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2shadowsdeep'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Death, Classism, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery, Child abuse, War, Sexism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
katiesully1000'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
jordosba'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? No
4.5
Graphic: War, Violence, Cultural appropriation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death
theia_jensen'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Racism, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: War
butlerebecca'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
Truly baffled by how one person can make a book that’s both academically specific and written with such beautiful prose
It took adjusting to adapt to the magical realism/fantasy elements but I really like how it simplified and represented the complicated facts of colonial empire
Learned a lot too - felt like what people do with hiding medication in peanut butter for dogs - like oh here’s a novel whoops bonus you also just read a textbook!
Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, War, Colonisation, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
interrobang_1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That said, there were aspects I felt could have been stronger too -
The pacing of the book is great, and I was pretty hooked throughout. It has (for me) the ideal amount of world building. The story is engaging, but it's the way it deals with major issues facing the world today that really makes this book stand out for me.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Racism
Moderate: Slavery and Xenophobia
Minor: War
psitstorrie's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, War, Classism, and Child abuse
neonskylite'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, War, Misogyny, Sexism, Gun violence, and Slavery
Minor: Drug use and Drug abuse
liafiles'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Colonisation, War, Death, Misogyny, Gun violence, Classism, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual harassment
melodyseestrees'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
There are several characters that I wish had been explored more
It also would have been interesting to see the effects Britain was having on other places in addition to China, which may have helped cement each of our four main characters' motivations a bit better. We know explicitly that Robin and Ramy want to help their homelands but Victoire is a little unclear and Letty is Letty.
There is a really great quote about Letty and how her upbringing shapes her world:
The ending was unsatisfactory because of the epilogue.
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, War, Blood, Child death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Ableism, Classism, and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, Death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
We see body horror-esque violence precisely in one scene. There is a lot of blood-related description from that scene on.