Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

151 reviews

may_alyse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75

a murderous, raging, and unflinching female protagonist is all ive ever wanted to read about. i love this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Torture, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Rape, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Body shaming

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.

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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

tlbignerd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

3.25

From almost the beginning I realized where the story was going and what the big reveals might be, so I had a harder time staying focused. But I still loved some of the real character and lifestyle flaws and the underlying systemic issues.

This is certainly a Young Adult type of story, with a budding romance between characters throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and War

Minor: Death of parent

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

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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

andrewbenesh1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, War, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Genocide, Colonisation, Death of parent, Child death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Torture, Racism, and Murder

ashesbrooke's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death of parent and Rape

Minor: Sexual violence, Racism, Domestic abuse, Confinement, and Body shaming

emmahe's review against another edition

medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Death, War, Blood, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Gore, and Grief

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Child death

Minor: Sexual assault

fatherprozac's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Pretty much scratched every itch for female rage and vengeance I've ever had. I felt the urge to scream my soul out along with Zetian at every turn and was always left satisfied. 

I loved the inclusion of a polyamorous triangle. I've never read a book with one before. Honestly, I also really loved that Zetian crushed her family (literally) in the end. I was so disappointed by the initial "be the bigger person" turn but it was SO perfect how it was really just used as a weapon against her. Sometimes the rotten family really does just have to pay for their behavior and/or passiveness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Death, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Xenophobia, Ableism, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Sexual content

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Colonisation, Homophobia, and Animal death

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

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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

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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