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pri_lakshmi'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
4.75
Graphic: War, Drug abuse, Drug use, Cursing, Grief, Death, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Dementia, Stalking, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, Racism, and Racial slurs
lissi_k's review against another edition
5.0
The worldbuilding is insane - at first it seems very straightforward, but throughout the story the author effortlessly weaves in more and more details that make you realise how deep it actually goes, and how every part of it is inextricably intertwined with the characters and the story at large.
All the characters are three-dimensional, morally grey and very human, and it is so interesting to follow their thoughts and actions. Every action always has far-reaching consequences, nothing exists in a vacuum. Bonus points are the fight scenes, which are remarkably realistic both regarding what happens, and how the characters feel during.
I have read several reviews that it is not well written, which may be because the language is not very flowery. However, it is very evocative and emotional. I found the writing to be very elegant and pretty. (I read it in the German translation though, so maybe I just had an extremely talented translator.)
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
anni_swanilda's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Cursing, Death, Toxic relationship, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Xenophobia, Drug use, War, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Confinement, and Addiction
Minor: Racism
rnbhargava'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: Xenophobia, Classism, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Stalking, Violence, Trafficking, War, Sexual content, Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Self harm, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Ableism, and Gaslighting
This is the first part of a fantasy tinged saga about a crime family. All the violence and tropes of mafia stories are present here. Certain things are also essentially superpowers. That said, it’s also very gritty with hard hitting violence. There’s mental illness, there’s drug addiction, there’s deteriorating health of the elderly old leader. There’s suggestions that one character is a sex offender and pervert. There’s essentially ableism surrounding certain figures born to Jade user families but can’t use Jade abilities, ableism suggestions. There’s vilification and racism toward certain outside nations albeit because they’re also colonizing forces. Also, certain characters’ relationships with foreign nationals are heavily talked about with racist suggestion. The connection between drug addiction and potential suicide is a major theme in the story because it’s framed within the context of jade ability performance enhancement drug usage. There’s a lot of heavy themes to suggest while reading through this mafia family novel.gus717's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Gun violence, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Torture, Alcohol, Racism, and Xenophobia
daydream_e's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Addiction, Violence, Drug use, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: War, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Racism, Colonisation, Sexism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Dementia, Death of parent, Suicide, and Gore
Minor: Homophobia
Racism, xenophobia, war, and colonization are within the context of a fictional country with obvious real world analogues, but not one-to-one with real life events. Mental illness and drug use/addiction are also within the context of a fictional drug. Violence and injury is often very explicit - think hard R rated action movie - but not dwelled on excessively. Grief is a major theme throughout the book for many characters BIG SPOILER:lisafer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, Drug use, Death, and Blood
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, War, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Torture, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Ableism, Grief, Drug abuse, Dementia, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Colonisation, Pedophilia, Classism, Homophobia, and Adult/minor relationship
parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, and Drug use
Minor: Colonisation, Racism, and Xenophobia
wellreadandhalfdead's review
- 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
Graphic: War, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Xenophobia and Homophobia