Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

76 reviews

horrorandmagic's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, Rape, Blood, War, Xenophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Classism, Death, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, and Religious bigotry

moonystar's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Grief, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Racism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion

greatlibraryofalexandra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Well this was an Empire-Strikes-Back level punch in the face of Red Rising proportions. 

I think I'm always going to love how Kuang just refuses to make anything morally easy. I'm also delighted by how much Rin reminds me of Katniss Everdeen in that she is so frequently a petulant, somewhat selfish, blunt-minded heroin who constantly needs to be guided by people who actually are smarter/better positioned than her. She's frustrating when she refuses to listen, but the lesson is in the learning. 

This is five stars for me. I love the breadth of it, the messiness of it, and how it utilizes good tropes in personalized ways. It's searing and brutal. On to The Burning God. 


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Nitpicks:

I can't believe I'm saying this, but one weird issue I had with this book was how often Rin & others gave emotional "Fuck off" or "Fuck yous" to people - it was so casual and so flippant that at the points when these words should have carried real emotional eight, they just...didn't. In other words...I felt like in an effort to consistently make this work YA, but dark as hell, Kuang wasn't utilizing her swear words with the best emotional thrust. 

I also note that the constant use of Venka as nothing more than a mouthpiece for female rape trauma was annoying. Towards the end, when Venka began to have real use to the story, this was less bothersome, but I mention it because if Kuang was male, I'd be ripping this plot device to apart as trauma porn. 

Given that the "prologue" -ish chapter of this book included Nezha's POV, I think the book as a whole suffers from not continuing to include his POV. I see him similarly to how I saw Letty in "Babel" - I'm not sure Kuang sent enough time in his character to then write some of what he did convincingly for me. But I'm also excited t osee how it all unfolds. 

Nezha, Nezha, Nezha...here is to hoping you are a Lando Calrissian, but I don't think you are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Xenophobia, Torture, Addiction, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, War, Violence, Gore, Death, Sexual violence, Blood, and Body horror

whenjessreads's review against another edition

4.0

After the DEVASTATION that was The Poppy War, I had been putting this book off in order to protect my little heart. But it was TIME.

The Dragon Republic was HEAVY. Not dark in the way that TPW was (if you recall, TPW was a reminder of some of the more horrendous war crimes committed in the Second Sino-Japanese War), but heavy in that it was a very geopolitical view  of the machinations of civil war.

I’m not entirely sure that this book fits into the fantasy genre. While the first book was very focused on shamanism and Gods and SPARKLE magical genocide SPARKLE, they took a back seat in The Dragon Republic, leaving the forefront for the war efforts - which were very much based on the movements of the Chinese Civil War of the 1940s. I would probably class this as historical fiction with a teensy bit of magic. For people who don’t enjoy historical fiction, this could be an issue. But maybe its a sneaky way for Kuang to teach us fantasy readers some things about our own world’s history 😂

I don’t read many war-based novels, but it presents an interesting dynamic when the main antagonist is absent through most of the book. This does tend to lessen the feeling of tension and lower the stakes a little, but… Kuang’s writing just does something to me. Would I usually be invested in a naval military fantasy with an absent antagonist? No. In fact, that’s why I stopped reading Game of Thrones. But the beauty of the writing in TDR kept me engaged.

I liked the portrayal of the MC. Rin is… not a good person (keep in mind she is Mao, in this version of Chinese history). She was a prideful, flawed and messy character (they all were!) and her experience of trauma and addiction is one that I thought was compelling and important.

However the MOST striking thing about this book was the representation of inequality, scientific/biological racism, and xenophobia. Every few pages I found myself inwardly cringing at the blatant reminder that throughout our world’s history, there have always been people who have been considered ‘other’, and ‘lesser’.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Abortion, Death, Gore, Addiction, Genocide, Misogyny, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicide, Xenophobia, Rape, Grief, Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, War, Colonisation, Body horror, Violence, Murder, and Racism

shaunaxx'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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Classism, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Kidnapping, War, Vomit, Colonisation, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Alcohol, Death, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Genocide, Addiction, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Violence, Gore, and Medical content

Moderate: Ableism and Cannibalism

Minor: Abortion

ianreadsbookssometimes's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

RF Kuang needs to stop hurting my heart. 

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Content Warnings

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

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

Omg. I can’t imagine this series ending with the next book. The Dragon Republic is a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute Rin is in desperate need of rehab, the next, she’s all powerful. Then she’s not and so on. Also… what the fuck Nezha?!!? 

The world building continues to amaze as R.F. Kuang weaves a politically and socially devastating tale of colonialism, war and peace. 

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Content Warnings

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

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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

5.0

why would R.F. Kuang do this to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Rape, Violence, Misogyny, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, and War

donatio's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm not sure I always liked Rin, but I liked the Cike and Kitay and I think though it was brutal that it was brutally honest. About war, discrimination, crimes and colonialism. It's not beautified in any way and I think that's the only right way to tell this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Animal death, Body horror, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Classism, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Rape, War, Kidnapping, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Classism, Violence, Misogyny, Confinement, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Pregnancy, Addiction, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Genocide, Excrement, and Cannibalism