Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

20 reviews

fraise's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexism, Xenophobia, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Animal death and Slavery

its2early4this's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

This was an interesting book, particularly in how it was written. I enjoyed the storytelling through someone's memories and items. I liked that the world was revealed through glimpses, and that the author didn't just tell how things work in their world, but rather showed what happened and trusted that the reader was intelligent enough to make connections and understand (this is a major plus for me in any book). The biggest downfall for me was that, because of how the story was told, the characters felt distant. I wasn't as attached to them as I might have otherwise been. And things that would ordinarily have felt tragic didn't impact me much at all. Because it is a quick read, it still is probably worth the time invested, and I wouldn't be opposed to reading the others in the series if I have nothing else pressing to read. But the book wasn't particularly memorable for me. I did enjoy how the Empress's story ended. And I did like seeing the story of someone important and powerful told through the eyes of their servant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Racism, Grief, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Infertility, and Sexual content

Most of the things that are likely to be triggering are not described in any great detail, due to the way the book is written. Loss/grief and pregnancy are probably the triggers dealt with the most in-depth. Although war plays a major role in the story, it is only really talked about from a distant perspective.

thedisabledreader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Murder, and Colonisation

florecita_lectora's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Colonisation

Moderate: Grief and Medical trauma

jjjreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Slavery, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Violence and War

cheye13's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Infertility, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Suicide

aardwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

Lovely prose, clever pacing with few pages, lively characters, and awesome worldbuilding, and it all comes together with elegant craft.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

arcinzole's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

I was amazed at the character development the author packed into this very small space with a complex plot. Loved the narrative devices used. Good, organic queer representation too.  

My one possible complaint with the queer rep was that the one explicitl nonbinary character was portrayed as part of a semi-magical religious order removed so much from the other characters, but that may simply be a result of the very compact story. I am so excited to read more and see more characters. I have a feeling I will find more well handled gender-identity related diversity in her work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

larqspur's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Death

Moderate: Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Infertility, Misogyny, Racism, and Pregnancy

mlewis's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy