Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

449 reviews

queermothman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Biphobia, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse

danparrock's review against another edition

dark inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking

Minor: Colonisation

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This was an incredible book that was basically written for people like me.

Pacific Rim meets Ancient China (the main character has bound feet), with a queer polyamorous relationship. Featuring  heavy misogyny and colonization. The ending had me reeling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

the_frenchie_history_nerd's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

What a great YA book. Definitely for older teens (15/16+), but an accessible read to all reading levels as long as they're old enough. It's a fast-paced, tense, dark and fun read for sci-fi/fantasy readers. Don't expect LOTR world building, but Xian Jay Zhao's first novel still defends itself pretty well on this front.

Iron Widow's characters definitely aren't good people, but they're still loveable in some sort of twisted way. Zetian is a villainous figure that you're probably gonna learn to love despite her cruel nature. 

This book is just as good on a second read, and I can't wait to start Heavenly Tyrant!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, and Classism

Dark subjects treated with respect throughout the book, but the author does not shy away from talking about a brutal, deeply flawed and violent society.

rolugomi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and War

rlpdean's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

https://rlpdean.wordpress.com/2025/01/19/iron-widow/

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Classism

enbyaddams's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

clownfectionary's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Medical content, and Grief

shadow_cat94's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow! I loved this book and immediately reserved my spot for Heavenly Tyrant at my library!

Wu Zetian is an angry and vengeful girl who is set out of fighting against her misogynistic society. Li Shimin is a sweet boy with a dark past who is just doing his best to survive in a world that doesn't want him to. Yihzi is a gentle boy with a restrictive father in a world of high expectations and different dreams.

Placing these three characters together in the way that they were made me so giddy, I just wanted to scream. There were so many twists including a major one in the epilogue!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

The military actively points loaded guns at the heads of the characters while threatening to shoot them for a good chunk of the book. If that is triggering for you, I can not recommend this book.

silverphoenix817's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

Did a re-read before reading the sequel. ALL THE STARS, ALL THE TIME, I love this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Torture, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism