Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

35 reviews

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective slow-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? No

3.5

I became interested in reading this book after reading a review describing it as a mix between Mulan and The Song of Achilles. Boy did it live up to that. It's slow at times, but still a good read.

This book is a beautifully written historical fantasy that puts a twist on traditional gender roles and sexuality. Zhu Chongba was an actual Chinese emporer who was really married to Ma Xiuying. This book puts a spin on this, where Zhu Chongba is actually his sister pretending to be him, after she stole his identity as a child after he died. She almost gets caught a bunch of times, but her determination to reach her destiny overcomes.

Also, do you want to read about the disgusting bathing, pissing, and shitting habits of ancient Chinese monks? If not, skip the first quarter of the book. The book transports you to ancient China and spares no detail.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Dysphoria, Murder, War, Abandonment, Death, and Colonisation

eloisedoesread's review

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

3.5

Certainly epic, just not quite for me? Round 70% suddenly went very dark.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, War, Abandonment, Violence, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder

thewitchwhoisabook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Ableism, Body shaming, Violence, Misogyny, Body horror, Abandonment, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, War, and Death of parent

Moderate: Homophobia, Child death, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Grief

rbeccamaec's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, War, Ableism, Colonisation, Death, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Body shaming, Abandonment, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Racism

Minor: Animal death, Excrement, and Vomit

destynee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted 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? No

5.0

All I have to say is: Exquisite you were right! This book gagged me from beginning to end. I tested up so many times that I’ve lost count. I loved meeting each new character and the alternating POV’s was perfect. It really made me feel for the characters more, especially Ouyang. Zhu is a real one and I can’t wait to have He Who Drowned The World in my hands.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Violence, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Dysphoria and Blood

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

adidooo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring sad 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: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

leonormsousa's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Infertility, Sexism, Ableism, Classism, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Slavery, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

i loved the characters and the relationship between the two main characters. the ending was such a perfect end to the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Rape, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide, Grief, Sexual assault, War, Colonisation, Gore, Blood, Sexual content, Classism, Abandonment, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

emhromp's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense slow-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

To give this book anything less than 5* would be an insult. This was so intricately written, with so many details, and so much passion....
At no point in the story could I predict what was going to happen next and although this took me more than a week to finish (which must be some kind of record), I was never bored and continually intrigued. Wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, War, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

marabdelmageed's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, War, Child death, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, Blood, Slavery, Death, Body shaming, and Death of parent