Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Poppy War - Perang Opium by R.F. Kuang

274 reviews

mpbookreviews's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

neurodivergentbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Rape, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

potion96's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Colonisation

cowboylikestoread43's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

olive_75's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.0

When the situation can get worse it does 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

aya1403's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jesseeeka's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit, Dementia, and Classism

Minor: Infertility and Excrement

welkinvault's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad 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

4.25

Well written, thoroughly researched history.  Amazing background and world building.  

Chapter 21 (i think) especially was a brutal read. I don't think I will be continuing the series as it was dark and violent, and there did not seem to be much lifting of the angst for the characters that survive.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

emmagrace's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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

4.0

I have a lot of feelings about this one. The first half was perfection, but the ending was a bit disappointing. I think it's because the story became more and more untethered as it went on, and it kind of ran away with itself at the end. I still thought it was a great book, just a bit rocky like you'd expect from any debut.
Also, READ THE CONTENT WARNINGS. I can't stress this enough. I thought I was prepared because I'd heard about how traumatizing chapter 21 is, but I was still horrified. I'm glad R. F. Kuang went there because the Nanjing massacre is a terrible part of history that deserves more awareness, but that didn't make it any less difficult to read. I had to step away from the book and recover before continuing. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who feels they might have difficulties with the content.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Emotional abuse, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, and Vomit

The worst of it is in just one chapter (chapter 21).

charlottesreadingweb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Strategy heavy, extremely dark military fantasy about an orphan who discovers she's a shaman. Details of this book are difficult to read, I recommend checking content warnings. For me, the first third of this book dragged, but it quickly picked up speed once the war began. The ending will leave you shocked and reeling. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia

Minor: Bullying and Abandonment