Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

41 reviews

ungildedlily's review against another edition

challenging sad medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Violence

ends with the main characters being lynched, with some quite graphic (though not sexual) depictions of violence

pyronautphea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Trafficking, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Colonisation, and Pregnancy

laura_mcgovern's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This one wrecked me. You form such a connection to the characters, then have your heart ripped in half. Truly devastating, especially since it is based on a true story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Cultural appropriation, Sexual violence, and Police brutality

cc0906's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Rape, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Slavery

Moderate: Abandonment, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Grief, Classism, Body shaming, Excrement, and Bullying

Minor: Torture, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts

jennshelfishlife's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

 “My life was written for me from the moment the name was given to me. Or it was not. That is the true beauty. That is the intent. We can practice all we want, telling and retelling the same story, but the story that comes out of your mouth, from your brush, is one that only you can tell. So let it be. Let your story be yours, and my story be mine.”

This is a beautiful but tragically sad story of a young Chinese girl named Daiyu. Daiyu had aspirations to become a calligrapher but her life changed when she was kidnapped and ferried away to the United States. Once in California, Daiyu along with many other very young Chinese girls are put to work in a brothel. Eventually, Daiyu is able to escape the brothel only to endure more hardships in Boise, Idaho. Daiyu continues to run to find freedom and her dream of returning to China to become a calligrapher. Along the way, Daiyu converses with Lin Daiyu, her namesake, that lies within her conscious. Lin Daiyu warns and urges Daiyu through her life and is a pivotal part of the story.
As I mentioned, the story is heartbreaking. The author beautifully executes the tragedies surrounding the prejudice of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), the Rock Springs massacre and the hanging of 5 Chinese men in Idaho for killing a store owner (note that this was a kangaroo court).
Tears burned in my eyes as I was reading, fists and jaw clenched at the atrocities that the Chinese endured in the western territories in the late 1800s.
I will say there are triggers and graphic details that may be difficult to read but the author brings history to life and we should always remember and learn from our history.
I recommend this novel to those that want to learn more about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Torture, and Racism

atamano's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Confinement, Death, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia

Minor: Death of parent and Murder

truleejenann's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Trafficking

daustin_94's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

First let me say that I hate books that don't have a happy ending. This was such a hard book to get through, especially the part where the main character Daiyu is in the brothel. I almost didn't want to continue from the brutality and horror of that alone, but I decided to continue it anyways. The author has a way with words and the way she integrated Chinese script into the story telling was really amazing though I do wish the main character wasn't so passive. That's why I had to lower my rating. As we got to the final act I kept hoping that something would happen, some stroke of luck...but alas...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

mmikadze's review against another edition

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Hate crime, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs

em8ly's review against another edition

I decided not to finish this one. The beginning of the book was well written and intriguing, but the portions surrounding the brothel were too much for me to read at this time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Deportation, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation