Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

54 reviews

philippmk's review

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This book was brutal from beginning to end. I love a ruthless protagonist and Zetian development throughout this story makes absolute sense. She, and most other characters, were deeply engaging and I felt that I could understand every choice she made, even if I wouldn't have made them myself.
 

What confused me a little was how often I had seen this book come up in LGBT+ book lists. While three of our main characters are bisexual and I enjoyed the fleeting polyamory, the queerness of these characters really is a very minor part of the book. That is not to say their queerness isn't valid, but you sholdn't expect a groundbreaking queer romance going into this book — this is not that kind of story.
This was also a book I was told to expect a twist in. Though there was one twist early on in the story (unless you read the text in the book jacket), I was glad to see more throughout the book. And yet, one final twist was revealed literally on the second-to-last page, the lateness of which made it feel like an afterthought.
 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, War, Body horror, Torture, Cursing, Addiction, Gun violence, Violence, Racism, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault

Minor: Domestic abuse and Biphobia

emmahe's review

medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Death, War, Blood, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Gore, and Grief

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Child death

Minor: Sexual assault

saintyeehaw's review

adventurous 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

Pretty much scratched every itch for female rage and vengeance I've ever had. I felt the urge to scream my soul out along with Zetian at every turn and was always left satisfied. 

I loved the inclusion of a polyamorous triangle. I've never read a book with one before. Honestly, I also really loved that Zetian crushed her family (literally) in the end. I was so disappointed by the initial "be the bigger person" turn but it was SO perfect how it was really just used as a weapon against her. Sometimes the rotten family really does just have to pay for their behavior and/or passiveness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Death, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Xenophobia, Ableism, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Sexual content

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Colonisation, Homophobia, and Animal death

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

anniereads221's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Sexual assault, Death, Bullying, Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Blood, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Rape, Body shaming, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Murder, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Addiction

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

brittshaw_p's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, War, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Classism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

ameliabee33's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Oh my God do I love reading about female rage, and this book has tons of it! Zetian is a character that is completely unhinged and angry, but for all the right reasons. Like yes she does wrongs, but I am totally willing to turn the other way about it. This story has an easy to follow plot, Zetian enters the army to avenge her sister as well as the other girls thay are sacrificed to run the Chrysalis'. Along the way she becomes one of the most powerful Chrysalis pilots in the army. She never loses her anger but she does accept love along the way. I loved the polyamerous representation in this book! The end had me in tears but also a bit angry, like Zetian. Can't wait to read the second book when it comes out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

norwegianforestreader's review

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, War, Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

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