Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

41 reviews

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

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

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Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Rape

kalehouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

fast paced, hard to put down, reminiscent of hunger games in many ways. the writing was a little cheesy / clunky at times, but overall really enjoyed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

there are certainly some heavy themes, but it never feel gratuitous. everything helps situate the reader in the world our characters live in and to understand why our characters might behave in certain ways

anniereads221's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

mssrquackers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Gun violence, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

purplelake's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Abandonment

nebulasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

danielforshort's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.0

Absolutely recommend, the characters and the vibes were immaculate. But i did think sometimes at the expense of the plot, idk i think somethings could have been much clearer, <SPOILERS>
like the torture scene? We just jumped into that? I wanted more info? Like i wanted to be there when u made the plan but suddenly u just,, had him? Ok

‘You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you’

‘Just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, doesn’t mean you have the obligation to’

‘This body of mine is not big enough to contain the scale of emotion coursing through me. How could I feel a rage like this and not be able to tear the sky open and scorch the Earth’ 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War