Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

29 reviews

daydreamsofareader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexual assault, Vomit, Police brutality, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Cannibalism, and Pregnancy

zypeee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

3.75

I don’t even know what or how to write this review. A well written very compelling story, but a terribly horrific subject matter. It’s hard to like something so terrible. Read with caution. See trigger warnings. 

A very driven young lady, rejects the crushing male dominance of her society to prove herself amongst the top magic wielders. Only to find out that the magic she has loved above all else comes with a deadly cost. Good does not always win. Books don’t always have happy endings. Some are just sad tales of what could easily become our realities, and in someways were and still are. 

Phew. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

allthefelicia's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

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

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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

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

The book has themes of genocide and also has a section of the book with the setting in an ongoing riot status. There is a scene that’s a sexual assault. Complicity in institutional segregation and genocide is the major theme of the book.

bookish_panda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

“Maybe it would be a hundred generations before the sun rose on a life of dignity for their descendants, but the worthwhile run was not the sprint.”

What a masterful story. Heartbreaking and so necessary in these times. It was difficult to read sections of this book knowing how close it is to what has and still is going on in today’s world. As sad as the ending was (I’m still crying) it was perfect and hopeful. 

The author portrayed the toxicity of patriarchy, colonialism and, above all, white feminism/fragility to such a perfect degree. I feel like everyone should read this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicide

thenoboshow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, 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.

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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

flyinglark's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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 world-building is amazing. The magic system is insidious because of how deep it runs. It is on the nose about the themes of sexism, post-colonial oppression and privileges. 

I wanted to learn more about Thomil and the other Kwen in the city, but their stories have been minimized. I enjoyed the build-up to where the magic of Tiran comes from. Sciona is a fascinating character. She is making strides for women yet self-serving. She is intelligent in the magic system yet her ignorance against the Kwen minority is a good chunk of the story. 

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

POV: 3rd Person - Double (

Mostly Sciona, Some Thomil Insertions

) 

Format: Audiobook - Single Narrator

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Suicide attempt - Chapter 11 Sexual Assault - Chapter 16

lexihworth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

This is one of the darkest stories I️ have ever read. It is also one of the most masterful works of storytelling I️ have ever read.