Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Rache im Herzen by Xiran Jay Zhao

128 reviews

elijah__'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Torture, Addiction, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: War, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Body horror, and Physical abuse

aolney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Torture

Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual assault, Body horror, Grief, Domestic abuse, War, Ableism, Body shaming, Murder, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

phantasmfiend's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gore, Alcoholism, Murder, Death, Bullying, War, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

jessiereads98's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.75

Iron Widow is amazing. The story is fast paced and every time I put it down, I immediately wanted to pick it back up. All of the characters were complex and dimensional. I love how Xiran Jay Zhao wrote all of the female characters, especially Wu Zetian, and the exploration of how the society subjugates women and what that turns them into. The plot twist was surprising without seeming to come completely out of left field for the sake of having one. 

This does at times read heavily YA, with the points being made feeling a little blunt or clunky rather than completely well integrated in the story so that the reader easily arrives at them. I think the story overall may have been stronger if it leaned heavier adult or new adult. My only real complaints are that occasionally the diction threw me a bit out of the story, and the beginning is a bit exposition heavy.

Overall, I’m really looking forward to the sequel.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Death, and Murder

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Child abuse, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and War

helfire124's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Great book! Couldn't put it down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Alcohol, War, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body horror, Confinement, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Bullying, Medical content, Misogyny, Ableism, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual harassment, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

blackberryjambaby's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, War, Torture, Death, Gaslighting, Violence, Classism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Child abuse, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Outing, and Grief

rambles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Rape, and Physical abuse

sharrikloves's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, War, Misogyny, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, and Murder

Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

icy_queen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

Do not expect any of the characters to be "nice" or "good people" and be prepared for many horrible things to happen (definitely check trigger warnings)! If you're ok with that or even enjoy reading it, I highly recommend this book.

The main character is absolutely, wonderfully unhinged and hellbent on revenge for her sister, herself, and all the other girls that were sacrificed, mutilated and/or killed by their society. She doesn't stop at killing her sister's murderer, but strives to destroy the whole system with the help of her soft "rich boy" bestfriend and her dangerous, bad boy, involuntary co-pilot (the three of them form an actual love triangle).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gun violence, Alcohol, Blood, Physical abuse, War, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and Police brutality

Minor: Homophobia, Biphobia, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, and Medical content

There is a a short list of potential triggers at the beginning of the book. Other triggers that cannot be tagged and could be huge SPOILERS:

Main Character Death (unclear if it's final) Foot-binding of girls' feet Domestic Abuse is pretty normal in this society Boys are hugely preferred over girls Purity Culture Etc.

ajhling's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is not just gold tier, but platinum tier. It's such a great book that I have technically brought two copies of - the paperback (which I brought first) and the audio (which I brought so I can listen while driving or playing video games). I have all intentions of buying an E-Book version in the near future so I'll always have a copy on hand. 

This book has characters that are mostly grey at best, and down right evil at worst. Our protagonist is a ball of rage and is someone who would be seen as the villain in many works of fiction. I love it. Even her romantic partners are on the verge of being villains in other works of fiction. 

My favourite part besides the plot and our protagonist and her romantic partners, and the world as a whole?

The fact that there's no explicit sex scenes which have impregnated the publishing industry these days. Meaning you have a book that treats its readers like the older teens and adults that we are without having to worry about sex scenes because it's aimed towards an older teen, recent high school graduate age range, which apparently means sex most be included un the eyes of modern publishers.

I'm so hoping that the lack of explicit sex scenes continues onto the next book/s in the series (though even if they were present I'd still buy/read them anyway).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Rape, Homophobia, Colonisation, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Racism, and Alcohol