Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

258 reviews

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

dark sad 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

4.75

I genuinely think that this might be one of the greatest fantasy novels I have ever read. R.F. Kuang is an incredible talent, and both her academic background and love of reading show in every page. It is a difficult read, but a rewarding one, and I am excited (and very afraid) to get my hands on the next installment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, and War

readwithsophsx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death, War, Child death, Torture, Violence, Rape, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Drug use, Slavery, Physical abuse, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Drug abuse, Self harm, Murder, Medical trauma, and Cursing

booking_along's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.5

i don’t know yet how to feel about this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Blood, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Murder, Medical content, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, War, Sexism, Rape, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Drug use, Bullying, and Addiction

chiaraculpo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.0

la parte iniziale è quella che mi è piaciuta di più, mentre era l'accademia. non mi aspettavo he la parte della guerra fosse così lunga sinceramente e mi sono annoiata in molti punti. le parti in cui descrivevano gli dei non mi hanno fatto impazzire e molte volte non capivo. è un libro molto duro e non so se continuerò la trilogia: in questo momento non andrò avanti ma non escludo che potrei farlo in futuro.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Kidnapping, Self harm, Colonisation, Genocide, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Violence, Addiction, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Animal death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Infertility, War, Abandonment, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Vomit

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

efpaterson's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Death, Gore, Blood, War, Violence, Torture, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Drug use

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

weareinheritors's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.0

Hoo boy, this book.

Hated the first half. I don't like academy/school fiction. This book had most of the tropes (plain girl good at everything, abusive curriculum, shitty teachers, two gorgeous boys (a rich Malfoy and a dark stranger)—thank goodness there was no romance, goofy best guy friend, etc). It was a slog and I nearly DNFd it, if not for the supposed promise of the better second half...

Which. My goodness, the whiplash. 

The second half is not for the faint of heart, from the (TW)

Rape of Nanjing sequence to the descriptions of actual rape to full-on genocide

. 

It's an okay book, but Rin is so damn unlikeable. The surrounding cast are decent at their best, but Rin is so detestable that she drags them all down with her. The ending feels like she's gonna

start a revolution

or something, but I don't see anybody rallying behind her for any reason other than maybe fear.

I'll get to the sequel eventually. Maybe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Addiction, Genocide, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Gore, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

squiggly_cj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

This book deals very explicitly with a lot of heavy themes around genocide, (sometimes forced) drug addiction, child abuse, colonisation, and war, and it bordered on getting too shockingly violent for me (particularly with the descriptions of physical violence and mutilations). Although I felt the main character's journey was predictable, and that her relationships weren't as nuanced as they could have been, I found the plot and worldbuilding compelling. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the trilogy given the graphic violence, but I overall enjoyed the experience of reading this! I read this after Babel, and am enjoying seeing Kuang explore some similar themes in new contexts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Murder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical trauma

taemd58's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Body horror, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Violence, Vomit, War, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, and Hate crime