Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

45 reviews

emilysreadingbooks's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Blood, Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Torture, and War

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

jjjreads's review

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

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

Minor: Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, and Fatphobia

zeppelinnyx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

4.50

I very much enjoyed this book, even the second time through. I’m very much anticipating the sequel. The polyamorous romance almost makes me sad that I can’t get that kind of relationship dynamic in mainstream media. Zetian is such an amazing protagonist. It’s refreshing to see a justifiably unhinged female (non-binary?) lead. The pacing is a bit fast, but then the ending is even more so, which makes it feel rushed. 

Quality of Writing: 9/10
Pacing: 8/10
Plot Development: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Enjoyability: 10/10
Ease of Reading: 10/10
Ending: 7/10

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Body horror, Torture, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Murder, Rape, Racism, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Kidnapping and Classism

Minor: Homophobia

desiderium_incarnate's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.75

"How do you take the fight out of half the population and render them willing slaves? You tell them they're meant to do nothing but serve from the minute they're born. You tell them they're weak. You tell them they're prey. You tell them over and over, until it's the only truth they're capable of living. "

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."

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Body horror, Grief, Racism, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Slavery, and Vomit

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

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

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

starship_olympus's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful medium-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

5.0

Honestly FUCK every other YA book, Xiran I fuck wit YOU

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, War, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide

Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Drug use

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Rape

nota_candycaine's review

adventurous funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Colonisation, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, Violence, and War

sophiamoonlight's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

5.0

Okay one thing I had to look up because I didn't know this part of mythology, but otherwise an amazing piece of literature. I love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Bullying, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol

folded_between_pages_of_books's review

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Addiction, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Colonisation, Cursing, Torture, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, War, Body shaming, and Sexual assault

teaforazathoth's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

Very well written story that takes heavy influence from Chinese literature, history, mythology, culture etc. It's also filled with criticism of women's treatment as second class citizens. While the concept of giant mechas fighting aliens soubds silly and lighthearted this is a book with darker themes. The protagonist is definitely not a hero and that makes this an amazing read. I usually don't enjoy books written from first person view but this was an exception.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Torture, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Classism, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Slavery, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders