Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

86 reviews

duffchan's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring medium-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

4.0

I loved the diversity and differing points of view from characters depending on their birth and circumstances. Zhu was an inspiring a character, showing how you can overcome your designated fate by sheer will. The book was overall a bit slow, but worth it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, and Dysphoria

o_mcg318's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Death, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and War

teriodvarkova88's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

forget the whole song of achilles crossover with mulan its more like the poppy war - she will do whaever it takes to get what she wants
there is a little bit of romance tho 

.
.
.
.
.
 zhu and ma have my heart<33

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

lonny05's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexism, and War

sadiaa's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

2.75

I listened to this as an audiobook, it was the only way to get through it. I kept picking it up and putting it down, I didn't feel interested by it, the only reason I finished it was because I borrowed it from the library. I felt that the pacing was so slow and that the book could have been shorter, lots of added detail that was slowing my interest. Don't think I'll read the sequel but glad I finally got this off my tbr list.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

bibliomania_express's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

tbd24's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

braveprincess11's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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

I went into this book with no knowledge and no expectations - and it absolutely blew me away. To think that this is a DEBUT novel… Shelley Parker-Chan is a literary genius.

At the end of the first chapter, I still didn’t quite understand what I was in for, but by the end of Part 1, I was HOOKED. 

Their ability to write such unique and compelling characters who experience gender, desire, and ambition in such similar and yet opposing ways, all while working in the confines of an extremely patriarchal society… 

I’m desperate for the next book already

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism and Racism

Minor: Colonisation

_lovedelirium's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

you know what the romance in this was really bland now thinking about it more ..... need more of that zhu x ouyang rivalry !! that's what made the book interesting, also it was kind of slow to take off but once they started switching pov it got better, peak of engagement was definitely more on ouyang's side. reading book two for more ouyang!!! because zhu pissed me off at the end 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror and Blood

augustar14's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

This book had been on my tbr list for a while before I read it. While I had high hopes for it, it ultimately didn't live up to them.
It's difficult for a book this long not to feel slow paced. There was plenty of action that got me through, but it still overall felt a little slow.
I also struggle with the main character and her actions/choices at times. I understand her motivations and that her situation is complex, difficult, and influenced by significantly different cultural beliefs. And, at the same time, it is painful to see her grow into the person she becomes. The parallels with the eunuch general are fascinating, and I do plan to at least try to read to sequel to see where that thread goes. His story and decisions are painful to follow, though, too. Overall, it is a difficult read, one that offers little reward for the suffering and pain it puts the reader through. It is not a happily ever after story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Medical content and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Excrement and Vomit