Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

271 reviews

sxbui5's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Gun violence, Confinement, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Murder, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Rape, Physical abuse, Cursing, Classism, Mental illness, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Torture, Sexism, and Blood

madelinejohnson918's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Death, Genocide, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Gore

johnathanwet's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I have so much praise for this book but I just finished it and cannot get my thoughts in order yet.

Absolutely phenomenal read. Don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was just so difficult to get through, the brutality is next level.

For later:
- historical context
- bodily autonomy 
- substance abuse 
- reality of war 

I will come back once I’ve finished reeling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Child death, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Classism, Colonisation, Pregnancy, and Gore

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

eloisereading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense

• 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: Sexual assault, Child death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Rape, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Addiction, War, Abortion, and Death

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

harvey7leah's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

Jesus. While I found Rin to be a pity party in the first half, I was completely unprepared to swept away by the second half of this book. There were so many moments that on retrospect were obvious, but while I was in the thick of it I could not see coming. Ready to devour The Burning God like the Phoenix has taught me!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Medical content, Drug use, Addiction, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Grief, Genocide, Self harm, Rape, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Classism

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

readwthsam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Violence, Addiction, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Medical content, Grief, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Murder, and Death

Minor: Abortion and Sexual assault