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grayvie'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
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Torture and War
Minor: Drug use
mariahmmm's review
- 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
3.0
What a book. An exhausting read with dense and heavy content that picks apart and lays bare the prejudice and injustice of white colonialism and the greed for power and control.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
lynxpardinus's review
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic
cayliehausman'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
scifi42's review
- 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
Highlights: an absolutely fantastic cast of characters, meaningful but incomplete foreshadowing, several different and grounded perspectives (none declared "right") on decolonization processes.
Kuang also makes several bold formal moves- I'm pretty sure this is the first "untranslated" fiction I've read that includes footnotes. The book is broadly accessible but definitely rewards readers with some understanding of British colonization. The characters are relatable, the magic well systemized, the situations absurd in their realism.
Speculative fiction at its best.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Torture, Police brutality, and Colonisation
Moderate: Hate crime, Death of parent, Classism, and Deportation
noms01'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
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction
theasi'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: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use and Deportation
idabwells's review
- 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
5.0
Manages to capture the devastating scope of colonial genocide while also portraying the courage and brilliance of those around the world struggling to survive and triumph over it.
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
xxlynxx's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and War
dorisko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
And if you think any of the characters can stay happy for longer than 1 minute... think again!
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism