Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

44 reviews

ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-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: Confinement and Grief

Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Suicide, War, and Murder

Minor: Medical trauma

paperpaladin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

5.0

Since this is a novella I don't want to get too much into the plot of the book since most things I could say would be a spoiler or told better through the story itself. Chih is a monk of the Singing Hills, an order whose purpose is to record all history. The story begins with the death of an Empress and some private lands being made open to the public. Unable to avoid the mystery of these lands Chih heads to this area to record what she can of it.

What follows is a slow unraveling of the mystery of this place and Nghi Vo does an expert job of teasing out the mystery. The prose in this book is beautiful but feels effortless. Lines are well written and just flow off the tongue. I have described this style as what Hemmingway wanted to be but never quite achieved. Not a word is wasted but there is no excess either. The story itself had me gripped until the end. This book was amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone.
 
My rating system
1 - Did not enjoy
2 - Not irredeemable but has too many flaws to say I enjoyed
3 - Enjoyed it
4 - Great book but didn't love it
5 - Amazing book 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

mysterious reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Grief, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia

Minor: War and Suicide

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Confinement, and War

Minor: Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Suicide, Animal death, and Sexual content

lain_darko's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Slavery

Minor: Suicide

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: Colonisation, Death, and War

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

maiagaia's review against another edition

emotional reflective

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

5.0

Just when I was worrying about now having read any 5 star books this year, this little novella gut punched me and made me cry. I don't know HOW Nghi Vo did it. The world and characters spring off the page with so much life and joy and sorrow. From the first moment, I was hooked. The prose are to die for. Absolutely poetic and succinct and perfect. It's such a short story that I cannot recommend it enough.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Infertility, Pregnancy, Suicide, and War

troisha's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia

Minor: Infertility, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide, and Death of parent

wrenthebard's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Short, but achingly beautiful. A gorgeous narrative with a non-binary framing character (which makes this they/them feel seen and validated - I literally cried with delight), I am so eager to read more of Cleric Chih's stories.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, and Grief

Minor: Murder, Abortion, and Suicide

horns_and_ember's review against another edition

inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: War, Pregnancy, and Grief

Minor: Suicide