Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

50 reviews

albernikolauras's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I am glad I finished this series, but this was a jarring ending to a jarring series. The series conclusion picks up close to where the previous book left off, and Rin has a series of difficult decisions ahead of her as she prepares to confront her enemies.

I understand this series is watching Rin devolve into a villain and she is in situations where she doesn't have any good choices to make. But it is incredibly frustrating watching Rin ignore logic for paranoia and seem to forget the majority of her miltary training. And, just when you think the book should be over, you have 25% more of the book left to follow her further recede.

I think that there is a lot of amazing discussions and interesting uses of history, but the pacing of this book (and the series overall) has not worked for me and Rin's flashes of brilliance aren't enough to convince me that she should have made it as far as she did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, War, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Self harm, Rape, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Slavery, Physical abuse, and Gore

being_stupid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Genocide, Rape, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Self harm, Blood, Cannibalism, Body horror, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Deportation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Dementia and Forced institutionalization

fynnnnnn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide, Rape, Xenophobia, Classism, Animal death, Addiction, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racism, Death of parent, War, Violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Death, Child death, Cannibalism, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Ableism, and Abortion

natnat_7's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, Classism, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, War, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Slavery, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage

ainhoah's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and War

Moderate: Miscarriage, Slavery, Abortion, and Genocide

lrlebouvier's review

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

What a beautifully horrific little fantasy series. 

Will need to think more about the ending before I have my final thoughts - but my initial thoughts are conflicting

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, and War

saraohneb's review

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Cursing, Deadnaming, Torture, and War

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Alcoholism, Cannibalism, and Racism

isleoflinds's review

challenging dark emotional 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: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Alcohol, and Xenophobia

Minor: Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Confinement, Addiction, Trafficking, Medical content, and Abortion

meoliver95's review

adventurous challenging 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Drug use, Drug abuse, Rape, War, Suicide, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Genocide, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual violence, and Miscarriage

Minor: Cannibalism

katiemcgregor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

On one hand, I think this was a brilliant and satisfying conclusion to, what I imagine to be, an extremely difficult series to wrap up. On the other hand I think some of the pacing and character build up could have been taken a step further. This doesn't really hinder my overall enjoyment of The Burning God or the overall series, but there are just things I wanted more of. More madness, more development for minor characters, more drama to the fated confrontations that could only end in blood. But at the same time I think most of how things are handled is fitting for both the chaos of war and Rin's character. (view spoiler). I actually like the final ending of this book, but I think some of the things that are wrapped up in the middle may have felt a little anti-climactic (view spoiler)

What this book did really well is evoke intense emotions and instill an overall feeling of impending doom due to enemies that our main characters potentially can't even compete with. They're battling the colonization and "natural progression" of the world and it's hard to imagine that being a fight that can be won under these circumstances. Throughout the whole book it just doesn't feel like things can end well. No matter how many victories Rin achieves, the writing does a really good job of conveying her hollow feelings associated with them.

I think the other thing I maybe wanted a little more of was action between the original trio. It was obvious that everything was going to come down to them in the end, but The Dragon Republic was filled with more collaboration, fighting, and tension between them. Since they're all spread out, especially Nezha, throughout this book it just didn't lend itself to the type of interaction I would have loved more of.

All that being, said, I'm kind of nitpicking here because it's been a long time since I've been this invested in a series. This book really is very good and I understand why this has already become such a renowned trilogy. It is an experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Death, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Alcohol, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, War, Animal death, Colonisation, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, and Slavery

Moderate: Cannibalism