Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

90 reviews

iydpyd'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This wasn’t an easy read but it was very well crafted. Following lots of trigger warnings, I would definitely recommend it. 

There were a couple parts that lagged for me

mostly after she leaves the academy and is integrating into the Cike. Idk why that section in particular felt grueling but it did

but the pacing was steady and the story never really felt stuck. 

I think the book does a great job of walking us through complex and hard ideas and world building.

Considering the decisions Rin ends up making, I was impressed by how we were led to this place in a way where we could clearly track how we go there.

I paused a lot to consider morality, power and most of all exploitation and oppression. 

For a story that covers so much ground and has something of a tone shift when a military school story turns into a war story, it didn’t feel disjointed. It’s not hopeful. It doesn't make you feel warm about humanity. There’s not much “goodness” in this. 

I don’t think it’s the best book to pick up if you’re in a place of deep anxiety or feeling fragile personally. It didn’t nothing to help with my general anxiety, which was already peaking, during the week I was reading it. 

I’m halfway through The Dragon Republic and I’m have more criticisms of that one. I don’t know about the whole series, but I do think this first book was very much worth the read- if only for the execution (of the story.) 

Other scattered thoughts about the book: I did find it interesting how much I disliked Altan. It’s not like we don’t get an explanation of his characters and how much abuse he suffered and why he is the way he is. The kid lost his entire country and people. He was used over and over again. He carries depths and depths of pain. It’s not even his decisions that irked me, really. In a book full of cruelty and morally questionable and sometimes downright reprehensible choices, his choices weren’t the thing that challenged my sympathy. Maybe it’s that I felt protective of Rin where he was concerned? Venus’s testimony made me physically queasy. And the reality of it made me stop and walk away for a second. I think there something about the way Rin abstracts her genocide while she’s feeling the island burning and the way the reader is forced to abstract these scenes and concepts in order to keep going with the book and the way people abstract the atrocities going on in the world to continue functioning in their daily lives. What does that mean? What does say?…It’s not a fully formed thought for me yet but it’s something to mull over.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Misogyny, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Classism, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Abortion

madsteves's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Murder, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Body horror, Abortion, and Genocide

Most of this book is about a war. While fantasy, the world is built around a true history and the atrocities described are based in fact. Although horrific, they are not written for the sake of graphic violence - but to further the plot and describe the real violence that comes with war.

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.25

I enjoyed this book much more upon re-read. I think the first time I read it I wasn’t well informed about the adult nature of this story & therefore was pretty taken aback by the violence & tragedy of it all. But going in to it a second time knowing what to expect I really really enjoyed it. 
It feels like an Asian version of Game of Thrones. Creative, heart wrenching, unexpected twists, complicated human relations, magic, it’s got it all.
This story is not for the faint of heart. It’s about young children/ young adults going through terrible things. But I think it does an amazing job depicting the truly contradictory nature of humanity. Nothing is black & white. People change their minds. The human condition is complex & doesn’t always do what is right.  
Excited to have reacquainted myself with the story & characters so I can read the next two. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Death, Drug abuse, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Violence, War, and Colonisation

Moderate: Physical abuse, Addiction, Self harm, Slavery, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Sexual assault, and Abortion

This is a book about war… and it does not take that lightly. It is very graphic & very raw. There is also heavy drug usage

it’s connected to the magic system

molaviola's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Classism, Colonisation, Addiction, Child death, Death, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Infertility, Deportation, Death of parent, Violence, War, Sexual violence, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Abortion, Torture, and Racism

tinyplanet's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexism, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Blood, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Drug use

Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Rape, Child death, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexual violence, Cursing, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Excrement, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Fatphobia, and Sexual content

nutmegandpumpkin's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I enjoyed some parts while other parts I felt like I had to slog through. I liked it enough to finish it and be happy that I did, but I didn’t like it enough to feel the need to continue the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Death, Vomit, Drug abuse, War, Abortion, Bullying, Classism, Addiction, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

edenpecha's review against another edition

Completely flat, unpredictable, and erratic characters with the pace of the book happening at unpredictable and unnecessary paces that don’t contribute to the story telling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Addiction, Rape, Genocide, Self harm, and Abortion

naemi_wn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Transphobia, Drug use, Classism, Death of parent, Mental illness, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Addiction, Gaslighting, Ableism, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Abortion, Death, Sexual assault, War, Physical abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Genocide, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

kh02's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

Everyone has raved about this book but to me it fell kind of flat. I would rate it 3 stars for the first half and 4 for the back half. There’s a specific chapter or 2 that is extremely tough toward the end, so be cautious. I sobbed listening to those chapters. The Poppy War can get VERY heavy.

They are based on the real horrors that occurred at Nanking and contain graphics of rape, baby killing, genocide, bodies floating in the rivers, etc.

I did enjoy it! It’s one I would recommend to people, but I did not love it. Wren (sp?) the main female character is very whiny, full of herself, & can get annoying. Really hoping she progresses throughout the trilogy!

Alton’s (sp?) ending is beautifully tragic and I hope his sacrifice makes a difference! Already Wren is struggling with it in book 2.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, War, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Colonisation, Abortion, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual assault

laraamaee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Wow. Ok. This was the most violent book I have ever read. I’m on a mission to read all of Kuang’s work now, and I wasn’t prepared because I thought this was fantasy. Oh no…the atrocities in this book have really happened before (Second Sino-Japanese War, Rape of Nanjing). I got nightmares when I read this before bed…

But the story is intensely gripping and Kuang’s writing is incredible as ever, even if the book’s pace speeds up Very quickly after Rin’s training. Each time I thought, No, the situation can’t get any worse… it did … and there’s 2 more books?!? How am I going to cope…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Sexual violence, Body horror, Torture, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Genocide, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Death, Sexual harassment, Gore, Animal cruelty, War, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Violence, Rape, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Suicide, and Pandemic/Epidemic