Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

632 reviews

xoemax's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Classism

Minor: Colonisation

mrgattman's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The end is extremely rushed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Homophobia

tekoppstok's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder

Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent

The content warnings make the story seem like a downer. It very easily could have been a very depressing book. Instead, the passionate rage and desperation of the main character buoys the narrative into something much more fierce and addictive than doom and gloom, even at the very darkest moments. It's fight or flight the whole way through, with heavy emphasis on fight.

lavendermoons's review against another edition

2.75

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I really wanted to like this. Loved the female rage, the setting, the disability rep

, the fact that it's a real love triangle

. But I didn't find myself rooting for the characters,

the answer to violence was always more violence,

the love story didn't work for me and the ending was just... frustrating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture

taque's review against another edition

4.5

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

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death of parent, Alcohol, War

Minor: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail

liquorcanthropy's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, War

the_quickening_tree's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence

rubybastille's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark 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

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I would never have thought anyone could pull off blending elements of imperial China with sci-fi mecha warfare and Hunger Games-esque media manipulation, not to mention a dazzling love triangle (*not* the kind you’re thinking of), but this book DOES IT. Zetian, who has bound feet and a limited education because of her patriarchal society, enlists in the fight against alien invaders in order to get revenge on the male pilot who murdered her sister.

That gets accomplished almost immediately. After that, it’s Zetian unleashing potential she never thought she had, plotting to overturn the pilot system and possibly the entire government, and piloting a majestic mecha to new heights while she’s at it. She does it with the help of equally mistreated male pilot Shimin and media scion Yizhi, possibly the only decent males in the entire world.

Zetian starts off already overflowing with cutthroat, righteous anger, and she shaves away any and all traces of kindness or compassion as the book progresses. YMMV on how much you enjoy a protagonist like that. For the most part, Zetian is easy to root for, but I get the feeling the second book will be a very different Zetian.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking

Minor: Confinement

kindagayash's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence

blckmoonlillith's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Sexual harassment