Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

764 reviews

kasssidyy's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Damn. Another horribly violent, utterly captivating book. 

This wasn’t as good as the first. The middle was quite boring - interesting but repetitive so it was a bit of a push. Rin is so annoying but can’t help to love her. Nezha sucks

Part III was fantastic. I wanted to throw up but I loved it. 

There’s so many content warnings. Just assume every one is in there

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Murder, War, Torture, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Rape, Gore, Drug use, Death, Child death, Addiction, Blood, and Genocide

theshanana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-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: Sexual violence, Rape, Xenophobia, Violence, Gun violence, Racism, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Child death and Forced institutionalization

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I did not enjoy the first half of this book. It was just the same thing over, and over, and over. War, war, war. I was honestly confused a few times wondering “how could we possibly have moved on so fast to battle just to have the same conflict in a slightly different context” 
But for a second book, overall it was quite good. I’m feeling more & more attached to these flawed characters. Again, very Game of Thrones esque.

You also need to be careful getting attached to characters… like in Game of Thrones

There was also a kinda sorta enemies to lovers thing going on that I loved! It’s refreshing to read something where romance isn’t the primary focus, not even the secondary focus, but is still acknowledged.
I’m so interested to see how this story ends…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Torture, Racism, Physical abuse, Death, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Drug abuse, Gore, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Hate crime, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Slavery, Alcohol, and Vomit

If you’re here, presumably you’ve read the first book. I would say this second book has moments where it is harsher than the first… more graphic. But if you were able to handle the first book, you should be fine.

literaryloquacity's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Genocide, Drug use, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, War, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Violence, Torture, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, and Blood

supermando's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

This book was a ride! It started in the middle of action and never really let go. I was nervous as usual going into the second book when I already thought the first was great. I didn’t really see what direction the story was headed for a while that would make sense. Well, nothing to worry about there and we have clear direction going into the third

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Gore, War, and Torture

adisiki's review

5.0

So good!!!!!!!!! I’m so obsessed with Rin’s journey, her friendship with Kitay is so sweet and her complicated relationship with Nezha is so well-done. The writing is so good, the pacing was great in this one, there was a never a dull moment for how long it is, and I can’t wait to see how the series wraps up. This story brings out such strong feelings in me, the racism and religious zealotry of the Hesperians is so real and parallels to our real world in a sickening, sad way.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Murder, Racism, Death, and War

voypel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced

• 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

4.75

Summary:
The Dragon Republic is a great military fantasy sequel of „The Poppy War“. Decidedly less explicit but just as dark and full of strong character development, it draws not only a compelling fantasy story, but also a twisting caricature of past and modern history. If you liked the first part, you will probably also enjoy this. Rebecca Kuang  kept her enthralling and merciless writing style, leaving one reeling after the read.
.25 were docked for some strange pacing and interrelation in the middle part.

Storytelling & Characters:
This book has even more of the cold tactical realities the first book already employed, making this even more into a military fantasy. The  change between withdrawn top down perspective during tactical meetings and close reality of the strong characters is really well executed.
I loved the character developments

especially Venka and Nezha, these two are so strong. I never read a kinda enemies to lovers/friends as good and realistic as Rin and Nezha.

, and after losing herself completely in the first book, this one focusses on Rin trying to find herself and a sense of living. Also, I always respect seamless introduction of new important characters and the killing off of liked ones.

Pacing:
Really good pacing, plotwise more medium fast, but the tension points are placed so well that you basically can’t lay it down.

Tldr:
Good book, please read it. Equally ruthless and dark as the first one but not es explicit, it catches you completely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Racism and Rape

anitaboeira's review

4.5

It's gritty. But it's also better fantasy world building and plotting and characters than Martin and Jordan could even dream of. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Murder, Rape, Xenophobia, War, Grief, Gore, Genocide, Drug use, Colonisation, Blood, Torture, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt

jomicoop's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Rape

thespellboundlibraries's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Rape