Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Republika smoka by R.F. Kuang

196 reviews

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.

---

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

aimeenotpond's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

WHAT THE FUCK.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Blood, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, and War

Moderate: Self harm, Animal death, Rape, Torture, Abortion, Vomit, and Xenophobia

getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective 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

4.75

R.F. Kuang’s sequel to the profoundly thought provoking POPPY WAR adds even more tension and impact when it comes to the effects of war. 

The story starts right where THE POPPY WAR ends. Rin is coming to terms with the events that occurred at the end of the previous book, and Kuang doesn’t hesitate to show her struggling with this.

She also shows Rin’s deep drug addled state where her reliance on opium interferes with her psyche.

As THE DRAGON REPUBLIC continues, readers see how important political alliances are in terms of war. Kuang does a great job at showing how ugly the behind the scenes discussions can be. 

This book dodged the second book syndrome. It was even more captivating than its predecessor, and it holds THE BURNING GOD to a high standard since Kuang provides so much buildup in the end. Much praise for her and this book!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Mental illness, War, Body horror, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Drug use, and Genocide

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

rexpostfacto's review against another edition

3.0

*jan Brady voice* Altan altan altan

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Xenophobia, Torture, Violence, Toxic friendship, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, and War

pagesihavenotyetread's review against another edition

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Abortion, Confinement, Suicide, Colonisation, Rape, Animal cruelty, Child death, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gore, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Chronic illness, Death, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, War, Classism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Torture

kaylynnlock's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Sexual assault, Gore, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, War, and Violence

lglais's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

 ✨ Que vontade de pular de um penhasco com esse final! ✨

Nezha, POR QUÊ?

Sério, ver como o homem branco deseja colonizar países e destruir etnias por religião e por se sentir superior, que morte.

Vontade de gritar
Não sei se consigo ler o próximo em seguida

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Religious bigotry, Blood, Xenophobia, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abortion

rstankievech's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Really enjoyed this book.  It had more character development and I felt like I understood Rin better.  It retroactively made me better understand her decisions in the first book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Rape

Moderate: Xenophobia and Torture

hamstringy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Jesus fucking Christ. This is a deeply intricate trainwreck of a book that actively raised my heart rate. 

At times it’s a little hard to understand the emotional back-and-forths that Rin goes through with regards to opium, her power, and her relation to power, but I also think that kuang does an uncomfortably good job of describing the ways that war can affect people, so what do I know?  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Classism, Drug abuse, Medical content, Colonisation, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Xenophobia, Rape, Addiction, Drug use, War, and Body horror

Moderate: Self harm

chasespace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Murder, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Gore, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Violence