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Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, War
Minor: Domestic abuse
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, Injury/Injury detail
This story and it's main characters are so angry and rightfully so! It's exhausting being female in a society, that devalues exactly that. Your existence alone is a burden sometimes. It's good to have it addresses here while simultaneously not devaluing men on the basis of their gender alone. The book is also pretty brutal and cold, which in turn made me a little annoyed to read it, but I know that just stems from me being a very emotional person and here, it was mostly based on thoughts and strategy and that's just not really my vibe. It's definitely a good book tho! Angry and full of strategy as it is. That probably makes it even better for certain other people ^^
One of the main points I liked it better was the very lovely display of polyamory, which I find lacking in a lot of literature, and honestly, this here was the best love triangle! I can't wait for the next book and also I want to see more healthy polyam ships in books, it's amazing! :)
"Look on the bright side, I tell myself. After this, I can die. Finally. Being alive has been painful, exhausting, and disappointing."
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Violence, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
Cannot recommend highly enough.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, War
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Colonisation
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, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Murder, War
Moderate: Death, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Colonisation
blackened bones left in its wake and could destroy worlds with the sheer size of it. I love her because of that rage - her internal monologue and unhinged choices helped - but it is her rage that resonates so greatly for me. The fact that she is able to combine that rage with a giant mecha makes me seriously jealous.
Xiran Jay Zhao is very good at including bits of humor that in no way detracts from the seriousness of the topics the book is mainly focused on. If I tried to share my favorite examples of this the review would never get posted because there are too many to choose.
This book also has a true love triangle and I utterly adore it- all three characters loves and supports each other - including their flaws - and the sheer rightness of such relationships could clear my skin & water my crops for years. Yizhi and Shimin are not just paper doll men - they each each have very distinguished personalities
and goals that make their affection for Zetian & each other a much more dynamic read than 95% of love triangle' romances. As a bonus they both Stan for Zetian as much as I do! Let them all have a little murder as a gift.
The multiple twists towards the end are well done and have me vibrating with excitement about the sequel. It has only taken one book to make me a lifelong Xiran Jay Zhao fan! That being said this book hits on some very tough topics so please check out trigger warnings ahead of time!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Torture, Gaslighting
Minor: Suicidal thoughts