Scan barcode
stillinbeta's review against another edition
- 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
Good scifi is a mirror through which we can examine our society, and the symbolism here is so obvious it's basically just another text. The society depicted is, unequivocally, horrific. It's depicted in an unflinching style that almost dares you to look away. Nobody in the setting is obviously the "good guys," and everyone is utterly corrupted by the rotten society they've built.
There's some cute moments too, a spoonful of sugar to help the extremely bitter medicine go down. And some really incredible action scenes. But if you're looking for something <i>light</i>, this isn't it.
Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, War, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Sexual assault
alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Cursing, Misogyny, Murder, War, Kidnapping, Violence, Alcohol, Death, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, and Blood
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Sexual content, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Addiction, Classism, and Rape
Minor: Classism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Colonisation, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia
jjjreads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Body shaming, Misogyny, Racism, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Confinement, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Minor: Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, and Fatphobia
voidboy's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Trafficking and Torture
Moderate: Chronic illness
tinyjude's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
She is definitely a character partly defined by her anger and defiance to the system. Patriarchy is lenthly tackled and criticized in this world. Even though she has her "I am not like the other girls" slightly annoying moments, she is an incredible character. I hope she is able to find and befriend many other women like her, which is what this book lacked (a lot, I dare say for a feminist book, but nothing that a sequel cannot fix). Kind of wishing she befriends now the other bitchy female pilote, I want some enemies to friends. I think they both could be fcking neat. Also, I think it would have also been good to add a few scenes with her sister in order to get a better idea of how she was, so that we care deeply about her.
I loved the worldbuilding but, most of all, A POLY RELATIONSHIP FULL OF CHAOTIC BISEXUAL PEOPLE. LETS GOOOOOO. Yizhi being the lawfully good boyfriend who makes a snack for his murderous girlfriend and boyfriend... oh, I love them. I hope we get a lot more cute and domestic scenes between them and, ehem, Zetian said she can also be attracted to women so... GIVE HER A GIRLFRIEND IN THE NEXT BOOK I BEG
Anyway, morally grey characters, a lot of murder and torture, chinese history mixed with modern technology, criticism about patriarchy and a poly relationship, very good food :)
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, War, Sexism, Torture, and Trafficking
Moderate: Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Fatphobia, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
solarel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Is it healthy? Probably not. Was it so so satisfying? Hell yes.
I feel like this is what men must feel like after watching those war movies or something. God it feels powerful to read of Zeitan’s rise.
That being said: I wish this was an adult book, not YA. It had potential to be more and go deeper. The romance line could have carried more weight if they had the ability to flesh it out more, beyond the YA label. Also the “girl” and “boy” phrasing felt juvenile. You’re 18 now, time to stop calling yourself a girl exclusively. And a man in his early 20s is not a boy. It was the only part I disliked.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Torture, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War
Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual assault, Biphobia, and Trafficking
twin1's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Trafficking, Slavery, Violence, Addiction, War, and Torture
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
emilinkaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Trafficking, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Torture, and Death
purplelake's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Classism, and Trafficking
Minor: Medical content, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Animal death, and Body shaming
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, War, Genocide, Gore, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting