Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Rache im Herzen by Xiran Jay Zhao

195 reviews

alfspoilerspren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

BEST STAND ALONE NOVEL I HAVE READ IN MY WHOLE LIFE

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and War

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, Misogyny, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

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

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

fe_aye's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring medium-paced

• 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

This was a ride from start to finish. A heck of a first novel. I love that Wu Zetian doesn’t have to be good, she doesn’t take the traditional ‘to do good things you must be good all the time’ bs route. She manages to make her own way against everything telling her otherwise. Solid book, would recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

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

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

elskabee's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow. What a book. - Those were my words upon finishing this. It's such an intense experience that had me procrastinating finishing it because of how much I was enjoying myself; I didn't want it to end!

I will admit this book won't be for everyone. Some of it is a bit cheesy or on the nose, and as the story ramps up it becomes very over the top as you watch the main character descend into madness after years of pain and abuse. For me it worked brilliantly, I love a feral female lead and I love when an author is not afraid to take things off the rails. "Wow they really went there" is a thought I had often while reading and laughing my own evil Zetian laugh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Body shaming

ender24's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

DAMN.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

annorabrady's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

This is a great, compelling story that's hard to stop reading. The characters are fully fleshed, morally grey characters (even those who think they are one extreme or the other). The combination of traditional cultures melded with a futuristic, sci-fi setting give strong foundations for allegories and messages that can be applied to our society today without feeling heavy handed. And the writing is masterfully done so that the plot twist at the end feels earned and satisfying. 

Also, there once was a review I saw that said "any love triangle can be solved with polyamory" and I am pleased to say that this book chose that method. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Colonisation and Classism

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, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Gaslighting

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

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

devirtualized's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content

marsh_mall0w's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation