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maecave15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a Chinese culture inspired dark fantasy, with sections inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking/Nanjing (neither of which I am familiar with). Honestly, it was dark and violent but boring at many times.
The side characters were interesting enough, but the MC Rin was power hungry and didn't listen to anyone's advice. She was childish and annoying. I don't feel anything for her at all. I would much rather read about her step brother Kesegi, who has horrible parents and is abandoned by Rin (she never once contacts him even though she claims to have loved him and play a major role in raising him).
The world building was pretty cool, and the plot was unique to me.The powers being attained through gods is a magic system I always enjoy.
The middle section of the book lagged so much though that I almost gave up on it. I'm glad I picked it back up and finished it but I won't be continuing the series.
Trigger warning for chapter 21, it has VERY gruesome acts of violence. I can handle it but honestly with how horrifying this chapter is, the book should have a blatant warning for it. Apparently this is the section that is heavily based on the Rape of Nanjing/Nanking. Iris Chang authored a book, with explicit detail and pictures, about this dark time in history. (I have not read it, I am referencing it as another reviewer did so we know the point of chapter 21).
I enjoyed this novel enough to finish it but I won't be picking up the next book in the trilogy.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Abortion, Body horror, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Blood, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Violence, War, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic friendship
sonias's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: War, Violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Gore, and Abortion
Moderate: Genocide, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, and Confinement
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- 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
****check trigger warnings****
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Gore, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, War, Animal death, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
reka111'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
5.0
I have become something wonderful, she thought. I have become something terrible. Was she now a goddess or a monster? Perhaps neither. Perhaps both.
The review contains spoilers!!!
Right now I feel so many things that I can't say; I want to burn the world, sob until I'm nothing but an empty dustpan and dance with the wild wind at the same time. So right now I feel everything and nothing, death and life, sorrow and happiness at the same time. I just finished reading it a few minutes ago and I can't get the words out of my head, I have so many thoughts about this book.
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I have never read - and probably never will - another well-crafted book in my life. This story has a past, present and future. It tells about gods and mortals at the same time. The world itself was very interesting and I can't wait to go back there again, I'm not exaggerating when I say that although it was brutal (definitely not for those who can't stand blood and death, etc.) it still had its own beauty, something unfathomably beautiful in it. I really liked that the writer drew a lot from mythology and brought real nightmares to life.
Tir
Although we knew very little about him, I felt sorry for him and I feel that if I had been there, I would have tried to save him and help him.
(Ircsa in Hungarian)
I thought my soul would never stop sobbing. He deserves a thousand times better.
my dear Raban, I am so used to his presence as to his air, my heart stopped when he died.
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Child death, Cursing, Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
inthemoonforcheese'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
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Colonisation, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Animal death, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Infertility, Gore, Genocide, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Classism, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Abandonment, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Addiction, Vomit, Trafficking, Mental illness, Gun violence, Child abuse, Slavery, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization
fedekanejbrainrot'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
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abortion, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse
antoneh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Genocide, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Torture, Hate crime, Abortion, Rape, War, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racism, Grief, Drug abuse, Addiction, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Gore, and Drug use
sacredgayometry's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Gore, Violence, War, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Ableism, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexism, Bullying, and Forced institutionalization
If you have trauma related especially to heroin or opioids, they are often mentioned and abused and this may not be the book for you. There is also heavy allegory to the conflicts in China and Japan surrounding opium and colonization and the wars that have occurred especially during feudal periods. I found it reminiscent of the Vietnam war and World War II. War crimes are a heavy theme. Very well written but can be a very difficult read.jlautry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Genocide, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Murder, Body horror, War, Violence, Torture, and Rape
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Slavery, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Kidnapping, Infertility, Cursing, Pregnancy, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Fire/Fire injury
alvina_ashraf's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Gore, Genocide, Death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Abortion