Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

703 reviews

xelanimation's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

On the back of this book, there’s a quote that says “I thought myself prepared. I was not”. That statement is entirely correct. This story was fantastic, the characters were achingly real, I understood each of them. Despite the many moving pieces, I understood everything I needed to about what was going on, which I sometimes need to take time to do with fantasy epics, which goes to show R. F. Kuang knows how to keep her writing clear. The first half of the book I would say was simply enjoyable, a classic tale of a student leaving behind and escaping her life with a bleak future for the promise of a bright future at a renowned school. Learning about the world through her, watching her work hard, it was all exactly the kind of thing I’ve loved before. But while the second half is just as good, if not significantly better, you should know it’s completely different. It’s harrowing, with vivid, disturbing imagery and descriptions, that can only be described as devastating. There are high levels of violence, of all kinds, so just proceed warned and with caution. All of that being said, R. F. Kuang is a fantastic writer, and clearly has been since she began publishing, I will read anything she writes. But I hope she understands that I need a break of a few fluffy books before reading the next instalment of the Poppy War.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Animal death, War, Racism, Grief, Genocide, Death, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Child death, and Addiction

hannnrodriguez'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Grief, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Torture, Pregnancy, Slavery, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Rape, Addiction, Gore, Blood, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Police brutality, Child death, and Child abuse

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

elenagolub's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual violence, Gore, Sexual assault, Genocide, Slavery, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Classism, Animal death, Racism, Blood, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and War

labricoleuse's review against another edition

Couldn’t take the brutality anymore 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Gore, Rape, Violence, Classism, War, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Excrement, Sexual assault, Addiction, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Genocide, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Self harm, Torture, Sexual violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Mental illness

cora_aossey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.0

I would’ve enjoyed and appreciated this book so much more if it wasn’t falsely sold to me as enemies to lovers  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Violence, Cursing, Child abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Racism, Slavery, and Rape

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexism, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Blood, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Drug use

Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Rape, Child death, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexual violence, Cursing, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Excrement, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Fatphobia, and Sexual content

talonsontypewriters'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Body horror, Classism, Death, Addiction, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Xenophobia, Torture, Medical content, Drug use, Confinement, and Racism

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Suicide, Colonisation, Animal death, Grief, Slavery, Child death, and Sexual violence

Minor: Pedophilia, Self harm, Alcohol, Infertility, Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Excrement

mooniguess'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I love this series so much. Rin, Kitay, Nizha, and Vekna all tug my heartstrings. I wish there was a way for them to not go through all of these horrible things. Learning about china and its relation to Japan and operation 721 was add to the pile of sadness

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Genocide, Grief, Addiction, Animal death, Sexual violence, and War

Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Bullying, Torture, Rape, and Physical abuse

caphine's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, War, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Grief and Confinement

Minor: Suicidal thoughts