Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

80 reviews

bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is dark, and it is complicated. It picks up where The Poppy War left off and continues to explore power, addiction, and the horrors of war.

The politics of this book are wonderfully complex. There are multiple different political factions, and they are all at odds with each other in different ways. Daji, Vaisra, and the Hesperians are a fascinating triad of competing villains. R. F. Kuang’s skill at depicting the horrors of war and of religious colonization is unmatched.

No scene in The Dragon Republic matches the utter horror of the massacre at Golyn Niis in The Poppy War, but this book simply never lets up on the way that it discusses and shows atrocities. You will not have a single moment while reading this book where you feel good about anything.

The pieces of the story didn’t fit together quite as well as in the first one. I think it’s just a second-book problem, but there were a few too many moving parts.

People who recommend this series for the “romance” are vile and irresponsible. The relationship between Rin and Nezha is tortured and complicated and deeply compelling. It is one of the most fascinatingly toxic relationships I’ve ever encountered. But it is less than a subplot, and if you go into these books expecting romance, you will be much worse than disappointed.

I’m probably going to need to wait another three months before I read book three.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug use, Violence, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Classism, Abortion, and Cannibalism

miavlb's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I still enjoyed this book, but it was a little more difficult to have motivation to get through this book. It's not because it was bad, but because the story felt like it was going nowhere in like the first 2/3 of the book. The first book followed Rin's journey to Sinegard and her discovering her Speerly powers. But in the second book, it doesn't feel like much happens. I understand Rin is recovering from using her powers and grieving over Altan, but the events that happen during their time at sea wasn't very interesting. And on top of that, Su Daji blocks Rin's access to her powers, so a lot of the book is just Rin sad about not having her powers. It's not until the last third of the book when she can use her powers again and the story actually picks up. Rin finally has closure with Altan's death and so much gets revealed in the end that I finally got interested in the book again. Another thing I liked was seeing Rin's relationships with Kitay, Venka, and especially Nezha. Overall, I think this is still a great book, especially if you like reading more about the political side of wars, but I liked the first book more. I am excited to read the third book but I am also worried about who else is going to die lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal death, Sexual assault, Gore, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and War

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, and Alcohol

Minor: Cannibalism

cammiem8's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

Completely brutal and exceedingly well told. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Colonisation, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Cannibalism

gioivb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Classism, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Cannibalism, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, War, Confinement, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, Child death, Chronic illness, and Cursing

livreads16's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book… omg I thought the first one was amazing. This one was even better. The pacing, the character development, the drama— amazing. I really liked the way we got to see Rin work through everything. I liked her development with the other characters and the building ( and breaking down) of relationships.

You’re gonna have to work really hard for me to get behind a Nezha redemption. He was already on thin fucking ice with that whole “all shamans should die” thing and now he got like Suni and Baji killed too? Fuck you, you betrayed Rin and she trusted you because you knew she loved you you little rich asshole fuck you

Absolutely living for Rin at the end of this book. Super excited to see her murder lots of people in the next book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Abortion, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, War, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Religious bigotry, and Vomit

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, and Medical content

toffishay's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Continues the darkness and the heaviness! I inhaled this book in about 2 days. There were times when I audibly laughed, cried, screamed. Definitely still a great read for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and the Dread Nation duology.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, Self harm, Murder, Kidnapping, Confinement, Animal death, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Classism, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Suicide, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Misogyny, Cursing, and Racism

Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Genocide, Abortion, Cannibalism, and Excrement

odp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

This series is amazing, I love it with all of my heart. It is dark, emotional and so beautifully written. Rin is written so vividly and the friendships that she has are very real. This book had me in a chokehold and I will not be able to stop talking about it for the months to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, War, Gore, Blood, Violence, Rape, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Abandonment, Cannibalism, Bullying, and Ableism

Minor: Grief, Self harm, Abortion, Cannibalism, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

whailey's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, War, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Genocide, Medical content, Blood, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Classism, Infertility, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Abortion

ccpetrikas's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, War, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual assault, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Addiction, Abortion, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

gracekilgour's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, War, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

Minor: Animal death and Cannibalism