Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

51 reviews

thebookpaiges'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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape and Alcoholism

niliii's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

honestly i really enjoyed the entire book but the ending threw me for a loop....

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, and Body horror

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Torture, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Physical abuse, Trafficking, and Medical trauma

phantasmfiend's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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: Domestic abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gore, Alcoholism, Murder, Death, Bullying, War, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

ender24's review

challenging dark funny 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

DAMN.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gaslighting, Genocide, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

sarahuwu's review

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

3.25

Loved the concept. This is Zhao’s debut novel and it shows. Feels deus ex-y in parts. I wanted to like Wu Zetian because she genuinely deserves to be angry, but at times she moves from “highly motivated vengeful protagonist” to being an asshole for no reason. The power trip at the end reminded me of the end of game of thrones and not in a good way.

Bonus points for a gay kiss and polyamory, shock at how a queer author would get so supremely close to a bury your gays trope

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Torture, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Rape, and Alcoholism

miggyfool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Colonisation, Confinement, Drug abuse, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Slavery, and War

maximumhonesty's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

Não sei nem por onde começar MUITO BOM. Finalmente um triângulo amoroso que é de fato um triângulo. Personagens complexos, humanos que cativam. Eu terminei o livro completamente apaixonado pelos personagens, e o final quebrou meu coração. Como alguém trans tenho a sensação que o descontentamento da protagonista com sua posição como mulher é mais que apenas insatisfação com o machismo, muitas menções indiretas que podem ser lidas como não binariedade. Também amei o relacionamento bicentrado, mal posso esperar pela continuação.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

smg's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Alcoholism

Moderate: War, Murder, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Toxic relationship

ging090803's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I love a “everyone has to die” type of book and this one didn’t disappoint. 
Even though, the middle was kinda long with all the blabla politic and all, I really loved it anyway. 
The end was amazing. The mains are badass and I really liked how the throuple didn’t feel forced. Everything was “too” natural, it just happened. 
I loved the end

I love the god complex and her being unbothered by her mass murdering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Death, War, Blood, Body shaming, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Rape, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

shelvesofivy's review

adventurous dark funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Torture, War, Alcohol, Addiction, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Vomit

Minor: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Rape