Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

230 reviews

3hdragon's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

1.25

I can’t recommend this book. The pacing is all over the place, the plot seemed to have too many patches to make a cohesive plot, and the MC becomes increasingly less likeable throughout the book until by the end you’re rooting for her to not make it. She becomes more powerful and more bratty until you’re screaming at her to please make better choices and stop hurting everyone around her. By the end I was hoping she wouldn’t make it and the sequels would be about someone else. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Kidnapping, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, War, Gore, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Grief, Body horror, Child death, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Genocide, and Classism

queenoffred's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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

5.0

what a book

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Rape, Addiction, Grief, Hate crime, Child death, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide, War, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Drug use, Violence, and Torture

77mimi's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

[reread]
when i first attempted to read this book i had gotten 60% in and fully realised the route it was taking and paused; i returned to the book as i had a sudden thought about altan trengsin and wanted to pour over every sliver i got of him from kuang

historical context will be your best friend in order to understand the full depth of this story, but even with just surface level knowledge, i feel most readers will be able to grasp the significance of each moment
kuang’s writing and exposition of the story is very accessible despite the heavy and difficult topics; character complexities, flaws, greyness — all depicted so well, even in just tiny snippets, without also being condescending to the reader

(i’ll come back to this review once i can fully articulate my thoughts)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Genocide, Self harm, War, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Mental illness

tris256's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Addiction, Sexual assault, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Torture, Grief, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Bullying, Vomit, War, Violence, Suicide, Rape, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Cursing, Child death, Blood, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

lilly24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

This book and the entire saga, is a piece of art. We can see the work behind. The author did a lot of work and depicted everything with so much precision that it became sometimes difficult to read (!chapter 21!). It's heartbreaking, it's horrendous and I love it.

---

Content Warnings

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

w3r0nk4's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cannibalism, Addiction, Suicide, War, Violence, Gore, Drug abuse, Hate crime, and Infertility

rubbertree14's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

The world building was great in this story. I think, however, there is a lot that is thrown at the reader to focus on at all times, and a lot of mental work for readers. The author switches between beautiful, unique writing to cliches and cliche dialogue very quickly and often. Very slow, very dry at parts. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Racism, Drug abuse, Cursing, Violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Drug use, War, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Genocide, Colonisation, Child death, Body horror, Blood, and Alcoholism

kahlanw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Genocide, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Murder, War, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Classism

wingsofareader's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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.

min_grachi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Body horror, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Chronic illness, Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Violence, War, Genocide, Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts