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“Flayed and boneless, he faced the creature he had awakened, this woman of god’s blood and fury.”
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Violence
Following a mother and her son's POVs. The mother's POV is the current timeline and a past timeline.
This was beautiful, and full of emotion. One of my favorite self-published books out there that I hope everyone has a chance to pick up.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, War, Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Racism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Classism
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Murder, War
Moderate: Gore, Racism, Rape
This book delivered on every point, and I absolutely loved it. M.L WANG knows how to write characters, man. They felt real, and that’s one of the most important things to connect a reader to a character, and just as hard to accomplish. The fantasy aspect of this story felt like it backed the plot and was not a central aspect (even though it definitely was) was because I was so much more interested in the characters then I found myself interested in the magic system, and for an avid fantasy reader like myself, THAT IS WILD. I loved the avatar like system, and the fun samurai classic take that clashed with this sort of futuristic and strange world.
I loved the duel POV of Misaki and Mamouru. Usually, I find duel POV difficult because I am not interested in one character like I am the other. This was not the case here. Both characters had interesting stories and unique characteristics that drew me to each of them. Even the side characters had a real feel to them—like they didn’t just exist for the purpose of the main character but were actually real and living their own lives through beginning to end.
I was prepared for the story, but not for whirlwind of emotions that took me from sadness to anger to relief to more anger to confusion to epic astonishment. It took me time to finish this book because I simply didn’t want it to end, knowing it’s a standalone.
This is a book that I would read again, and possibly AGAIN after that, because it is that good. The character development was too satisfying. The end left me hungry for more but just full enough that I don’t feel like I necessarily need another bite.
The plot of this overarching war, along propaganda and the political factors of this book really brought to life the realness of the situation while also being a great escapism fantasy book.
I have so many thoughts that I’m just jumbling them together at this point. The dual (chapter 27) had been hyped up on a book podcast I like to watch (two to ramble) and boy I was not dissatisfied.
This book was much more than a ‘war’ and people ‘fighting’ and doing ‘cool shit’. It was not everything you want in a fantasy, but everything you need. This book will punch you in the heart before putting a bandaid on it.
Just do yourself a favour, and read this book. It’s worth it. It’s 100% worth it.
Graphic: Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, War
Graphic: Child death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism
Minor: Sexual assault
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, War