Scan barcode
abijmieds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Rape, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, Racial slurs, Murder, Incest, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Deportation, Death, Colonisation, Animal death, War, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Police brutality, Misogyny, Mental illness, Genocide, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Mass/school shootings, Drug use, Drug abuse, Classism, Chronic illness, Child death, Torture, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
overbooked207's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4th book of January 2023 and 4th of the year:
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.” - R.F. Kuang.
A military epic fantasy novel inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking, this book was engaging, hard to put down, and very dark and harrowing, showing how absolutely horrid war is and the trauma, horror, and destruction that comes out of it. It had absolutely amazing writing and world-building, relevant commentary, intricate, brutal, and well-written fight and battle scenes, a beautiful cover, a great audiobook, and fleshed-out/well-developed and complex characters. I love reading about complex characters who make mistakes, aren’t perfect, and/or are forced to make big and hard decisions. I especially love consuming content with angry characters in it. Characters who see or experience injustice and are fueled by their rage. Many times, I find it very cathartic because everybody reacts to trauma differently, with there being no such thing as the ‘perfect’ victim that the media/world expects and wants when horrible things happen. And anger is an essential part of healing and can be very useful when channeled toward good, and, while there are more now, I don’t see as many books/movies/shows that have a main character who expresses this understandable anger, and Rin does, so I really appreciated that. I highly recommend this. Just please be aware of all of the TWs(which I started listing alphabetically to make it easier for people) because there are many heavy things in this, and it was very hard to read at times due to them. TWs for abandonment, ableism, abuse(child, domestic, physical, and sexual), addiction, alcoholism, animal cruelty/death, blood, body horror, body shaming, bullying, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, drugs/drug use, excrement, fatphobia, fire/fire injury, forced institutionalization, gaslighting, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, infertility, injuries/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content/trauma, menstruation, mental illness, mention of forced marriage and prostitution, misogyny, murder, panic attacks, pedophilia, police brutality, pregnancy, PTSD, racism, rape(mentioned a few times throughout and described in detail by a survivor toward the end of chapter 21(80% through the book and at around 14:57:35 to around 15:03:58 in the audiobook)), religious bigotry, self-harm, sexism, sexual assault/violence, slavery, slurs, stalking, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, and xenophobia.🎧⚔️🏹
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Classism, Excrement, Kidnapping, Self harm, War, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Slavery, Trafficking, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Grief, Bullying, Violence, Addiction, Child death, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Rape, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
edilyaaang's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I love the other characters but hate how brutal and unreasonable and heartless they could be. I also love how fierce Rin's love for her people is but hate how she lets anger and revenge and her hunger for power consume her to the point that she refused to see reason. Her retaliation when things don't go her ways is immature and childish. Someone needs anger management sessions.
The battle scenes from this book also disturbed me. As someone from an Asian country who was under Japanese occupation in the past, the horrors narrated in the book regarding their brutality presented me a mental picture if the watered down versions I learned in school. It turned my stomach getting blow by blow descriptions of the atrocities done by the Japanese during that time. Sure, I learned what they did through history class and from what my grandparents who were kids during the invasion told me but never in graphic detail. It made me angry because it really did happen in the past and there are people still alive today who went through all that suffering.
Anyways, ranting aside, I really did enjoy the book even though here were "huh?" and "wtf!" moments. Reviews state that the 2nd and 3rd installment to this book gets better so, I am so looking forward to that.
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Death, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Colonisation, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Police brutality, War, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
cardanwine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Trafficking, Misogyny, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, Addiction, Gore, Animal death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Hate crime, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Abandonment
lmanor's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Gun violence, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Gore, Body horror, Excrement, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Gaslighting, Bullying, Self harm, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Genocide, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
reddeddy's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Xenophobia, Addiction, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Excrement, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Trafficking, Abortion, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, and Self harm
Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Police brutality, and Pedophilia
toastyreads's review against another edition
- 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
and i don't trust Chaghan, i hope he doesn't have ill intentions. and Su Daji can suck my fucking dick, i've never trusted her. i hope Kitay doesn't turn his back on her forever; their friendship genuinely gives me so much happiness bc i feel like he's the first person that Rin has trusted/viewed as a true friend. I love Ramsa he's so adorable. and JIANG ZIYA IF YOU DONT COME BACK ISTG I WILL RAIN HELLFIRE ON YOU. and by the end, i understand why (because she felt like she was backed into a corner and there was literally nothing she could do to save Nikara from Mugen) but Rin was getting on my nerves. but i suppose that's what it means to grow into your own person, and not simple follow the formula of Sinegard's training (or just in general). and i feel like that's part of what Jiang taught Rin, even if it wasn't active teaching, but a passive learning that Rin adopted by observing him. and idk she went in the opposite direction of everything he taught her, but i feel like it's something that he simultaneously taught her too.
sorry for the rant, i've never really reviewed/commented on something online, and none of my friends read *skull emoji* so i just had a field day of all the thoughts and theories running through my head :)
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Violence, and Vomit
steph_see's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Kidnapping, Addiction, Abortion, Death, Colonisation, Genocide, Vomit, Torture, Blood, Child death, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Trafficking, and War
gwooby's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, War, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Police brutality
christine_beatrice's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Hate crime, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Colonisation