Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

87 reviews

fuguefire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really liked this book! I thought the main character was very compelling. Reading the reviews, it is understandable how people could want a little more fleshing-out of her personal character, but personally, I felt like I completely understood her motives and emotions. More importantly, she did what I as the audience needed her to do--

which was kill all those a**holes

. To enjoy this book, you really have to support women's rights AND women's wrongs.
As a poly person myself, I was over the moon to finally get a poly relationship in a fantasy novel! I will say, I wish there was a little bit better communication in the relationship, but I feel like this can be forgiven because this seems to be an action-first book, and the romance aspect is not even really second in line of importance here. 
All-in-all, I am so excited to read the next book in the series. I will be recommending this book to my friends, and can't wait to hear what they think.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Sexual assault, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Sexism, War, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Fatphobia, Classism, Rape, Abandonment, and Kidnapping

Minor: Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Rape, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail

ireadqueerbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Genocide, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, War, Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders

lolaslalaland's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

3.0

Mech-suits, spiritual energy, alien fights, I mean this was awesome. It reminded me of Pacific Rim, but also of the manga Darling in the Franxx, especially with the whole male and female pilots for the machines and needing to match each other's power levels. 

I really did love the whole concept of the book, but I very quickly got tired of the sexism narrative. After a while, the plot and storyline got swallowed by the main character's constant anger at the fact that she is a girl and girls don't get treated equally. Listen, there is nothing wrong with having a fantasy/sci-fi book criticize sexism and misogyny by placing it as a societal standard in the world building, but I'm a little tired of seeing it. And this book would not let up on it. Because of that I often felt like there wasn't enough character development, world building and general good story-telling. 

But that's not to say there weren't some positives about the book, I already mentioned the really cool premise of giant machines fighting aliens, and the ending was actually a very interesting twist, also I really loved the relationships in the book, the concept of love and how it can't adhere to rules and the more you have it, the better, shouldn't be limited by gender. I didn't have a bad time reading this book, but I probably won't pick up the sequel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Torture, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Slavery, Classism, and Body horror

Minor: Homophobia

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This was intense and awesome! I loved seeing historic China reimagined in a sci-fi context with epic mechs. The characters are strong, as are their motives, and the world building is vivid. I also love that everything I wanted or predicted happened, from relationship development to two major twists toward the end. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Rape, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Slavery, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

bookish_paws's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, War, Torture, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, and Grief

Moderate: Body shaming and Suicidal thoughts

julesadventurezone's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Torture

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Genocide, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, War, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia

emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Blood, Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Torture, and War

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

jjjreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Body shaming, Misogyny, Racism, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Confinement, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Vomit

Minor: Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, and Fatphobia

read_intheclouds's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Such a great read and cannot wait for this author to release more! Also the author is very active on social media and a genuinely lovely person so tag her and she will most likely interact with you! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Torture, Slavery, Addiction, and Toxic relationship

griffinthief's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and War