Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

81 reviews

ms_anna_e's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Abortion

maymei's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional funny tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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It's intense, beautifully and fluidly written, and probably the perfect duology. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts

g_monaghan's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Devasting 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Slavery

k_reads_too_many_spooky_books's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective 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

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When I read She Who Became the Sun in 2022, I enjoyed the strong ensemble of characters. They were easily likeable for me in the first book, but in this book, they are much less likeable, so you're interested more in what they will or will not accomplish and watching them hit rock bottom one by one. I stand by my original critique that at points the prose is dense, but it keeps track of all its moving pieces with such skill I was easily able to follow. I enjoyed seeing all those disparate plots come together in this book, even if the actually moment is relatively short-lived. The violence is definitely as escalation from the first book but not gratuitous or unnecessary. The book really confronts how destructive ambition is, both to yourself and those around you-- how telling yourself you have to do something is never really an excuse for your behavior. Shutting out your feelings cannot protect or absolve you. Overall, well-crafted and engaging, building on the strengths of the first book, albeit exploring a much darker side, but natural, extension of Sun's themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, War

Moderate: Death, Torture

alaris's review against another edition

2.0

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infertility, Racism, Rape, Vomit, Pregnancy, Outing, Classism

chasinggrace's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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A much more emotionally taxing story than its counterpart, He Who Drowned the World eclipsed its predecessor in all ways. I was surprised to find myself crying, when at other parts of the story I had to force myself to continue reading. 

I really appreciated the continued depth with which the author explored gender and identity in this series, as well as mental health. 

This story forces you to ask yourself, “is it too late to change the fate that I chose?” And “who am I once I turn away from everything I’ve always believed?”

While not a 5⭐️ duology for me personally, I think it is worth the time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, War, Classism

kathi_90's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy

evann140's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

adoto's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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My only complaint is I wanted an epilogue of Zhu and Ma being happily married at the end. But other than that, Shelley Parker-Chan is so fucking powerful to get me attached to a literal fucking incel 

There were a lot of BDSM undertones that I normally wouldn't care for but I felt the author had a riot of a good time writing them so I liked them too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture

Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy

tbd24's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark 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

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gay wrongs. what’s not to love

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War

Minor: Emotional abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Outing, Injury/Injury detail