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fantastiskfiktion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
mitta_girl452's review against another edition
- 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
Personally, I LOVED it, and was hooked from the start.
It explores so many amazing themes of sexism, family, love, guilt, war and grief, and its all done so beautifully. I really enjoyed the anger that Zetian has towards men, and her platonic adoration for women and their strength.
I LOVE her quote:
"He does not get to make me a statistic."
As I survivor of sexual assault, that really hit home with me. When I read for the first time I stopped, put down the book and immediately wrote it out and put it up on my wall. It's just so powerful.
It is a very dark book, and if you are someone with poor mental health or easily triggered by anything you see in the content warnings below, I possibly wouldn't recommend this to you.
I love how this book speaks about the stereotype that being strong means to hide emotions, be distrustful and not love, especially for women. Women who publicly show fear, love, sadness or really any strong emotion are labelled as 'weak', when really they are the strong ones, for having the courage to show that much openness publicly.
This book is definitely a must-read, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel.
The characters are loveable, the premise is exciting and interesting and the plot is so full of twists and turns that you are always on the edge of your seat.
It's a really wonderful mashup of science fiction, dystopian future, Chinese mythology and action.
Please read this
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, War, and Classism
abby_can_read's review against another edition
- 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
📖
This was an excellent re-read. I loved it. This is one of the books that got me excited about reading in 2022.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️-April 2022
📖
I loved this book.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Rape, Sexism, and Murder
eveningreverie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I’m entirely confused about the themes suddenly interjected into the book in quite literally the very last chapter.
Zeitian is definitely a badass, but her choices don’t really make a lot of sense and aren’t really explained. She has emotional realizations and then—when asked to essentially follow up on those realizations—regresses in her character development. Some of the arguments for not being shamed with one’s own body or sexuality don’t really hold up either since she is still bending to the wills of men in order to potentially (I say potentially because
I’m not sure, but the breakneck pace of the plot didn’t leave much room for characters to sit with these questions, and much less time for the audience to. I'm not saying the vengeful post-feminism has to hinge on completely shutting down any sort of desire for the masculine, but this tension is really not interrogated to the level at which the nuance would actually jump out of the page.
Gripping plot and definitely a page turner—I got through it in under a day. Feels like it lost its footing in the last couple chapters, though, as if a sequel setup was all the rest of the story was.
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape and Torture
t_higgsreviews's review against another edition
5.0
CAWPILE = 9.07
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy
scribblinginthemargins's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Still well worth a read.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Gaslighting
adalinemccormick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
oluwasina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Colonisation
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
- 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
I really love this book. It has fantastic world building, dynamic characters, and a plot that sucks you in. I love how she brings in historical figures and facts while manipulating them to be relevant to this story and world. Feminism/patriarchy is obviously the main theme tackled here, but she also tackles addiction, abuse, government corruption and oppression, and gender and sexuality.
Throughout the story we learn about how Huaxia is a country fighting against alien invaders called Hunduns, these giant round metallic creatures. For centuries they have been battling them using Chrysalises (giant magical robots crafted out of the spirit metal of Hundun corpses) which uses a two-pilot system in which one girl and one boy pilot a single vehicle.
Huaxia is rules over by the Heavenly Council, a group of "Gods" who orbit the planet. The people of Huaxia must offer up Hunduns corpses in return for the gift of technological schematics. We discover that
This world is a patriarchal hell-hole for women. Women have two choices in life: become a wife or sacrifice yourself as a pilot's concubine. Women rarely survive as a concubine as they are scaeificed to ensure the man survives.
Throughout the story we meet Zetian (the iron widow), Li Shimin (the iron demon) and Yizhi (the cinnamon roll rich boy). Zetian comes into the story roaring. There is no build up to her rage, she just wakes up and chooses violence. I love it. She is a very compelling and fascinating character. Through her we learn about the misogyny blanketing this world, suppressing women to sexual play things and property. She is determined to make the world a better place and stands up when all others cower. As she learns about the truth behind the army, she seeks to destroy it from the inside out, willing to sacrifice herself for a better future.
I really appreciate the approach she took with the love triangle that could have been. Zetian is in love with Yizhi, yet develops feelings for Shimin as well.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism