Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

231 reviews

lizmart88's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

3.75

Amazing worldbuilding in just one novel, drawing on the history of China as well as the world history of wars and battles. I loved the building toward the question of  - how and why do people dehumanize others? What affect does it have on our hearts and our humanity? 

Rin is a character loveable for all her flaws and determination to succeed despite her difficult childhood. She is frustratingly smart and relentless and we watch her fly headlong into terrible choices while still cheering her on. She carries this novel so well as we learn more about the world of the Nikara and Mugen, enemies for so many years they can't remember why they hate each other when they are so alike. 

This is book one and I'm excited to keep reading the trilogy. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Genocide

Moderate: Mental illness

kibiiiariii's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Drug use, Slavery, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abandonment, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Torture, Trafficking, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Toxic friendship, War, Xenophobia, Animal death, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, and Death

rach_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Death, Child death, Addiction, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Grief, and Drug abuse

reilyngrace's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, War, Genocide, Child death, Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Rape, and Sexual violence

jaduhluhdabooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

This is a hauntingly raw book. I think reading it in the wake of what is occurring across boarders amplifies the destructive and painful realities of war, genocide, and violence. 

RF Kaung writes in details that strike the heart and prick the soul. Runin is a fearful character, who learns to wield her fear as a power and to strike back against those who so desperately want to see her fail. She is someone who knows loss and ruin and still rises because she believes she destined for more, for better. Along the way she meets characters who are her friend and who are her family. Altan is another character who knows raw grief and pain. 

The description of witnessing the events alone brought tears to my eyes and sometimes that’s all we can do. Witness. Much like Kitay who just had to watch and wait. Venka whose narrative was far from the one she carried in school. All of it is gut wrenching and profound and you just can’t look away. 

Rin is power and I’m both hesitant and excited to follow her on the remainder of this journey.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, Violence, War, Murder, Colonisation, Abandonment, Genocide, Addiction, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

finn_1312's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexual violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Confinement, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, Excrement, Vomit, Sexual content, and Animal death

historical fantasy, informative, challenging,

bakkuababy'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

5.0

this was INSANE 

the parallel of rin from when we first meet her to when the story ends is fucking crazy she did a whole 180. basically became altan which is rlly sad bc that man SUFFERED. he wasn’t the most likeable character but it was very easy to empathise with him. Also did nezha die or what like I believe this man is a shaman like I need more of him 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Rape, Genocide, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, and War

all the trigger warnings….

noosh_pdf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-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

When they say this book is dark, they mean it. Do not be fooled by the beginning chapters of this book that feign hopeful stories of aspiring soldiers. The darkness of this book has subjected itself to one specific chapter, chapter 21. There are gruesome, cruel, horrifying depictions of war crimes. Nothing will prepare you for it. Read trigger warnings. Please.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Abortion, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Grief, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Addiction, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Genocide, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Cursing

winterwoodbooks's review

dark emotional tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The beginning and end were really strong, however the middle part felt a bit like a disjointed slump.
Whlile I always want to give the benefit of believing that maybe that was just how the character felt, this does not seem to be the case here.

The Fact, that there were mere chapters between the setup of the facility and arriving there annoyed me SO much. And then they were out again just as fast, ugh

One of the strongest parts of this book is the bluntness of talking about themes- as well as just vivid and brutal pictures, actually depicturing horrors and topics often glossed over. I have to mention the feminism here, loved everything about it!
Overall a great book with some annoying points, I am interested to see more and hope for an in depth journey of the mind of our main character!

The worst part were the animal deaths tho :c

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Animal death, Suicide, Slavery, Blood, Death, Abandonment, War, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Murder, Infertility, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Cursing, Body horror, Hate crime, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Excrement, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Animal cruelty, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Child death, and Abortion

hunter_uhl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Gore, War, Drug abuse, Murder, Self harm, Colonisation, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Drug use