Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

520 reviews

morgs_gray's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, and Rape

fernanda_o's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective 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: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

jes42's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

Hands down one of the best books I've ever read. The execution of the characters, world building, and plot devices tying into the themes of the book was near flawless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

justagrlandherdog's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Torture, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

• 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

5.0

I can’t believe I waited this long to read this book, but I’m also very glad that I won’t have to wait very long for the sequel. This was so much fun. Xiran Jay Zhao perfectly combines Chinese history, scifi chaos, and feminist rage into a compulsively readable novel. It is also exactly what is says it’s going to be, and this is so rare that I have to give Zhao and their team massive credit for that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Xenophobia

themdash's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Really wonderful concept and hints of incredible world-building, including a GREAT twist at the end… but it’s dragged down by uneven pacing, lack of detail, immature writing style, and jumps in characterization (Zetian’s feelings about Shimin seem to completely change overnight). I’ll continue the series, but can’t recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

katie0528'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? No

4.75

I couldn't put this book down! A blending of Chinese history/mythology with Voltron and Hunger Games style sci-fi elements led to a really unique story that still felt familiar to Western sci-fi fans. In a futuristic world bombarded by aliens known as Hundens, male/female pairs pilot giant mechs called Chrisalises. However, the females are concubines to their male counterparts in every sense, including using their life force to power the mechs. After Zetian's sister died as a pilot's concubine, she volunteers to become one as well to enact her revenge. She quickly becomes a powerful pilot in her own right, as an Iron Widow, and decides to enact revenge on the system that sees women as nothing more than objects.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Blood

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.25

The content of this is adult, but the writing style is YA for a majority of the book. The premise was completed within 100 pages, and I was never clear on Zetian's end goal after that (it was either short-term or vague). The pacing was too fast for me, and I wished we could ahve lingered on specific topics and experiences (i.e.: exploring gender identity). Because it was so fast, I wasn't fully attached to the relationships. However, I was angry when

Li Shimin "died" (thankfully it was a fake out)

. The last quarter of the book was strong because I finally believed in the brutality of Zetian (I kept comparing it to She Who Became the Sun and was disappointed). I was not expecting the twist at the end, and am not sure if I like it or not (it was WILD). Next book will tell me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Racism, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

evann140's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape

kdegroote905's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence