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naeara's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Colonisation, Suicide, War, and Racism
bernika999's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was amazing.
I would recommend 100 per cent. I had finished the Poppy War series and would recommend reading that first. Not because you have to. You don't. But I think this book hits harder when you do.
The connections between them kills man.
I'd admit that it's a slow start, I mean it was for me. The footnotes are lengthy and sometimes the terminology goes over your head. However, that doesn't matter, at all, it didn't prevent the book from getting five stars from me. Very painful but definitely worth it. Wish I could read it again for the first time.
And all her other books, are all 5 stars for me, must read them.
I would recommend 100 per cent. I had finished the Poppy War series and would recommend reading that first. Not because you have to. You don't. But I think this book hits harder when you do.
The connections between them kills man.
I'd admit that it's a slow start, I mean it was for me. The footnotes are lengthy and sometimes the terminology goes over your head. However, that doesn't matter, at all, it didn't prevent the book from getting five stars from me. Very painful but definitely worth it. Wish I could read it again for the first time.
And all her other books, are all 5 stars for me, must read them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: War, Racism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, and Blood
discocaptain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.25
what else do i fucking say, r. f. kuang has brought me to my knees. i have things to pick at but they're not important right now. all that comes to mind is how painfully real it felt to me. i can already see this being a "dark academia" staple in the same way that a secret history or the dead poets society is, which is not necessarily a bad thing and i want to say i ALSO like them but can we be real for a second and forget that? its an evolution past these stories. it's an attempt to infiltrate and blast through the silver laden halls of the ivy league. it's the futility of trying to love a place that does not love you back. it's trying to hold two things in your mind at once, two contradictory things. robin is an excellent protagonist and the undergrads are a wonderful ensemble. it's a bit obvious and a bit overt and a bit heavy handed but, well, as those that have read it to completion know: toppling empire necessitates violence. learn. internalize. listen. understand. this book is just begging you. listen, and then act.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Suicide, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Cultural appropriation, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, War, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, Gun violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
katiesully1000's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
A true masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
butlerebecca's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
Wish this was 100 pages shorter but feels ridiculous to give this less than 5 stars
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Classism, Death, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, War, Colonisation, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
ira_22_3's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wanted to love this book. It just did not tickle my pickle. In saying that, here are some things I throroughly enjoyed. As someone who loves a bit of etymology, the notes on words and the detail of match-pairs was super interesting. The author also manages to talk about race, colonialism and activism with such sense that it really gets you thinking, especially as a white person. The ending was super powerful.
HOWEVER. The plot didn't feel very intentional to me, it seemed to drag on and either spend way too much time on things or jump from one thing to the other. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, nor did I understand their actions at times. I'm sad to say that it just wasn't for me.
HOWEVER. The plot didn't feel very intentional to me, it seemed to drag on and either spend way too much time on things or jump from one thing to the other. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, nor did I understand their actions at times. I'm sad to say that it just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide
aturb92's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book is only getting three stars because I enjoyed the first couple hundred pages so much, and genuinely wanted to love it. For how much struggle the four main characters go through I feel there was no depth to them. Other than being minorities at Oxford, which isn’t a personality type but a fact of each of their lives. For how talented I have heard Kuang is, I feel she could have made them more relatable and alive.
We wont’ talk about the ending, but it is what it is.
We wont’ talk about the ending, but it is what it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Suicide, Racial slurs, and Murder
jiwiz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
I'll start off with a disclaimer; This was my first time listening to an audiobook, and I've often had trouble paying attention to audio so there may be some portions that I missed. For example, I didn't realise Robin was wasian until much later than when it was revealed. Even so, I was captivated by the story.
I'd describe this book in one sentence as a loud 'Fuck you' to western colonialism. I've seen people criticise how on-the-nose it is. It drives its point home in such a glaringly obvious way that it's impossible to misinterpret it. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about that quality. There are definitely moments where I think it could've been communicated more subtly. The magic system was also a little difficult for me to understand, but maybe that's the audiobook effect, or it was meant to be a little abstract. I did enjoy the characters. I saw myself a lot in Robin.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Solid read for someone like me with a very casual interest in language and etymology!
I'd describe this book in one sentence as a loud 'Fuck you' to western colonialism. I've seen people criticise how on-the-nose it is. It drives its point home in such a glaringly obvious way that it's impossible to misinterpret it. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about that quality. There are definitely moments where I think it could've been communicated more subtly. The magic system was also a little difficult for me to understand, but maybe that's the audiobook effect, or it was meant to be a little abstract. I did enjoy the characters. I saw myself a lot in Robin.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Solid read for someone like me with a very casual interest in language and etymology!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, Colonisation, Murder, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Torture, Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Violence, Racism, and Suicide
Minor: Blood
lailaps's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Suicide
johannaplatt's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Low fantasy tale set in the 1830s. This book ended up taking a path I did not expect, but massively enjoyed. The narratives about rampant colonialism and the impact of the British Empire were insightful and interesting. Obviously the silver bars are fictional, but stealing resources from colonized countries happened, with the expectation that native people should be thankful for being shown how to be "civilised". I felt really connected to the core four and their friendship - I think we have all had a friend where we connect deeply very quickly. Weaving in worker strikes was clever and showed another aspect of how colonialism also hurts those at the bottom of society in the home land. I was gripped by this book from start to finish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Colonisation, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Suicide, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders