Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

85 reviews

themiscyra_anna's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexism, Rape, Trafficking, Drug abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Classism, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Body shaming

magnan1mouse's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Rape, Police brutality, Death, Confinement, War, and Misogyny

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Murder, Grief, and Slavery

Minor: Child death, Medical trauma, Genocide, and Suicidal thoughts

dragon_s_hoard's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Colonisation, Sexism, War, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

bookishchef's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death, Violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Physical abuse, Ableism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and War

Minor: Classism, Toxic friendship, Biphobia, Blood, and Medical content

michmoo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

The ending - what?!? 

Also the entire book - what?!? My brain does not have the capacity to fully comprehend all of the many insane things that were happening throughout this book. Amazing.

I am a fan of how this book handled the (actual) love triangle too - it is the strongest shape!

Also, I do love a main character that can just be unapologetically murderous. Yes, kill and enact revenge upon everyone who has wronged you baby, go!

Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, War, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Gore, Murder, Violence, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief and Sexual violence

Minor: Sexual content and Colonisation

ender24's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

DAMN.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gaslighting, Genocide, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

aloevera's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

Gripping from start to end. It’s really rare to find fantasy/sci-fi that doesn’t feel exhausting during the world building, but Zhao makes it all so engaging. Even aspects of the book that I saw coming were presented so powerfully that I didn’t care, it was predictable because it’s such a poignant commentary on our world. I love a badass morally gray female lead, so I was bound to love this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, War, and Sexism

Moderate: Genocide, Death, Alcoholism, and Classism

This book is DARK.

While Zeitian is not a victim of sexual violence herself, this book still has a lot of references toward the ways society/culture enables sexual assault and sexual violence.

While the war in the book does not have a lot of gore, it is a very emotionally intense depiction of violence/genocide. I found it very empowering, but procede with caution!

ajhling's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is not just gold tier, but platinum tier. It's such a great book that I have technically brought two copies of - the paperback (which I brought first) and the audio (which I brought so I can listen while driving or playing video games). I have all intentions of buying an E-Book version in the near future so I'll always have a copy on hand. 

This book has characters that are mostly grey at best, and down right evil at worst. Our protagonist is a ball of rage and is someone who would be seen as the villain in many works of fiction. I love it. Even her romantic partners are on the verge of being villains in other works of fiction. 

My favourite part besides the plot and our protagonist and her romantic partners, and the world as a whole?

The fact that there's no explicit sex scenes which have impregnated the publishing industry these days. Meaning you have a book that treats its readers like the older teens and adults that we are without having to worry about sex scenes because it's aimed towards an older teen, recent high school graduate age range, which apparently means sex most be included un the eyes of modern publishers.

I'm so hoping that the lack of explicit sex scenes continues onto the next book/s in the series (though even if they were present I'd still buy/read them anyway).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Rape, Homophobia, Colonisation, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Racism, and Alcohol

maximumhonesty's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Não sei nem por onde começar MUITO BOM. Finalmente um triângulo amoroso que é de fato um triângulo. Personagens complexos, humanos que cativam. Eu terminei o livro completamente apaixonado pelos personagens, e o final quebrou meu coração. Como alguém trans tenho a sensação que o descontentamento da protagonista com sua posição como mulher é mais que apenas insatisfação com o machismo, muitas menções indiretas que podem ser lidas como não binariedade. Também amei o relacionamento bicentrado, mal posso esperar pela continuação.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

arborapollonis's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit this is such a good book. Everything connects intricately and every character is complex and interesting

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Genocide, and Murder