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persachilles's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.5
i had to sit with this book for a while just to take it in. absolutely devestatingly perfect. rin's character arc is insane and i can't wait to read the rest of the series to see how far she goes. everything felt so real to me that sometimes it was hard to read because of how horrific some scenes were, but it was completely worth it. i will never get over this book
nini_reads26's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
I prepared myself before I picked up this book. When I read The Sword of Kaigen it says The Poppy War meets The Last Airbender. But still I'm not prepared for what's happened😭 running to read book 2😭
asaph95's review against another edition
4.0
3.75* rating
- Writing: 3/5
- Plot: 4/5
- Characters: 2/5
- Overall enjoyment 4/5
I didn't know how to rate this book because it took me ages to get through it. It lost my interest about halfway through but I was determined to finish it and I'm glad I did.
It's taken me a while to get my thoughts in order for this book but I'm finally ready.
CONS
* Worldbuilding - Or the lack of worldbuilding rather. The setting was vague, I don't really know or understand what the world looks like, there was a lack of atmosphere and ambience and that made it difficult to get lost in. The infodumps in this book. Oh my god. There were pages and pages of textbook-like paragraphs trying to explain things and it was awful to read. It didn't blend in nicely with the writing or the story, it was just like reading a textbook.
* Our lovely MC - No. I just did not like her at all. She was impulsive and annoying. She was literally the whiniest brat I've ever had the privilege of reading about.
* Characters - Hi, nice to meet you random-ass characters that disappear halfway through the book and hello new characters we know NOTHING about but are supposed to care for??? Excuse me, Ms Kuang please can we have some backstories for the characters so we can actually give a shit about them? Thanks :)
* Pacing - The pacing was all over the place. The first section of the book was good, the school setting was interesting but then we jump a few years into a war and it's like what the hell just happened?! Weird.
PROS
* The story itself - I really enjoyed the story, I enjoyed reading about the battles. I enjoyed how fucking dark it was. It made me feeeeel and I enjoyed that.
* Where the story is going - I'm interested in where it's going. I like that there's a blurring of morals and that we may possibly be following a villain.
Overall, I had a lot of issues with this book but for some reason I just really enjoyed it despite these issues. I can't put my finger on it, but I rate my overall enjoyment higher than worldbuilding or character development. If the worldbuilding sucks, then I'll just come up with my own in place of it. If the characters suck, then usually I'll DNF that shit but in this case, I'll let Kuang off as it's her first book and I'm hoping that there's some character development and backstories in the sequels. That being said, I think Rin has had an incredible arc in this book and I like where she's going. She's annoying and whiny but she's also a savage and I like that.
- Writing: 3/5
- Plot: 4/5
- Characters: 2/5
- Overall enjoyment 4/5
I didn't know how to rate this book because it took me ages to get through it. It lost my interest about halfway through but I was determined to finish it and I'm glad I did.
It's taken me a while to get my thoughts in order for this book but I'm finally ready.
CONS
* Worldbuilding - Or the lack of worldbuilding rather. The setting was vague, I don't really know or understand what the world looks like, there was a lack of atmosphere and ambience and that made it difficult to get lost in. The infodumps in this book. Oh my god. There were pages and pages of textbook-like paragraphs trying to explain things and it was awful to read. It didn't blend in nicely with the writing or the story, it was just like reading a textbook.
* Our lovely MC - No. I just did not like her at all. She was impulsive and annoying. She was literally the whiniest brat I've ever had the privilege of reading about.
* Characters - Hi, nice to meet you random-ass characters that disappear halfway through the book and hello new characters we know NOTHING about but are supposed to care for??? Excuse me, Ms Kuang please can we have some backstories for the characters so we can actually give a shit about them? Thanks :)
* Pacing - The pacing was all over the place. The first section of the book was good, the school setting was interesting but then we jump a few years into a war and it's like what the hell just happened?! Weird.
PROS
* The story itself - I really enjoyed the story, I enjoyed reading about the battles. I enjoyed how fucking dark it was. It made me feeeeel and I enjoyed that.
* Where the story is going - I'm interested in where it's going. I like that there's a blurring of morals and that we may possibly be following a villain.
Overall, I had a lot of issues with this book but for some reason I just really enjoyed it despite these issues. I can't put my finger on it, but I rate my overall enjoyment higher than worldbuilding or character development. If the worldbuilding sucks, then I'll just come up with my own in place of it. If the characters suck, then usually I'll DNF that shit but in this case, I'll let Kuang off as it's her first book and I'm hoping that there's some character development and backstories in the sequels. That being said, I think Rin has had an incredible arc in this book and I like where she's going. She's annoying and whiny but she's also a savage and I like that.
jessicamosc21's review against another edition
I really enjoy the premise of this book, but the war strategy I found was so boring to me. It felt like I was reading a textbook.
noorandbooks's review against another edition
5.0
There was literally nothing that could have warned me about this book and you know what? I don't care. I am certain this is one of the most important (fantasy) books, especially in these times, to read and being given any warning for how things went down would've been an incredible disservice to the horrors of this story.
That being said.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I don't know what I liked the most. Was it the characterization? Fang Runin's fall from grace? Was is the relationships? How nothing ever lasts forever? Was is the worldbuilding? How none of the war was ever depicted as anything but destructive and horrible? Was is the magic? And the horrible, horrible price of power? Was it the fact that I genuinely never knew what was going to happen next and like how did we get here, how did we get here???
I don't know my brain is mush my hands are shaking... maybe one day I will write a proper review of this story. A review of the plot, the found family (and the destruction), the character struggles, the violence and how it can be reflected directly to the real world... UGH, so much to love!
Until then, a quote hall of everything that tore me apart.
Their relationship also tore me apart! I hated Nezha but more in the way of 'I only hate you because the MC hates you, I don't care for you' and then I fell in love with him and how much he tears me apart and hahaha.
I'm 99% sure he is romantically in love with Altan and I hate that so much because now I'm a mess and now I just. I just.
THAT IS HOW YOU END A BOOK, bone chilling and making me drop the book and just. stare at the ceiling. unable to process. 5/5
That being said.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAThey seemed eminently human—vulnerable and breakable.(my favorite line from the entire book) yeah that's how I felt after reading this. instant favorite
I don't know what I liked the most. Was it the characterization? Fang Runin's fall from grace? Was is the relationships? How nothing ever lasts forever? Was is the worldbuilding? How none of the war was ever depicted as anything but destructive and horrible? Was is the magic? And the horrible, horrible price of power? Was it the fact that I genuinely never knew what was going to happen next and like how did we get here, how did we get here???
I don't know my brain is mush my hands are shaking... maybe one day I will write a proper review of this story. A review of the plot, the found family (and the destruction), the character struggles, the violence and how it can be reflected directly to the real world... UGH, so much to love!
Until then, a quote hall of everything that tore me apart.
"If you give me freedom," she snarled, "the first thing I will do is burn you alive.haha,,, looking back on this now,,,
"You darling child," he said, spinning toward her. "You brilliant child."I was lied to, I thought the book was going to be a story of the student suppressing the master. It was not that merciful
Rin's face split into a grin.
Fuck it, she thought, and leaped up to embrace him.
Spoiler
"And you almost killed me," he said.
That shut her up.
"I was scared of you," Nezha continued. "And I lashed out. I was stupid. I was a spoiled brat. I was a real pain in the ass. I thought I was better than you, and I'm not. I'm sorry."
"You can't kill me," Altan hissed. "You love me."Altan. Altan. Altan Altan Altan I've said his name so many times in the last 20 minutes, I hate that guy (I love him so much), he tears me apart (that is true), I wish I could unread this book (I am deeply grateful I got to read this).
"I don't love you," Rin said. "And I can kill anything."
He was burdened with the legacy of a million souls forgotten by history, vengeful souls screaming for justice.Altan Altan Altan Altan Altan Altan Altan Altan
Spoiler
"You are going to paint the world in Altan's blood, aren't you?"
"I'm going to find and kill everyone responsible," said Rin. "You cannot stop me."
Chaghan laughed a dry, cutting laugh. "Oh, I'm not going to stop you."
Spoiler
She was no victim of destiny. She was the last Speerly, commander of the Cike, and a shaman who called the gods to do her bidding.
And she would call the gods to do such terrible things.
itsryder_'s review against another edition
5.0
Visceral, earth shattering, and beautifully written. Kuang has created a diverse world where the gods are so present it burns.
annjulia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Violence, Murder, Racism, Rape, Animal death, Blood, War, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Addiction, Drug use, and Genocide