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Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy
We've waited so long for the sequel (the author talks about why that was on their social media) and it's finally here! It's filled with action, mechas, complex power struggles, political action, revolution, destroying the patriarchy, and eating the rich.
The exposition was great and engaging. I was immediately sucked in. Even in parts where it got heavily political, I was still into it because I agree with the author's stance on politics and our need for a revolution. Qin Zheng was a great addition to the cast. He's a formidable opponent/ally to Zetian and the power struggle between them is interesting. In the times that it read as a manifesto, it took me out of the story a bit. I wanted it to be more integrated in the story and I think readers who kind of get these concepts and ideas would have an easier time absorbing and thinking about them. I think a lot of the scenes were necessary and interesting, like
They kind of lost me in the last 75 pages. I was honestly a little confused about the setting and the things they encounter. While it is a sci-fi, I felt like it broke my mind a bit and challenged what I thought, but that was happening to Zetian so I experienced what she did. I don't mind the ending, I wasn't sure how it was going to wrap up anyways. BUT we got a lovely "To be continued" so Zetian story continues!!!
I like the first book more, but this was still a strong sequel! I'm still waiting and hoping for a screen adaptation because seeing this story visually come to life would be incredible.
Make sure you check the author's social media and website to make the author's amendment to page 434. Right after the line,
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Police brutality
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Violence, War
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation, Pandemic/Epidemic
After months of laughing at people describing this book as polical (bro did you even read the first one), I do actually see why this one gets called that (it's still silly).
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Classism
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Rape, Trafficking
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Homophobia, Alcohol
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy
If you're unaware of #PegAmendment & you're listening, or reading a first or second edition hardcover, check out Xiran's review or socials.
"Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seed of their own destruction."
Did this book do anything that I anticipated? Not really. Did it address the issues from the end of book 1? Yes. Was I left satisfied? Mostly? (I found out about halfway thru that its a trilogy, not a duology like I thought.)
"It’s incredible, how someone could be gone from this world, literally whisked away from the mortal earth, yet leave so many pieces behind."
Adressing the giant antlers in the room: this is an extremely toxic relationship - like an intervention should be called, but he'd kill anyone that intervened, & they'd just work it out with hate sex on the bodies. I saw at least 2 reviews about the lack of disability rep in this book - which is the opposite of the truth. Zetian spends at least half the book in a wheelchair & still has chronic pain. Spoiler
"If being on our knees was natural to us, why would they have to put so much effort into holding us down?"
Representation: Bi MCs, sapphic side character relationship off-page, disabled MC, all Asian MCs, nonbinary side character
"I mourn the people we could have been if a different world had shaped us."
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, War
Moderate: Pregnancy