Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

89 reviews

inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Colonisation, War, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Confinement, Animal death, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Infertility, Gore, Genocide, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Classism, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Abandonment, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Addiction, Vomit, Trafficking, Mental illness, Gun violence, Child abuse, Slavery, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization

fedekanejbrainrot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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

if this isn't the best fantasy you've ever read, then what the hell did you read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abortion, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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

4.5

This book, a fantasy, fictionalized variation on China in WWII with the aftermath of the Opium Wars also in the mix, is frankly amazing. The writing becomes more dark and elaborate as the protagonist Rin ages and becomes less innocent through fighting in war at much too young of an age. The mythological aspects are very inventive and refreshing. The Cike is like a sort of Thunderbolts from Marvel or Suicide Squad from DC, if you’re familiar with these comic book teams. All of the characters that Rin is mentored by and/or befriends brings different aspects of her developing personality to the fore. I can’t wait to see what choices Rin makes in “The Dragon Republic” for better or worse. All of the characters are so intriguing and many of them easily could have been protagonists in their own rights. I got quite attached to everyone. This book is an experience. My only slight gripe is that many characters that the protagonist knows have a sort of low key plot armor so that they can be used to illustrate certain aspects of war later in the novel despite it seeming that they shouldn’t have survived some earlier world building regarding how the war is playing out in different fronts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

All of these triggers are evident in this narrative whether they’re something that happens to the main character, someone she knows, or is just generally part of the world. It is a brutal world that is in the midst of war and the protagonist is part of a group that’s kind of feared. All of the brutality is mentioned quite specifically in increasingly dark detail as you progress in the novel. Be aware, it doesn’t hold back.

emmacartlidge's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual violence, War, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Confinement, Bullying, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

thebookworm777's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book will have you on the edge of your seat, speed reading to find out what happens next.

Kuang beautifully blends historical events of the Sino-Japenese war (1937-45) with fantasy and lore in a way that pushes readers to question their own perceptions of this part of history and forces readers into a head-on confrontation with difficult concepts, such as, what actions are moral during war? The Poppy War features a strong underdog character who you can't help but root for and hurt alongside as she navigates a multitude of seemingly insurmountable challenges. This is a good read for anyone who enjoys L.A Meyer and Tamora Pierce and is looking for more mature content. 

Note, this book does not shy away from the atrocities of war, cw: graphic violence, sexual assault, racism, addiction, torture, ptsd

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Sexual violence, Addiction, Blood, Violence, Rape, Medical trauma, and Torture

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cannibalism and Misogyny

sunsetcity's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Excrement, Physical abuse, Grief, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, War, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Sexual assault, Racism, and Trafficking

mexigingerale's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

Horrific story about what war really entails and what it takes to be able to win a war. Incredibly written, read it in two days and can't wait to get my hands on the next installments in this trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexism, Genocide, Self harm, Colonisation, Murder, Religious bigotry, Rape, Medical trauma, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Confinement, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug abuse

haley49's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

It is my opinion that this book was absolutely brilliant. It was a saga from beginning to end and there is still two books to come. It was probably the most brutal book I’ve ever read, but a great study of humanity and morality delivered in a developed historical-fantasy package. It was unusual for me in that it had no romance and relied entirely upon your caring for the world as seen through the main character’s eyes. On the plus side, without romance, platonic and familial-like relationships get their chance to shine in a way that I feel is often lacking in literature. Definitely check the trigger warnings and only read this as allowed by your mental health. There is a lot of gorey descriptions, especially those relating to war. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death, Medical content, Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Grief, and Infertility

Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Xenophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Trafficking, Animal death, and Bullying

Minor: Suicide attempt, Excrement, and Religious bigotry

idkmangodffs's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Death

Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Torture

Minor: Sexual harassment, Genocide, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, and Sexual assault

vipera's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, War, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Hate crime, and Bullying

Moderate: Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Colonisation, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Abandonment, and Animal death