Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Iron Widow - Seele in Ketten by Xiran Jay Zhao

70 reviews

calamitydane's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

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It's not often that a sequel surpasses the original story, but Heavenly Tyrant does this with maniacal fury and whole-hearted compassion at the same time. This book broke me, built me anew, and broke me again. A beautiful story of revolution and the conflicts that come with it, this is much more than an enemies-to-lovers romance. This book has easy-to-understand explanations of communist theory and discusses feminist revolution as well. It discusses racism, feminism, classism, ableism, homophobia and even ageism. I don't know of the last time a book felt like it really changed me the way this did. Cannot recommend enough.

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Content Warnings

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

bookishmrsnelson's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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To say this series is strange would be an understatement. Sci-fi metal monsters interwoven with Chinese mythology, full of political discussion and a LOT of violence. It’s an interesting read, but it was pretty disturbing at times. 

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Content Warnings

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

havenbrown1108's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love this author, love iron widow, love Zetian, hated about 400 pages of this book. 

Shimin is the only man left in this universe i don't hate and he was only on about 5 pages of the book, at the end, after being mutilated and tortured.

Will probably read the sequel 🤷🏼

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

zombiezami's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense slow-paced

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Overall, I liked this. The beginning and end were the best organized, in my opinion. The middle really dragged. It’s not that I don’t like communist theory, not to mention communist theory inserted into fiction. I do! But tbh I’m here for the giant robot fights. 

The political range in the first book is a lot more simplistic. I get the sense that, for this book, the author had to include a lot of detail for people to understand, but it just didn’t feel like organic conversation a lot of the time. And it just went on for so long, I was like, ok we get it already!! I think a lot of the detail of the middle of the book could have been cut and it would still make sense.

Even so, I am enchanted by the world building in both this book and its predecessor. I like how the characters are evil, petty, anxious, vengeful, … just very colorful and memorable. I look forward to the third book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Classism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol

jacksons_books_and_music's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

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Last year, I said Iron Widow was one of the best books I ever read. I love the sequel even better!

The characters and the circumstances in which they have to survive are incredibly messy and imperfect. They have to make difficult decisions that are sometimes right, sometimes wrong, and sometimes it’s hard to say. I felt the characters were realistic and nuanced in an incredibly engaging way. I wish all my friends would read this series so we could all talk about it often!

The narration was great! I think it was very smart to cast two different narrators, even if one of them didn’t narrate often. 

Please keep in mind this book series is upper YA/New Adult, with content not meant for younger teens. In terms of content and trigger warnings, it would be easier to say what trigger and content warnings it doesn’t warrant. There is graphic violence and spicy content, falling short of explicit (depending on your definition).

I’m not sharing any further thoughts due to spoilers! I look forward to reading the third book in the series when it comes out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Deportation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Transphobia, Vomit, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia

the eating disorder I mentioned is actually a hunger strike

aurora4847's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I'm not sure exactly what I expected from Heavenly Tyrant, but I was definitely happy with what it was! Especially given our current situation, reading about the struggles of leading a country-wide revolution was inspiring and oddly still managed to be escapist. I can't wait for the next book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Gaslighting

Minor: Torture, Blood, Suicide attempt

This book is heavy. There are frequent betrayals of trust, medical procedures done without consent, and lots of death and brutality associated with a violent revolution.

corabookworm's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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The majority of this book was like if George Orwell wrote queer feminist fantasy, and the last part was  toxic romance and sex and fast-paced action. I honestly enjoyed this book, though I felt like it was missing a lot of things I loved from Iron Widow. The love interests are totally different (Shimin is simply not present (BRING SHIMIN BACK), while Yihzi is an asshole and has no chemistry with Zetian) and the feminine rage, while there, doesn't get to be quite as murderous and crazy. It was at least interesting commentary on politics and what a post-revolution government would look like, and while I'm still a bit confused by the ending, I look forward to reading the sequel. Definitely a good book, just didn't pack as much punch as the first. 

Also, note: This book is much more adult than the first, I would not classify it as YA. Maybe NA.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Child death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Classism

SPOILERS AHEAD!! This book picks up after the events of the first, and focuses on the political instability after revolution. There are lots of mentions of death/executions/torture, as well as riots, economic instability, etc.. Zetian continues fighting for women's rights, which involves misogyny, talks of domestic abuse, and curing disabilities when they find a way to reverse footbinding. Another big plot point is pregnancy, with mentions of abortion and miscarriages, as Zetian is forced to fake a pregnancy and her eggs are stolen without her consent to impregnate someone else. Several sex scenes that are written as violent though consensual. Battle scenes, death, war, etc..

princessazulaa's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Classism

mostlyvoidpartiallystars's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Xiran Jay Zhao is a master storyteller. A sequel every bit as good as the predecessor. I felt on the edge of my seat the whole time, twisted between so many emotions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Homophobia, Suicide

Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Blood

goggles4's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, War

Minor: Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail