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thereadingmarshmallow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Child death, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Slavery, Torture, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Animal death, Blood, Colonisation, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Cursing, Dysphoria, Drug use, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, War, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt
tinyplanet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Blood, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Murder, Self harm, Sexism, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Hate crime, Violence, Addiction, Body horror, War, Physical abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Rape, Suicide, Infertility, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Classism, and Alcohol
Minor: Abortion, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Excrement, Ableism, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
naemi_wn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Transphobia, Drug use, Classism, Death of parent, Mental illness, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Addiction, Gaslighting, Ableism, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Abortion, Death, Sexual assault, War, Physical abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Genocide, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
harrimyers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual assault, Addiction, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, War, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Bullying, Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Abandonment, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Infertility, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
megsssss_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Hate crime, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, War, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Colonisation, Blood, Child abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Rape, Slavery, and Xenophobia
224ok's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Sexism, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Blood, Colonisation, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Genocide, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Gore, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Death, Child death, Misogyny, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Torture, War, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Grief, Racial slurs, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
shellbow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Grief, Rape, Torture, Addiction, War, Xenophobia, and Death
Moderate: Ableism and Abortion
chronicacademia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Genocide, Kidnapping, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, Gore, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, War, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Ableism, Colonisation, and Fire/Fire injury
lilly24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Deportation, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Excrement, Xenophobia, Classism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Racism, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit
wingsofareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Addiction, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Xenophobia, Bullying, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Rape, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Racism, Confinement, Ableism, Animal death, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Author R.F. Kung explains - in a note at the back of the paperback edition - that the vivid descriptions of war violence, including sexual violence against women and children, we’re taking from historical documents and personal accounts from World War II survivors. Kuang’s rating offers specific sensory imagery, alongside a listing of violence observed by the characters as a means of connecting the reader with both the profound horror and the casual brutality of wartime atrocities. These descriptions do not seem gratuitous, when taken as part of the overall level of description of character experience and visual detail throughout the novel, as well as the context of author, intent bring awareness of historic events and truths that are buying large ignored in the West. The details are, however, unflinchingly described, as are the characters emotional, mental and physical trauma responses to what they see and endure. Some readers may find detailed descriptions difficult to read or process, particularly depending on personal circumstance and experience.