Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

362 reviews

booknerdcoco's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book was so far out of my comfort zone. I don't usually go for grimdark fantasy. That being said, the Story was very well written. I did initially struggle with the world building, but it didn't take long to get a tester understanding of Kuang's world and the usual system in play.

I admit I really struggled with the content as the story does differ some dark themes in great detail and three fact that it is loosely based on historic events really impacts on the readers emotions as the journey through the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Death, Animal death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Genocide, Violence, War, Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Torture

sarahl13's review

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, Sexual violence, Gore, Sexual assault, Genocide, Rape, War, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

namna's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I read this last year and am writing the review now and it is still fresh in my mind. This book is intense and does not hold back on the horrors humans are unfortunately capable of but the characters are compelling, flawed, and complex. With the plot, there is no right or wrong character and it really works. This book will make you both needing to look away while also glued to the pages

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Colonisation, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Rape, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Child death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, and Addiction

kh02's review

dark emotional 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

Everyone has raved about this book but to me it fell kind of flat. I would rate it 3 stars for the first half and 4 for the back half. There’s a specific chapter or 2 that is extremely tough toward the end, so be cautious. I sobbed listening to those chapters. The Poppy War can get VERY heavy.

They are based on the real horrors that occurred at Nanking and contain graphics of rape, baby killing, genocide, bodies floating in the rivers, etc.

I did enjoy it! It’s one I would recommend to people, but I did not love it. Wren (sp?) the main female character is very whiny, full of herself, & can get annoying. Really hoping she progresses throughout the trilogy!

Alton’s (sp?) ending is beautifully tragic and I hope his sacrifice makes a difference! Already Wren is struggling with it in book 2.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, War, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Colonisation, Abortion, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual assault

infinitezest's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Addiction, and Gore

Moderate: Rape, Mental illness, Grief, Sexual assault, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty and Blood

laraamaee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.25

Wow. Ok. This was the most violent book I have ever read. I’m on a mission to read all of Kuang’s work now, and I wasn’t prepared because I thought this was fantasy. Oh no…the atrocities in this book have really happened before (Second Sino-Japanese War, Rape of Nanjing). I got nightmares when I read this before bed…

But the story is intensely gripping and Kuang’s writing is incredible as ever, even if the book’s pace speeds up Very quickly after Rin’s training. Each time I thought, No, the situation can’t get any worse… it did … and there’s 2 more books?!? How am I going to cope…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Sexual violence, Body horror, Torture, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Genocide, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Death, Sexual harassment, Gore, Animal cruelty, War, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Violence, Rape, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Suicide, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bookhoe1's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Mental illness, Gore, Body horror, War, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Animal death, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Racism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Child death, and Animal cruelty

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

carg24's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Violence, and Medical trauma

aishaslittlelife's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Definitely check trigger warnings before reading this book.

The first 100 or so pages are slow paced but then after that it gets fast faced really fast until the end. 

Absolutely broke me into a thousand tiny hurting bits. Altan is my favourite nobody understands him like I do. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Torture, Colonisation, Death, War, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Drug abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Addiction, Animal death, and Drug use