Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

305 reviews

undergroundalto's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Classism, Gore, War, Blood, Mental illness, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Sexual assault, Violence, Bullying, Drug abuse, Grief, and Sexism

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, and Religious bigotry

harvey7leah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

Jesus. While I found Rin to be a pity party in the first half, I was completely unprepared to swept away by the second half of this book. There were so many moments that on retrospect were obvious, but while I was in the thick of it I could not see coming. Ready to devour The Burning God like the Phoenix has taught me!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Medical content, Drug use, Addiction, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Self harm, Rape, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Classism

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad 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

3.5

This book was a disappointment after the glorious Poppy War, the introduction to Kuang’s fantasy world of early 20th C China. I struggled throughout the book because I found Rin, the main character, so annoying. In The Poppy War Rin is learning about how powerful she is. For a great deal of this book, especially the first half, she’s helpless and whiny and angry and impossibly rude. She is decidedly unpleasant at best. 

I found the battle scenes riveting, and Rin’s interactions with her closest friends the most powerful. I especially liked the increasing closeness between Rin and her best friend Kitay, and I loved the scenes with the contraption he makes for her. 

I still remain in awe of Kuang’s scholarship and writing. She is always an excellent author. I’m going to read the third in the trilogy with hopes that it will be more engaging than this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Racism, Torture, Colonisation, Classism, Confinement, Violence, War, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Addiction, Blood, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

shannonverra12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad 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: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Drug use, Self harm, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Torture, Addiction, War, Genocide, Drug abuse, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Cannibalism

Minor: Religious bigotry

athenathor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, and War

tariana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.75

The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because from 20 to 60% of the book it was sooooo slow, too much details about sword fights, military strategies, extensive descriptions, which must be great for those that understand it and are into it, but for me it was boring, it was like the story was stuck. The whole thing happened in less than a year for the characters but for me it was like an eternity. In spite of that, the whole book is amazing. At two different moments I had to hold my tears, I have ene highlighted the passages. They were:
62%: “Rin… what am I going to do?”
88%: I heard what you did to that Hesperian soldier.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, War, Xenophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Racism, Self harm, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization

ghost_rider's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, War, Addiction, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Vomit, Classism, Death, Genocide, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Grief, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Torture, Sexual assault, Blood, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Racism

julia206's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Addiction

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Animal death, and Rape

brandedexplorer44's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

This is the second book in the series and it definitely packs a gut punch or two. I had to take a few breaks while reading to consume something a bit more cheerful as it’s very dark at times, but despite the descriptions being hard to read at times, it is important to read a fantasy that doesn’t treat war like a fun game.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, War, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse and Colonisation

moooddie's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Gun violence