Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

76 reviews

thereadingmarshmallow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

adventurous dark tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

scholastic_squid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad 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

3.75

The Poppy Wars - the beginning of the story started out strong with Rin handling business as usual for her foster family when her foster mother breaks the news about her pending engagement. In a panic stricken state, Rin utilizes her connection with her tutor to take the “test” - the test that will determine her fate on whether she married a man twice her age or attends one of the military schools. Getting into the school would secure her future as a soldier not forced into marriage and birth offspring and die. She’d rather die fighting for her country. 

The beginning really took me in and I was loving it and the world building. The characters throughout the book as a whole are all memorable with unique personalities however, I began struggling with the story once the school lessons were fairly repetitive. Which fine.. I understand.. but, then when the war breaks out the book took a deep dive into darkness (again ok it’s about war and Chinese history told as fantasy) but damn.. the sudden change of tone to describe what I’m assuming was Nan King’s experience after being written almost like a YA book to incredibly descriptive language about that atrocity? Eek. This book is definitely not YA, but I would say that much of it is written in that style. I think what brought my rating down was the last 1/4th it was just a whine fest to me and didn’t really leave it as a nail biting cliff hanger so like I’m not jazzed about picking up the second book? Also, I would have loved a bibliography of sorts about all the sources she used to help tell her tale.. similar to how The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi ended. The author loaded up a chapter telling the reader many of her reference books. Also, I really feel like this book needed a trigger warning page? If I missed it that’s on me I guess but yikes haha there’s a lot that happens.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Grief, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Slavery, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Drug use, Drug abuse, War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Torture

tazzyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gore, Death, War, Addiction, and Blood

Moderate: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Death, and Sexual harassment

phias_book_corner's review

sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

Oh my gosh, I was completely unprepared for that! 
So I know this is a popular booktok book, but honestly, this did not do it for me. 
Chapter 21!!! I have never felt physically ill whilst reading a book. Thanks for that! 😡🤬🤢🤮🤧

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Torture, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Death, Genocide, Child death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Sexual content, and War

mother_of_theo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I have really mixed feelings about this book. Beautifully written, the author did an amazing job but I cannot relate to the main character which I think is the point of the book and the perspective the reader is supposed to feel. I know this book has sequels, so maybe I would give the series a higher rating as a whole completed story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Addiction, War, Blood, Gore, Grief, Murder, Body horror, Classism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Vomit, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and Rape

garbche's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Torture, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Gore, Genocide, Drug use, Racism, Bullying, War, Violence, and Suicide

chronicacademia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

lily_kruse's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Self harm, Torture, Violence, War, Sexual violence, Addiction, Animal death, Murder, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual content, Gore, Infertility, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Slavery, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Blood, and Gun violence

lifeinsilver's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

A compelling and beautifully written fantasy. The characters are morally grey and interesting. As always R F Kuang is a master storyteller 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Gore, Drug use, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Child death, Violence, Torture, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Addiction, Sexual assault, Infertility, Blood, Sexual content, and Xenophobia