Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

40 reviews

zozo_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Physical abuse, Genocide, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, War, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Genocide, Grief, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Child death, Slavery, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Animal death

teriodvarkova88's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

forget the whole song of achilles crossover with mulan its more like the poppy war - she will do whaever it takes to get what she wants
there is a little bit of romance tho 

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 zhu and ma have my heart<33

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, Torture, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Grief, and War

leanne_miron's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Death, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Death of parent, War, Blood, Ableism, Grief, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Genocide

sadiaa's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

2.75

I listened to this as an audiobook, it was the only way to get through it. I kept picking it up and putting it down, I didn't feel interested by it, the only reason I finished it was because I borrowed it from the library. I felt that the pacing was so slow and that the book could have been shorter, lots of added detail that was slowing my interest. Don't think I'll read the sequel but glad I finally got this off my tbr list.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and War

bibliomania_express's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Grief, Genocide, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Torture, Racism, Gore, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Death, Child death, Body horror, Blood, and Ableism

tbd24's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual violence, War, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

augustar14's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

This book had been on my tbr list for a while before I read it. While I had high hopes for it, it ultimately didn't live up to them.
It's difficult for a book this long not to feel slow paced. There was plenty of action that got me through, but it still overall felt a little slow.
I also struggle with the main character and her actions/choices at times. I understand her motivations and that her situation is complex, difficult, and influenced by significantly different cultural beliefs. And, at the same time, it is painful to see her grow into the person she becomes. The parallels with the eunuch general are fascinating, and I do plan to at least try to read to sequel to see where that thread goes. His story and decisions are painful to follow, though, too. Overall, it is a difficult read, one that offers little reward for the suffering and pain it puts the reader through. It is not a happily ever after story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Death, Infertility, Torture, Blood, Abandonment, Murder, Homophobia, Bullying, Child death, Xenophobia, War, Child abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Vomit and Excrement

cheye13's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-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? No

5.0

I think this would make a great book club selection, and I don't think it needs a sequel. There's so much to discuss, both throughout the story and at the end, with some open-ended philosophy questions. I worry that a sequel will cut off further ruminations rather than encourage them or pose new ones.

I also don't think this book was pitched to me correctly. "A fantasy Mulan retelling" is very far from what this actually is. There's very little fantasy (more in the realm of magical realism) and the story is much more in the spirit of intricate political historical fiction. The book itself has a broader scope than just Zhu Chongba's perspective, and I found it riveting.

The nuanced depiction of gender identities as well as cultural identity in a period of colonization was expertly done. The physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven was an excellent choice and offered a significant thought exercise. The various sympathetic perspectives in war time made the story feel full and rounded. An expertly crafted piece of fiction. I plan to read the sequel in hopes that it lives up to its predecessor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Genocide

Minor: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Slavery

numerous instances of amputation, including genitals

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, War, Gore, Death, Blood, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Grief, Animal death, Sexism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Ableism, and Body shaming

Minor: Suicide