Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

626 reviews

findleydunn's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment

Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia

ytzel_vr24's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book is actually the wildest thing I’ve ever read in my life. It has a really interesting combination of characters who are right but also completely merciless and borderline villainous. Super fast paced, engaging, and thrilling, but occasionally the dialogue falls flat which is why it’s a 4.5 for me. Mostly a style preference. Otherwise, an excellent book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Rape

hellavaral's review against another edition

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

lapraslassie's review against another edition

3.5

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Body shaming, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, War

simsplayer30's review against another edition

5.0

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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Classism

leftovergarlicbread's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book was so angry and raw and you could just FEEL the passion that this was written with. I loved the characters so much they were so interesting to read about i LOVED the parallels they drew between Zeitan and Shimin.

I absolutely LOVED that this turned out to be a corruption/go all the way down the path of revenge. It added a rather dark tone to tue book at the end and i ate it UP!! I fucking love when characters shlnap and completely lose it. Also seeing Yizhi shift from timid rich boy to "screw a cabin in the mountains, let's rule the fucking world" was SO WELL DONE. It creeped up so slowly until it finally hit and uou saw it all at once.

I only have rather minor complaints. Mostly in the form of little threads left unanswered. Like, what did Yizhi's tattoos mean? What happened to the Nine Tailed Fox chrysalis? I have some more thoughts but im writing this on my phone at 6 AM, i might come back and add more later.

COMING BACK TO ADD MORE!!! I've also been looking at some other people's reviews of the book and found myself agreeing with some of their points. I saw a lot of people talking about how the writing did feel a little immature and would simply tell instead of show in a lot of situations. I do agree with that. I found that the writing didn't take away from the reading experience for me, but i do definitely feel like a more refined writing style would have absolutely benefited the story.

The critique I saw that i did really enjoy was someone talking about how this is a feminist story. This is a story of how women get systematically oppressed through entirely artificial reasons and the men who create them often go entirely unpunished and even benefit from these actions. Despite this, all of the supporting characters are men. By that I mean all of the characters on Zeitan's side are men. ALl of hte other women in this book are mean, or spiteful, or traitors, and are just not supportive at all. Every other female character plays a somewhat antagonistic role in the story, and all of Zeitan's true allies are men; which feels a little antithetic the main themes of feminism and female empowerment of the book. We see so many women who were so thoroughly beaten down by the system and we never see any of them break free from it or try to. It's only Zeitan who "escapes" and I feel like if we got to see her influence inspire other women to try and change things or at the very least question their role in the world and their position in society that they fully accepted. It gave Zeitan this very strong "not like other girls" presence that I feel like didn't work out quite like the author was hoping.

Overall though I did have a good time reading this, the twist at the end was very interesting, and I will be reading the next book when it comes out!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, War, Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Medical content

Minor: Homophobia, Blood

While the main character is not explicity suicidal, she talks a lot in her inner monolouge about how she feels her life is worthless and how she doesnt care if she dies, even actively baiting death at multiple points.

katizeluka's review against another edition

0.75

adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Was really looking forward to this, was very disappointed by it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape

jacksons_books_and_music's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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: Complicated

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This is one of the best books I have ever read.

I do want to clear something up, though:

I see a lot of people saying this book is about revolution. That is actually not true. What happens in the plot is a coup, not a revolution. Yes, the main character is fighting for the common people, but there is no people’s movement. It’s just a main character and a friend or two seizing power.

That being said:

This is a strong book both narratively and on the line level. Any critiques I have are extremely minimal, and often more to do with preference.

Some people are really critical of the main character. I doubt they’d be as critical if the main character was a man. Readers deserve a wide range of women and nonbinary characters, including those who are messy and ruthless.

I do wish we had gotten to see the not-YA version that existed, but I am glad this version exists so the story is more accessible to young people. Given the themes, characters, and situations, I just feel a more adult version would have made perfect sense.

I loved this book and highly recommend it! I am definitely going to read the sequel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault

abnormal_shadow's review against another edition

5.0

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

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This book was hands down the best thing I read in 2024 and I am currently in the process of rereading this book because I loved it that much. If I ever catch the author in person, I'm giving them all my money and I'm also fighting them to the death because of the way that they made me cry.

They give me a throuple which is everything I've ever wanted in a love triangle story ever and then they immediately take it away and I just cannot handle that and I am breaking down (LI SHIMIN MY BABY BOY I LOVE YOU AND IM CRYING)/hj

but I would absolutely 100% no doubt about it recommend this book. If you want to read the best thing to come out in the past few years absolutely you should check this book out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical content

malecbanewood89's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Minor: Ableism, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma