Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

61 reviews

andrewbenesh1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Child death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

jjjreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Rape

kalehouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

fast paced, hard to put down, reminiscent of hunger games in many ways. the writing was a little cheesy / clunky at times, but overall really enjoyed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

there are certainly some heavy themes, but it never feel gratuitous. everything helps situate the reader in the world our characters live in and to understand why our characters might behave in certain ways

akafrecks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? No

5.0

"No, he's trying to worm into my mind and shackle me down with morals, so he can feel more comfortable about my existence. Too bad. I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am. And I am fine with that. May he stay unsettled." I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK!!! It's such ass-kicking feminist ride based on a culture foreign from mine (which was such a huge added bonus). The world building was awesome, the premise intriguing, and the portrayal of polyamory done so tasteful you almost miss it. With one book, Zhao has become an auto-buy author for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Child abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and War

Minor: Domestic abuse

cprimary's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Honestly not sure how I feel about this one. I agree with the most popular good reviews and the most popular bad reviews. I know I’ll be reading the next one though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

arachan's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

A sucker punch of a book.  I had to space out my reading of this because Wu Zeitan is righteously furious at the misogyny, classicism and general oppression of her existence, all beautifully and immersively written.  It's hard to handle in addition to current events.

Cannot recommend highly enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

mssrquackers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Gun violence, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

nerdy_reader_9571's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, and War

emilinkaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Zetain becomes a concubine-pilot to get revenge for her sister, who was killed. Instead of killing him outright, she ends up killing him while they're in battle, and sets off a domino affect of events that lead her somewhere she never imagined going. She ends up learning things that have been kept secret for eons, risking her life to change the world and save the concubines and their pilots, and falling in love - more than once. The only complaint I have about this book is that it ended, I wanted more!! Impatiently awaiting the second novel in this series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

amccarthy's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail