Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

335 reviews

oluwasina's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Confinement, Sexism, Misogyny, and Genocide

c_dmckinney's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Addiction, Murder, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Colonisation, Body shaming, Gore, Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, War, Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Torture

dragonwearingredshoes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, War, Death, Child abuse, Murder, and Ableism

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment

jessicalauren22's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, War, Violence, Death, and Addiction

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

sonatica's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What a book!

After reading and listening to mostly slow- to medium-paced stories for a long time, the intensity of the characters and storyline hit me hard in the most positive way.

Iron Widow is unapologetic and vengeful and so, so satisfying to me. The genre was new to me and I was afraid that I wouldn't like it, but I was so positively surprised.

If anyone is looking for a cozy read, this is not it. But if you're looking for a book with a powerful female character who is fed up with and takes action against an unjust system then this is it!

Spoiler Warning about the romantic sub plot:

Props to this being the first love triangle I've ever liked
(And also, finally an ACTUAL love triangle, instead of two people liking one person but not each other!!)

While I would've enjoyed more buildup to the relationship of Wu Zetian and Li Shimin personally (I couldn'  quite follow at which point she actually developed feelings for him), I still ended up really enjoying the whole dynamic betweenall 3 of them!

And more Spoiler about the Ending and Epilogue:

I actually gasped and got so mad when Shimin "died", so quickly after their relationship had just started becoming more wholesome. But after reading the epilogue, I am even more excited about the second book now!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, and Confinement

Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Body shaming and Colonisation

denee16's review against another edition

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

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

5.0

I don't even know where to begin. This book had me on the edge of my seat from early chapters. I loved the way the characters developed and subverted a lot of the stereotypes I've seen in so many books. It had a TRUE love triangle and the way I SCREAMED and got so excited reading that and how beautiful and non-toxic it was. I couldn't put it down unless I absolutely had to. I am now sleep deprived and in need of a long nap!
10/10 would recommend because Holly shit!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Hate crime, Murder, War, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexism

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

blanketpirate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, War, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual assault

turrean's review

dark emotional tense medium-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

Brutal, dark, and riveting; a narrative of distilled feminine rage. 

Listening to the audiobook added an extra depth to the story, since the names were pronounced correctly. I did find that some of the most violent scenes were really hard to get through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Alcoholism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Emotional abuse, Classism, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Sexism, Trafficking, and Death

emmieli_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

Not really historical fantasy. Think more retelling ancient chinese history via sci fi usage

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Murder, and Torture

Minor: Grief, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Sexual violence

crasscass's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

2.25

Greatly disappointed but I finished the book which means it wasn't so bad.
It was very well pace and the action was usually very clear.
I was really looking forward to a cool Pacific Rim story about feminism and rage. In the end, the MC over explained every single decisions, leaving nothing to be inferred. The love triangle, though good polyamory represetation, was rushed and pointless. At no point did I think that she was in love with either men. The world is filled with plot holes and doesn't always make sense. The dialogue was childish at times, the main character, inconsistent, and the plot, thought well paced, felt very predictable, up to the plot twist at the end. 

The female rage aspect wasn't bad per se, but the main character was so busy being an activist and saving all women that the reason why she craves blood, her dead sister, isn't even named. 
I did enjoy the decent into madness and becoming the villain though I wish more could have been done with it. I also enjoyed the culture and history woven into the story, particularly the myths. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Alcohol, Death, Sexual harassment, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Minor: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Cursing