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Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, War
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Colonisation
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Abortion
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, War
Minor: Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide, Pregnancy
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
This book has a very different pacing from that of the first book. While Zetian was under the influence of one bad system, she becomes essentially a caged person of another system in the second book. And while that changes the pacing, how a revolution works (I would love if Xiran actually wrote nonfiction regarding revolution, communism, capitalism and intersectionality) is much slower at a more glacial pace. And while what we see is communism, this is essentially a dictatorship under Qin Zheng, who might as well care about the masses, truly doesn't understand that a lot of things can go wrong in his vision and a lot of people can interpret, nor does he has the ability to see people's lives through a different lens. To people who are shipping him with Zetian, I really want to let you know that he might be bringing in results and change, but he's definitely not a good guy. He violates Zetian's autonomy multiple times, and doesn't let her choose. I believe he likes her because he wants to 'tame the shrew' something neither Shimin or Yizhi ever tried, and I can practically smell those Darklina shippers who are going to come here shipping Qin Zheng and Zetian and I am heavily disappointed.
As for the romantic relationship takes a complete backseat. That is okay for me, I would rather have no romance than be a shitty one, but IDK why Zetian needed to sleep with Qin Zheng in the physical realm at least. While I am not shaming her for sleeping with someone other than love interests, her actions can have bad consequences which could have been avoided.
And the final segment of the book is just insane. All this for capitalism and getting orichalcum (come on it's orichalcum from Atlantis) is good. All in the name of capitalism and all I can say what's going to be the conclusion of this series? Capitalism is bad, but communism and dictatorship is bad as well so what's the ideal system that Xiran wants for their fantasy world?
Overall I had a fun time. It was a good book.
P.S.: I knew Shimin was coming back. But man I missed him dearly throughout the book. I never wanted to hug a man in a book this badly!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Dysphoria
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury