Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

20 reviews

literarydumpling's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.25

If you thought the first two books of The Poppy War were intense, hold your horses. I wasn't sure how the series would end, or how I wanted it to end, but somehow The Burning God has managed to finish off the series in a way that makes sense.

Overall, a great conclusion to an already fantastic series.

I really enjoyed Rin's character development throughout the three books, but The Burning God topped it off with her almost going mad at the end. Even with Kitay trying to help her, her paranoia and the flaws that have always been present in the books come bubbling to the surface and become what the readers can see could be her downfall. Really well-written.

I'm glad Kitay for more of a limelight in this and the small amount of light where Kitay, Rin and Venka are discussing their dreams for the world give you that moment to consider how young they all are when in the last three books you sometimes lose sight of their age. It's also interesting how Rin's relationship with Jiang, Altan and her Speerly heritage evolves throughout the book, which I think has been cleverly done and alluded to without just shoving it all in your face in one go.

I'll also add that the back and forth between Nezha and Rin and whether they're enemies or allies has been consistent in the series. If the series has shown anything is that there isn't anything that is black and white, it's all gray.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, and Violence

Minor: Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, and Trafficking

quinnyquinnquinn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Genocide, Murder, Violence, Child death, and War

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Colonisation, Medical content, Suicide, Torture, and Medical trauma

Minor: Trafficking, Alcohol, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Rape, Abortion, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Animal death, and Cannibalism

nytephoenyx's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

Holy smokes, what a trilogy ending.

I spent most of this book on an emotional rollercoaster. All... weird feelings, too. Angry and nervous, mostly. There were scenes that made me uncomfortable and when I wanted to throw the book across the room. It was really really good. I was fully engaged at all time. I'm still reeling, though. The Burning God is a unique take on a fantasy war story with intense, disturbing images and a not-exactly-happy ending. Read at your own risk.

That said, I can't recommend this trilogy and The Burning God enough. Absolutely astounding writing, strong characters, heart-wrenching scenes, and thrilling action. It's wonderful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Suicide, War, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Trafficking, Genocide, Racism, Rape, and Addiction

The islanders of Speer and their descendants are dark-skinned.

cemeterygay's review

dark emotional 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, War, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Grief, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Additional CW: Colorism and Implication of incestuous feelings

alexpaperandpages's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This book… this series emotionally wrecked me. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I had heard that this book wasn’t as good as the others in the series but this book was still amazing. I’m reeling from the shock of the ending. I finally got the character development from Rin that I was looking for and now it’s over.

This is the second book series that has ever given me a book hangover. 😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Rape, Genocide, War, Xenophobia, Suicide, Pedophilia, Murder, Death, Colonisation, Child abuse, Vomit, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Drug use, Child death, Addiction, and Abandonment

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Self harm, Murder, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Violence, Confinement, Death, War, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Child death, Child abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Trafficking

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Vomit, Trafficking, Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Addiction

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

sanaa's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

This ending was brutal. But exactly what it needed to be. I couldn’t imagine a better way for R.F. Kuang to finish this meaningful series. This series is human and vulnerable and grand and scaled. There’s so much for everyone to absorb through this age old but ever new story of war and the cruel cycle of history. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, War, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Trafficking, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Minor: Kidnapping

plumpaperbacks's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

An immersive, clever, and heartbreaking conclusion to a brilliant series. I love Rin and Kitay. I can’t wait to see what Kuang does next.

Representation

• amputee protagonist of color
• side characters of color

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Ableism, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Trafficking

kaylamoran's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I knew R.F. Kuang wasn't going to be nice.  But I really, really hated the ending.  And not only because a couple of the plot twists at the end were predictable.  I literally had anxiety reading the last couple of chapters because I could tell where they were going and I hated it.

This sounds like a negative review.  It's not.  For a book to get me to react this strongly to it, it has to have really meant something to me.  This series is incredible, easily one of the best I've read.  I just don't know if I can bear to reread it.

I'm just so mad that Rin hated Kitay at the end.  He was always my favourite, I loved them together, and SHE was wrong.  I really wish she didn't lose it at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Trafficking