Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

491 reviews

teconaisha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Blood, War, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Torture

jewels_pg's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-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? No

4.0

An exciting read, asks challenging questions. Occasional moments where I went, "wait, did that just happen??"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Addiction, Violence, Racism, Murder, and War

Minor: Torture and Suicide attempt

foot binding

gaymoonreader'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Confinement, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Addiction, Murder, Physical abuse, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Terminal illness

ainadei's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

A very angry book. I loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Alcohol, War, Alcoholism, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Death, and Domestic abuse

ziracrow's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Torture, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Murder, War, Blood, and Alcohol

mitta_girl452's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

This book is a wild, crazy ride.
Personally, I LOVED it, and was hooked from the start.
It explores so many amazing themes of sexism, family, love, guilt, war and grief, and its all done so beautifully. I really enjoyed the anger that Zetian has towards men, and her platonic adoration for women and their strength.
I LOVE her quote:
"He does not get to make me a statistic." 
As I survivor of sexual assault, that really hit home with me. When I read for the first time I stopped, put down the book and immediately wrote it out and put it up on my wall. It's just so powerful. 
It is a very dark book, and if you are someone with poor mental health or easily triggered by anything you see in the content warnings below, I possibly wouldn't recommend this to you. 
I love how this book speaks about the stereotype that being strong means to hide emotions, be distrustful and not love, especially for women. Women who publicly show fear, love, sadness or really any strong emotion are labelled as 'weak', when really they are the strong ones, for having the courage to show that much openness publicly.
This book is definitely a must-read, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel. 
The characters are loveable, the premise is exciting and interesting and the plot is so full of twists and turns that you are always on the edge of your seat. 
It's a really wonderful mashup of science fiction, dystopian future, Chinese mythology and action. 
Please read this

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Torture, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Gaslighting, Cursing, Medical content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Minor: War, Classism, and Confinement

t_higgsreviews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

5
CAWPILE = 9.07

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Sexism, Torture, Genocide, Addiction, Misogyny, Murder, Death, Alcoholism, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Vomit

Minor: Pregnancy

celeris's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

action scenes are hard to understand at first but you get used to it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexism, and Violence

scribblinginthemargins's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-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

3.75

Last third or so was a bit of a let down but more than worth it for the central concepts around bodily autonomy, feminism and the nature of traumatic memory under oppressive government. I was surprised this is categorizes as YA - it felt very elaborate, nuanced and mature... Until the last 70 pages or so when the character development and jerky plot just became a bit ridiculous?

Still well worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Murder, Body horror, Addiction, and Trafficking

adalinemccormick's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, and Blood

Moderate: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Domestic abuse, Torture, Rape, and Murder