Reviews tagging 'War'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

19 reviews

averagemugglereader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and War

rhi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

coltonchase's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

readrebelrevolt's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

I knew from the first chapter this was going to be a 5 ⭐️ read. I was emotionally attached to the characters and their journeys from the very beginning. Well written and thought provoking with a very interesting magic system! Highly recommend!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and War

matty_joe319's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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

It’s such a cliche phrase at this point, but this book truly has it all. It’s a fantasy with a detailed, unique magic system that is easy to understand and will also please the steam-punk and sci-fi fans. It has graphic action sequences that made me forget to breathe, but the gore never feels excessive or exploitative. It has flawed, multifaceted characters who are hilarious and heartbreaking in alternating moments. It has romance that has real substance to it. It has some of the best commentary on social issues I’ve seen in a while from a fantasy novel, but doesn’t feel preachy, one-note, or heavy-handed. It works as a hell of an allegory, but is also just an incredible story in its own right. Truly one of the best fantasy novels I’ve read. It is a brutal read, but the whole experience is so engaging that you are at risk of doing what I just did - reaching the halfway point and then staying up til 4 to finish the rest.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and War

maddielc's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-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

I sped through this book it was so good. A great commentary on our world with a hopeful message at the end. The magic system was so unique (based on coding), it made me want to read page after page.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, War, and Classism

rebeccakoury's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

5.0

First 5 star of 2025. This book blew me away. There are so many important messages interwoven. The magic system was mind blowing to me and my jaw was on the floor multiple times. I often wondered how this story would fit in it's 400 pages but wow, just wow.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

msorendreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

 The old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover!" doesn't seem to apply to actual books. At least, not in my opinion. I do frequently judge books by their covers --guilty as charged, it is how I pick out books I'm interested in. Blood Over Bright Haven is no different. The initial glance of the cover, with the typewriter and flames, immediately caught my eye. Upon further review, it was clear that this was definitely a book up my alley. 

I started Blood Over Bright Haven on January 1st and couldn't put it down --given it's Winter Break for me, I was able to finish it within 24 hours. A combination of religious and racial commentary as well as feminist prose, M.L. Wang combines three of the most controversial topics for a book to create a dark academic piece that builds lore around treatment of the Kwen people as well as women. 

A little preachy at some points, and more academic than fantasy in others, Blood Over Bright Haven is pretty good. It could be better, though you'll be hard pressed to find The Perfect Book™️the second day of the year. The main character, Sciona, is a brilliant, if not a bit rude and stand-offish, mage whose goal is to become the first ever woman archmage in her city (truthfully, the entire time, I was picturing Elphaba while I read it but Sciona is not green so I don't know why). The whole basis of the first quarter of the book is dedicated to Sciona proving she is absolutely the best magic user amongst the men she works with. All while teaching a Kwen man --Thomil --about magic because her colleague thought it would be funny to make the janitor her assistant. If you're hoping for romance, don't get your hopes up too high, though. 

The Kwen very obviously represent a minority group, often being insulted and called savages, monsters, heathens, etc. throughout the story, even by Sciona. Thomil is introduced in the start of the book and he's an important part of the narrative, though he mostly just calls Sciona out on her comments and unintentional racism. However, he's also introduced as the opposite to Sciona's hyper-intelligent, "believes in another deity so we may not get along" love interest. Sciona has interalized bias, being raised to believe that the Kwen people are less than those of Tiran --the city in which they live, founded by God who sent tablets to the founding mage then told him to create the utopia they live in. 

Does that sound familiar? God, stone tablets that gave all the rules and commandments, utopias and the tablets disappearing again? If you also thought, "Mormons?" then you and I shared the same thought process. From then on, I read the book as a woman losing her religion and learning that just because she was taught it was okay doesn't actually means its okay. 

While it's not my favorite book, it is still a solid read. I do recommend it, if you're interested in religious trauma and feminism with a side of being called out on casual racism. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War

mkelley21's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

Really good depiction of

genocide and the current state of society

you’re in for a depressing read.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

quiteawful's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt