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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
It's definitely a slower read than the first book, because it's much more concerned with politics, but I once I started to get antsy the plot always kicked in.
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, War
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Transphobia, Vomit, Lesbophobia
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
The way that Wu Zetian is written is ah idk how to explain it. She is incredibly selfish and uneducated. However, she has a lot of character growth in learning how politics, economics, and laws have been created. She also finally recognizes that other women exist, even though I don't think she ever gets to the point where she doesn't believe she's not the center of the world. I think this is pretty accurate of the average person though. Most of us are so wrapped up in our own thoughts and experiences, we forget that we exist in communities with others.
I believe it's important to critically think, so I do have a couple critques. Despite Zhao's AMAZING writting exploring the dismantling of gender, class, and capitalistic systems (and slightly ablism)-there is no exploration of dismantling powers that support race. Throughout the book, there is about two or three mentions of people with different skin colors, but there isn't a discussion about it at all. Now, I do get that American racism is different from other parts of the world's racism/colorism, but I geninuely doubt that a fictional world that has capitalism and sexism remains without racism/colorism. If this aspect was included, this book would have been a 5 star for me. It's also important to recognize the violence throughout both books. I don't believe that true governmental changes can occur without some violence, but I do believe real change has more love and more community in it. I think this series should have been a duology though. I'll 100% still read the third book, but I'll agree with other reviews that this story should have ended here. Also the end lmao, wild.
I loved that there was a call to action at the end of this book. Zhao starts and ends their book very beautifully. It's warmth to read trigger warnings, clarifications about the origins that are tied but not directly reflective of history, and clarifications about systematic change.
"It is not human nature to accept subjugation."
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism
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
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Abortion
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy
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: 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