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Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, War, Classism
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Eating disorder
It's definitely a slower read than the first book, because it's much more concerned with politics, but I once I started to get antsy the plot always kicked in.
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, War
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Transphobia, Vomit, Lesbophobia
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, War
Minor: Confinement, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Classism
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Medical content
The way that Wu Zetian is written is ah idk how to explain it. She is incredibly selfish and uneducated. However, she has a lot of character growth in learning how politics, economics, and laws have been created. She also finally recognizes that other women exist, even though I don't think she ever gets to the point where she doesn't believe she's not the center of the world. I think this is pretty accurate of the average person though. Most of us are so wrapped up in our own thoughts and experiences, we forget that we exist in communities with others.
I believe it's important to critically think, so I do have a couple critques. Despite Zhao's AMAZING writting exploring the dismantling of gender, class, and capitalistic systems (and slightly ablism)-there is no exploration of dismantling powers that support race. Throughout the book, there is about two or three mentions of people with different skin colors, but there isn't a discussion about it at all. Now, I do get that American racism is different from other parts of the world's racism/colorism, but I geninuely doubt that a fictional world that has capitalism and sexism remains without racism/colorism. If this aspect was included, this book would have been a 5 star for me. It's also important to recognize the violence throughout both books. I don't believe that true governmental changes can occur without some violence, but I do believe real change has more love and more community in it. I think this series should have been a duology though. I'll 100% still read the third book, but I'll agree with other reviews that this story should have ended here. Also the end lmao, wild.
I loved that there was a call to action at the end of this book. Zhao starts and ends their book very beautifully. It's warmth to read trigger warnings, clarifications about the origins that are tied but not directly reflective of history, and clarifications about systematic change.
"It is not human nature to accept subjugation."
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Police brutality
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy