Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

24 reviews

naples's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Gore, Drug use, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Murder, Vomit, Violence, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, War, Death, and Cursing

ginalucia's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Jumping back into the story with The Dragon Republic was a breeze. And what a story it is! Kuang delivers a gritty, realistic narrative that pulls no punches. 

The character development is tough, and while many of the characters are unlikeable, there's something strangely compelling about them.

From the get-go, I was fully invested. Kuang does a masterful job of making the main character unlikeable yet undeniably real, especially considering the harsh realities of war and the difficult decisions it forces people to make.

The Dragon Republic is not for the faint of heart. It's a brutal, uncomfortable read that keeps you on edge constantly. But that's also what makes it so good.

While the story maintains a relentless pace, it does drag a bit during some repetitive moments. However, this doesn't detract too much from the overall experience.

While it may not be perfect, The Dragon Republic is an excellent next step in this trilogy and I’m looking forward to the last. 

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ginaluciayt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Addiction

Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Rape, Child death, Colonisation, and Grief

nataaaliya's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

If it were possible, I'd get every word of this trilogy inked into my skin.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Gore, Death, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Murder, Abandonment, Ableism, Body horror, Grief, Racial slurs, Drug use, Violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Body shaming, Blood, Genocide, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Child death, Sexism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Dementia, Pregnancy, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Infertility, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Self harm, Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Domestic abuse

potion96's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Violence, War, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Addiction, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Ableism, Colonisation, Rape, Animal death, Misogyny, Alcohol, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Panic attacks/disorders

winterwoodbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, War, Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Pedophilia, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Classism, Excrement, Misogyny, Vomit, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Torture, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual violence, and Slavery

kaylaswhitmore's review

adventurous challenging 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

Coming straight out of the first book and into this one was very interesting. After the first book’s rather awe-inducing end (

Rin’s use of the Phoenix to completely level an entire curry

) I already anticipated that Kuang would have to find a way to “nerf” Rin in the second book. After all, if it was all just easy wins, nothing would feel very climactic, would it? So, with that in mind, it’s safe to say that the first half of this book was exceedingly frustrating. I don’t mean that in a negative way, but rather, that Kuang found the bruise that conjoined both Rin and the reader and she pushed down, hard. It thoroughly sucked for awhile there, especially considering my standing-critique of Kuang’s writing style that she tends to sum up Rin’s various relationships with a handful of informative scenes but too little transition in-between (imho). This occasionally made those relationships and characters feel a little flat in comparison to the rich intimacy we have within Rin’s character and arc. However, I think that particular flaw took a hard turn for the better around 2/3 through the book (

Rin and Kitay’s bond

). After that point, the emotions, stakes, and overall well-roundedness of every character beside Rin felt much more vivid than before, and Kuang even delved a little deeper in adding casual exchanges here and there that really enriched the dynamics. By the end, I truly felt immersed in this world and found myself longing for exactly what Rin herself is headed towards: purpose. I’m going right into the third and final book now, and hope this journey finds a satisfying end!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Violence, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Genocide, Gore, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, Self harm, Abortion, Alcohol, Cursing, Ableism, Animal death, Gaslighting, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Cannibalism

As with the first book, please check trigger/content warnings before reading.

There is an incident involving a woman being r*ped in the second half of the book that is moderately graphic and could definitely be triggering for some.

cort_03's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Ableism, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Genocide, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Hate crime

caelinsullivan's review against another edition

slow-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Torture, Rape, Physical abuse, Gore, Classism, War, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Genocide, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Ableism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Death, Confinement, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Medical content, Colonisation, and Blood

allisonmspiers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Confinement, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Violence, War, Gun violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Classism, Grief, Torture, Ableism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion, Genocide, Racial slurs, and Alcohol

not listed above: hallucinations, human experimentation, massacres, mutilations

hailsatan's review

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Child death, Gun violence, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Ableism, Abortion, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting