaming, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Confinement

Minor: Vomit

There is a lot more triggering content in this book than in the first installment of the duology, She Who Became the Sun. Specifically there are multiple rape scenes: - one is marital

as a punishment visited on a wife by her husband

- one is sort of in the context of a gay relationship but

first of all the “relationship” starts off as a manipulation tactic and is coercive and abusive

and secondly

the specific rape scene itself is forcible and in anger.

- another is in the context of a king/consort relationship, which already means consent can’t apply because of the power dynamic, and then

he is purposely trying to hurt her emotionally with the specific rape.

There are also numerous incidents of self harm (many of them are actually perpetrated by someone else, but still falls solidly in the “self harm” category in this context). Like the last book, there is a child who dies -

murdered by a soldier.

He also

has his blood let as proof of life to send to his father to gain his army’s compliance.

I marked both miscarriage and abortion but really it’s neither of those exactly.

A woman is happy about her pregnancy and then another woman gives her poison that ends it without her knowledge or consent.

There’s also someone who has been mutilated.

A servant has her eyes and tongue removed

so that she can be used in a specific way to test someone’s magical powers. There’s also a man who is executed by

being cooked alive in a bamboo steamer.

Yes, the first book was violent and about war and cruelty. But I think this book takes it to another level in several ways. Read with caution.