Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

123 reviews

stephanieheld's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Gore, Blood, Murder, Slavery, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent

cardanrry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Sexual content and Ableism

Minor: Death of parent and Slavery

noyastan's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Colonisation

Moderate: Dysphoria, Murder, Transphobia, Child abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Animal death and Slavery

itsredandread's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Slavery, War, Sexism, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief, Child death, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia and Alcohol

cheye13's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

5.0

I think this would make a great book club selection, and I don't think it needs a sequel. There's so much to discuss, both throughout the story and at the end, with some open-ended philosophy questions. I worry that a sequel will cut off further ruminations rather than encourage them or pose new ones.

I also don't think this book was pitched to me correctly. "A fantasy Mulan retelling" is very far from what this actually is. There's very little fantasy (more in the realm of magical realism) and the story is much more in the spirit of intricate political historical fiction. The book itself has a broader scope than just Zhu Chongba's perspective, and I found it riveting.

The nuanced depiction of gender identities as well as cultural identity in a period of colonization was expertly done. The physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven was an excellent choice and offered a significant thought exercise. The various sympathetic perspectives in war time made the story feel full and rounded. An expertly crafted piece of fiction. I plan to read the sequel in hopes that it lives up to its predecessor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Genocide

Minor: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Slavery

numerous instances of amputation, including genitals

readbyella_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood

Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, Misogyny, Homophobia, Death, and Sexism

Minor: Death of parent, Child death, Slavery, Cursing, Vomit, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Animal death

luhreen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

this was such an amazing book 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Death, War, Slavery, Murder, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, and Blood

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

evelphysicist's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

I really enjoyed the narrative style, most of the characters and pacing of this book. The story follows 2 characters though, and the second is considerably less compelling than the first. Although this offered perspectives that allow the reader to view the story in a more holistic way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Racism, Violence, Physical abuse, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Child death, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Vomit

jessereadsthings's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Minor: Slavery, Homophobia, and Child death

errie's review against another edition

dark

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Transphobia, Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Body horror, War, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Misogyny, and Physical abuse