Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Rache im Herzen by Xiran Jay Zhao

134 reviews

arttichokedipp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

5.0

First book of the year, first 5-star of the year.

This is everything. Everything I find wrong with YA, gone. Everything I dislike about fantasy, gone. Everything I dislike about scifi, gone. Only the good parts remain and it is so, SO good.

Particularly, for those who have negative feelings about love triangles, never fear.

I hate love triangles because things would be so easy if they ended in polyamory half the time that it would cut the book in half. This one? THIS ONE DOES. Not only does the girl get with both guys, who are totally cool with that, but they get together as well. The triangle is the strongest shape, as you'll see.

My only complaint is there's a sort of "bury your gays" situation, but I'm hoping based on the epilogue that it's not permanent.

10/10, I'm so glad I stumbled upon their YouTube videos and decided to pick up their book when it came out.

(Edited because I messed up their pronouns. So sorry!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, and Xenophobia

Minor: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Gore, Trafficking, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

There is allusion to intersexism, in that it's rumoured that intersex people may exist but they're not taught about and the narrator speculates on how they may be mistreated for being born different.

v_neptune's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

5.0

holy fucking shit

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Xenophobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

this book is good but intense. even though i'm someone who usually avoids a lot of the topics i've listed here, i loved this book and i think these topics were represented in a way that wasn't very triggering for me

apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape and Pregnancy

rini's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

veilchen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

Zetian is a girl in a world that is designed for boys. The everlasting threat of so called Hundus (basically evil big robot monsters) is being battled by brave warrior men in giant transforming robots - and their female co-pilotes that have to sacrifice their lives. But when Zentian does the impossible by outliving her male pilot, this system is in danger of falling apart. Because Zentian has tasted power - and she is willing to do anything to keep it.

This was an amazing book all around. Was it perfect? Nope. Some plot lines were a bit rushed, others predictable and a few just felt a bit forced. But in my personal reading experience, it was still one hell of a book and I'm in the christmas spirit so fuck it, 4.5 stars.

The first thing I fell in love with was the worldbuilding. It was an exciting, foreign mix of fantasy, sci-fi and historical fiction, all imbedded in a chinese-inspired setting. There was some parts of chinese history, with the main character being inspired by the obly female sovereign of china, elemental magic and robots - a chaotic mix that just happend to be exactly my thing.

I also immediatly loved the protagonist. Is she a good person? Not really, but that's why i love her. She is cunning, manipulative, very angry (and rightfully so) - and absolutly unhinged. By her side are her childhood friend/lover Yizhi and the misunderstood bad boy Shimin. But not to worry - even though it might seem that way at first, this is not going to be your typical YA love triangle. It is so. Much. Better. What ever dynamic you like - Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, rivals to lovers, protective, power couple, supportive husband on the side lines, fake dating - it's allll in there. Except for the miscommunication trope because they actually talk about everything and its beautiful.

Another thing to mention is the incredible writing. I don't know what it is, but this book basically read itself. I've been in a bit of a reading slump recently and then finished this book in less than half a day. I was captivated and literally could not put it down.

Bascially I recommend this book to everybody. You like fantasy? All there. Sci-Fi? There is literally robots fighting all the time. History? You'll certainly learn a thing or two about chinese history. Just here for the romance and hot people? Yes. But warning (even though there already is one at the beginning of the book): Things get... real. If you have any problems with explicit depiction of seixsm, drug addiction, torture, murder and body horror or referendes to sexual assault, do not read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Torture, Xenophobia, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

emmsiej95's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Ableism and Rape

shaipanda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

OMG BRO HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING WAS FUCKING WILDDDDDD WTF - I fucking knewwww something wasn’t adding up but holy shittt

Ok so this is by far one of the best books I’ve probably ever read??! Like it’s crazy intense and needs a shit ton of trigger warnings but so gooddd - this and this fic I read recently single handedly dragged me out of my reading slump (esp when it comes to fantasy specially) that’s been going on all semester 
JUST SO GOODDD AHH

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War

parkerwkelly1's review against another edition

dark 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

3.75

This was a pretty interesting story overall, and I really appreciated reading a speculative book set in a different cultural backdrop than the standard eurocentric one, but I will say the book read like a (quality) fanfiction for the majority. Once I reached the authors note, they do reveal the fact it was, if not originally a Darling in the Franxx fanfiction, HEAVILY inspired by the anime. Still a fairly good read, but it is definitely tropey in parts. I liked the explorations of gender but wish we had gotten a bit more exploration of possible

queer/poly romance between Yizhi and Li Shimin before Li Shimin's death at the end of the story.

Altogether decent, not my favorite YA read but I will likely pick up a sequel if it comes to fruition. Good debut. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Xenophobia

sailortrash's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

4.75

I could not put this down, this story sucks you in right from the beginning. Can't wait to read book 2. This book feels like a mix of the Hunger Games,  Handmaids Tale and Pacific Rim but remains unique in its own right. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, Murder, and War

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

krogancuddler's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

5.0

I LOVED this book. I read it in 2 days, and not because it was short. I couldn't put it down. The narrative was so engaging, Zetian was a loveable mess, the romances had me squee aloud several times throughout.
The end!! Had me tense and ready to go, I hate that I have to wait for the new book or even any book at all from Zhao
They're now an auto buy author! It's also clear that if you have knowledge of chinese history there are tons of little things you will notice throughout

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Xenophobia