Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Rache im Herzen by Xiran Jay Zhao

131 reviews

badmc's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

1.5

A girl of rage will make the world bow to her...

..in a book I was underwhelmed with. I will just add a disclaimer that it suffered in comparison with the book I read previously, that really underlined the major problem I had with it: telling instead of showing. It sure sounds like a cliche, but in this book, the plot went very fast, we got a lot of information thrown at us: about the world, about the characters, about the relationships... and it all felt surface level. I didn't care for neither, and it greatly lowered my enjoyment. For example, in a scene close to the beginning on the book our main character goes by her father and brother who are watching some program, and then after the midway point she tells us her brother used to watch a certain celebrity a lot, and I thought: "What a wasted opportunity, she could've seen it in that scene at the start and it would've felt so much more natural!". We are spoon-fed information, and some of the character lines felt like preaching, and reading third wave feminist manifest. I'm all for feminist manifests, but I prefer to have it mirrored in the fiction I'm reading in a more believable way.

I finished the book because I was intrigued with the rage of the protagonist, but ultimately I didn't connect with her because she felt disconnected to everything and everyone else. We don't get to see her care and compassion for other girls she is so obsessed with saving, and her love for her big sister comes seemingly from shared trauma and not much else. Also, a character at the end gets "fridged" to force her hand - subverting the trope with the gender reversal is not a real subversion, in my opinion. The "twist" at the end was predictable and made me roll my eyes pretty hard. I really like the author and choices this book took (for example, incorporating bound feet added to the character, and motivation) but I don't think I'm continuing this particular series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Violence and Xenophobia

nicole_schmid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

The worldbuilding in this is fascinating. I don't usually like mecha anime, so I was surprised to like a book about the same big ol' robots this much. However, the book was too rushed. One amazing twist and event after the other happens and gets lost as the next hit lands. Especially Zetian's family, first amongst them her sister and motivation for getting the plot started, suffer from this. The double-twist in the end was utterly surprising. I'm looking forward to the next installment!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

offbrandclubsoda's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious 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? No

4.75

Favourite quote:

“Where does jealousy come from, if not an insecurity that I’ll lose you because of him? But that’s not how it works, no matter how many people believe it so. You’re not something to be kept or taken, and love isn’t some scarce resource to battle over. Love can be infinite, as much as your heart is open.” - p. 275 (ch. 32)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, and Classism

cakeylu's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Gore, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

metalballwheatley's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

This book was so wild and fun, but I wouldn't say that it was perfect. It got kind of cheesy and hammy at times but I still enjoyed it. 

I loved the three main characters and how the two boys were equally supportive towards Zetian despite her being mean to them at times. (Though rightfully so because she doesn't owe them politeness) I also loved the combination of futuristic tech with Tang dynasty aesthetics (I think it's Tang dynasty because that's around the time Wu Zetian was alive). And the mechas! The whole thing with how the mechas worked was so cool and interesting!

I could see how people had problems with the worldbuilding not being explained enough, but I honestly didn't have a problem with it because I'm usually just more focused on the plot. (Worldbuilding isn't really fun if you don't have an interesting plot) My only complaint is that I wish we got to see Shimin and Yizhi interact more so that we could root for their relationship just as we rooted for Shimin and Zetian (I love Yizhi but idk if I rooted for Yizhi and Zetian

since they already liked each other in the beginning

).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcoholism

madamenovelist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment

ramiel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and War

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Classism

ioanna_orf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Vomit

hayleyvem's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Genocide, Rape, and Colonisation

sorcha_rosa's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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

This book is exactly what people are saying. It's wonderful, it's great, please read it.
The themes it deals with: incred. The character work: stunning. The balance of dark and humorous: perfect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, and War