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a_wandering_thinker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Das Worldbuilding und die Parallelen zur echten Welt waren gleichzeitig das beste an den Büchern als auch eine Schwachstelle. Zum einen habe ich so viel über Krieg und Staatenbildung gelernt wie bei keinem Buch zuvor. Darüber, wozu Menschen fähig sind, was Revolutionen kosten, über Religion, Kolonialismus und Abgründe der Menschlichkeit. Auf der anderen Seite musste ich mich bei jedem Element der Story fragen, welches reale Ereignis es wohl inspiriert hat, dass sich die Handlung manchmal wie eine sehr ausgeschmückte Allegorie für Real-Life-Events anfühlte, anstatt zu etwas Eigenem zu werden (was immer noch viel über unsere echte Geschichte und Kulturen aussagen kann, aber ohne davon zu dominiert zu werden).
Ein anderer Kritikpunkt, vor allem von diesem Band, ist, wie Dialog-lastig es war. Ich hätte mir ein wenig mehr ruhige Momente gewünscht, die die Handlung nicht mit Macht vorangetrieben hätten, etwas mehr bildliche Beschreibung von Szenen. Trotzdem war die Story extrem immersive und packend.
Insgesamt ist die Trilogie eine 4.5 ⭐️ für mich. Absolut beeindruckend, realistisch, packend, und ich liebe es, wie mit vielen Tropes gebrochen wird. Ich freue mich schon, als nächstes Babel zu lesen.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Gore, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Eating disorder, Trafficking, Sexism, Death of parent, and Excrement
andellabella'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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Cannibalism, and Child abuse
bookishedi'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Torture, and War
Moderate: Abortion, Abandonment, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Cannibalism
nianarra's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, War, Self harm, Vomit, and Torture
Moderate: Rape, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
johnathanwet's review
- 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: Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Grief, Drug use, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, War, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Murder
rdawnl'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Rape, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, and War
Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racism, Cursing, Violence, Torture, and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Fire/Fire injury
arustar's review
- 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
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Sexual violence and Cannibalism
nataaaliya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Addiction, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, War, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Cursing
alestotle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As always Kuang’s depiction of war, the chaos and uncertainty of battles and its impacts both on individuals and the country are some of the most realistic that I’ve ever read. She never romanticises it or skips over the brutal aspects of it that so many other books do in order to glorify it. Some victories are not won with a triumphant cheer but by a pure twist of fate and chaos.
My favourite character, Jiang, comes back which I’m glad about. A lot of the characters in what are meant to be emotional moments don’t say anything they either sit in silence or get cut off. And she seems to always understand what they mean to say before they have to discuss any of their issues or feelings and i honestly find it a bit of a cop out to not let any of your characters converse with one another each and every time. But I’ve always thought that Kuang’s character writing is weak and is the only thing holding this book back from being a 5 star read for me.
Rin however continues to be one of the most interesting characters to read from. I understand all of her decisions and despise them at the same time. She did what she had to do to survive but it drove her to insanity, and I think that’s the only plausible way someone in her situation could’ve ended up. She’s insane but only because the world around her is insane. I called the ending. I knew that she had to die in the end, I thought she would go too far give into the phoenix and Kitay would have to kill himself to stop her but it was more satisfying to see her catch herself right before she set the world aflame and end things before she could. She never could have ruled Nikawa it’s not what she was built for. All she ever wanted was to stop the people who were causing the wars and suffering, she did - she toppled systems - and now she can rest before she becomes the very thing she hated.
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Colonisation, and Child death
lydiasturges'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
I never stopped loving Nekah. He was in a shitty situation just trying to make the best of it. Hearing his perspective at the very end, and seeing just how much he loved Rin, ruined me. They both genuinely thought they were doing the best for their country. I just wish they could have been true allies.
The last pages of Rin’s perspective and those last pages in Nekah’s perspective were perfection and absolutely tragic.
I am emotionally exhausted after this series. It feels like nothing can go right for Rin. But I genuinely can’t wait to reread these and get even more from it the second time. What an amazing commentary Kuang makes!
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism and Xenophobia