Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Republika smoka by R.F. Kuang

279 reviews

nataaaliya's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

If it were possible, I'd get every word of this trilogy inked into my skin.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Gore, Death, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Ableism, Body horror, Grief, Racial slurs, Drug use, Violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Body shaming, Blood, Genocide, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Child death, Sexism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Dementia, Pregnancy, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Infertility, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Self harm, Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Domestic abuse

ilovebarbie12dancingprincesses's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Racism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Drug use, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Blood, Torture, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Drug abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Suicide, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

anispaperbacks's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

4.75

 

This is def my fav in the trilogy so far!! I just couldn't put it down, I was so engaged the whole time. I had taken a bit of a break from reading it initially because I had just gotten started and was travelling and not quite fully into the book yet but once I *was* into it, I just consumed it. I read the vast majority of it over about 2 days. It was so brilliant to see R.F Kuang further take us on the characters journey and see how things have affected them, how they've changed and developed as people, and I really felt like I was along for the ride with them, never really knowing who I could trust and it was really interesting to watch Rin's views change throughout the book as well as straight up question my own in regards to the book's politics. There were so many little twists and I had my jaw on the floor in shock quite a few times. Kuang really knows how to pick you up and throw you around like a rag doll, my emotions were all over the place in regards to the characters istg I am never getting attatched to a character ever again /od But alongside all the backstabbing and betrayal that I felt on a personal level, the book also gave us characters and character dynamics you can really root for. Particularly, Rin and Kitay. GOD they mean so much to me. I just aboslutely adore how you can really see their closeness and comfortability just through the little ways in which they interact with each other. And you better know that I am an absolute SUCKER for strong and close platonic love. I eat that shit up. If anything happens to them in The Burning God I'm going to kill myself right there on the spot. My only gripe with the book is that sometimes I'm just not really sure what I'm supposed to be picturing as the book is more focused on the action than descriptions at the time. I had the same problem with The Poppy War too, but it's literally no big deal anyway and the scenes still have really effective imagery. 

The book was much less graphic than The Poppy War but still had some tough and/or gorey scenes. 

Overall, I just super super enjoyed reading this and the ending has me so so so excited for the next book (I also am keen to get more pirate action). I hope Rin gets to go nuts she deserves it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Animal death, Drug abuse, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Death, Addiction, and Violence

Moderate: Colonisation, Excrement, Genocide, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Cursing, Racism, and Classism

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Gun violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Torture, Kidnapping, and Medical content

convalaria98's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and War

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Addiction, Violence, and Colonisation

mercuryblessed's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gore, Violence, War, and Religious bigotry

ladynocturnal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 Very heavy on war strategy and political affairs. I wish there was more character development for Rin and the Cike. The main character makes silly decisions, I understand why, but it was so frustrating. War, war never changes. 

Rin loses her powers for a large chunk of the book. The writing is still good, but I didn't pick up this book to read about a regular person.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Drug use, Racism, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Violence, and War

Minor: Chronic illness and Self harm

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

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

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