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sowmyoats's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, Murder, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death
megb64's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Death of parent, Gore, and Sexism
stephanieheld's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Murder, Slavery, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
anjasshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Gore, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Sexual content, Child death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Racism, Dysphoria, Vomit, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
Minor: Grief
cheye13's review
- 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? No
5.0
I also don't think this book was pitched to me correctly. "A fantasy Mulan retelling" is very far from what this actually is. There's very little fantasy (more in the realm of magical realism) and the story is much more in the spirit of intricate political historical fiction. The book itself has a broader scope than just Zhu Chongba's perspective, and I found it riveting.
The nuanced depiction of gender identities as well as cultural identity in a period of colonization was expertly done. The physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven was an excellent choice and offered a significant thought exercise. The various sympathetic perspectives in war time made the story feel full and rounded. An expertly crafted piece of fiction. I plan to read the sequel in hopes that it lives up to its predecessor.
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Genocide
Minor: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Slavery
numerous instances of amputation, including genitalshelecturas's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, War, Dysphoria, and Gore
thecatconstellation's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, War, Gore, Death, Blood, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Grief, Animal death, Sexism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Ableism, and Body shaming
Minor: Suicide
the_bees_books's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Dysphoria, Gore, Ableism, Death, War, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, Body shaming, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Colonisation and Genocide
errie's review
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Transphobia, Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Body horror, War, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
rbeccamaec's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, War, Ableism, Colonisation, Death, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Body shaming, Abandonment, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Racism
Minor: Animal death, Excrement, and Vomit