Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

199 reviews

tarasoraptor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Violence, Drug use, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Death, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Addiction, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder

xx_salem's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

The first 200 pages of this book where incredibly difficult to get through, I would put it down for weeks and only get through a couple pages. Reading it made me feel good and intelligent and yet I don’t think I picked up nor absorbed much of the content or the message for the first while. The last 200 pages though were intense and interesting and I couldn’t put it down. The ending was satisfying and made me want a second book so I could watch the fallout, it felt realistic. But I never loved the characters, their deaths meant nothing and I simply couldn’t be attached to any of them. They felt so lackluster and unfeeling, it was really the plot and the intrigue and what thoughts it provoked that made this book good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Misogyny, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, War, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Abandonment, Cursing, Drug use, Racial slurs, Slavery, Gun violence, Body horror, Car accident, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexism, and Toxic friendship

sweetpersephone's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

3.5

Fascinating examination of colonisation and living under colonialism through fiction. Anyone interested in how colonisation impacts language would be particularly encouraged to read it. One of the most unique magic systems I've come across. On the negative side, felt that the darker skin characters were under developed which reduced the impact of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Violence, Classism, Racism, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, and Torture

Moderate: Drug abuse and Sexual harassment

legendarycai's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

the writing and content was phenomenal. there were so many paged i tabbed and quotes that moved me. it touches so many important topics and i loved how i really felt like i was learning more about languages and people and history. the pacing was NOT it for me. i was asleep half the time when reading, but the writing was so good....i had to keep reading. also maybe i should research content warnings before i read bc.... LOL THE ENDING. anyway content warnings are so mid...i like a surprise.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Slavery, Murder, Gaslighting, Torture, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Genocide, Colonisation, Suicide, Racism, Racial slurs, Classism, and War

blayrrison's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Genocide, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Slavery, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

scruffie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I think this is one my favorite books of all time. Also, I'm in love with Kuang's writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Gaslighting, Torture, Racism, Colonisation, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Racial slurs

_13stars's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Grief, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Murder, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

toniboi's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

Instant favorite.  R.F. Kuang's writing style is captivating and deeply impressive.  Her use of footnotes cleverly reflects the scholarly setting while enhancing the reading experience.  The characters are full, varied, and mercilessly realistic.  It may be historical fiction, but every page is relevant to today.  Babel unapologetically depicts the truth that resistance is never palatable to the oppressor, no matter what form it takes.  Even if you don't typically read fantasy or dark academia, read, read, READ this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and Racism

Moderate: Classism, Suicide, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

lilly24's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

A beautiful book, in and out. Loved it. Let you staring at the wall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Death, Slavery, Racial slurs, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Racism, Misogyny, Classism, Hate crime, Abandonment, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Xenophobia

yzer2468's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, Racism, Confinement, Grief, Violence, Colonisation, Deportation, Classism, Death, Murder, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Blood, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Gore, War, and Drug use

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Slavery, and Genocide