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natfig's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Death, Confinement, Blood, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Cursing, Classism, Addiction, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Murder, Sexism, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Alcohol, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Excrement
Minor: Gun violence, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Vomit, Slavery, Sexism, Miscarriage, Genocide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Abandonment
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Also the huge and constant roasting to white colonizers. Get them!! I am with Rin all the way down through her desire to burn everything down.
Venka, Kitay and Ramsa, my beloveds.
Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, War, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Rape, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Death, Gun violence, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Torture, Child death, Colonisation, and Slavery
Moderate: Abortion
pages_with_panda'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
4.0
Every character had their own personality, their own desires and felt fully fleshed out in a way that was not done in the first book.
Rin’s desperate to fight for someone, anyone, and in this book she finds just the person who could command her towards vengeance against Empress Daji.
The writing of her character was great - you’re not supposed to like Rin, especially after all she’s done but I still sympathized with her. She talks a lot of compartmentalization but she has to cope with everything she’s done and I’m glad Kuang forces that onto her. It seemed like her character developed more in this book than in the first one when she went from peasant girl to soldier.
Kitay and Nezha are also in this book, as well as the Cike, and I really loved that they didn’t seem like side characters in the background. Kuang has a way of writing everyone into a story that makes them seem real.
The politics and war get even deeper in this book as well, and it’s hard not to get sucked in to the story.
It was great in the worst way because of the violence, gore, war, blood, etc. It’s hard to say I enjoyed a book where nothing good happens, but I did. Read the content warnings. But also there’s so much that happens I may have missed a few triggers.
Off to the next book!
Graphic: Gun violence, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Torture, Racism, Violence, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Abortion, and Medical trauma
jens6791'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: War, Violence, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement and Colonisation
ianreadsbookssometimes'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
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Sexual violence, War, Xenophobia, Confinement, Drug use, Racism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Death, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Medical content, Child abuse, and Torture
ka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The world building continues to amaze as R.F. Kuang weaves a politically and socially devastating tale of colonialism, war and peace.
Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Rape, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, War, Colonisation, Cursing, Self harm, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Abandonment, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Genocide, Abortion, and Excrement
Minor: Dysphoria, Deportation, and Ableism
delvesinshelves'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
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Animal death, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Blood, Child death, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Rape, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Violence, and Murder
rk08's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Body horror, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, War, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Violence, Confinement, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Gore, Colonisation, Murder, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Miscarriage
taroroot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Gore, Violence, Drug abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Drug use, Death, Blood, Vomit, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Gun violence
alyanna_dm'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Violence, Blood, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, War, Addiction, Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture