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haskapberries's review
- 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
harrowing, devastating and beautiful portrait of a complex and traumatized girl. at times funny!! Didn’t shy away from the bleak and dark parts of war.
I’d say the best part of the book was somewhere around the middle. Near the end, it felt like I was being overly spoonfed the point it was trying to make, (I.e. “war bad”, “racism bad” which like yes of course) and it became so graphic that I felt nauseous. Not for the weak stomachs.
Although I will say that
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lalastitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Very intense trigger warnings. The second half of the book gets really intense, so read with carersheli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
kris_tea516's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ruune's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ringofkeyz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
while the tonal shift between parts i and ii was jarring, it felt necessary in terms of story-telling. upon reading part i, you assume that you're in for a more magical/martial arts focused schooling story; something where the education aspect is the primary focus. when part ii hits, you're IMMEDIATELY thrust onto the frontlines of the war and kuang does not hold back. the tone immediately becomes gruesome and dark, almost unexpectedly so. however, this works narratively because it mirrors the experience of the protagonist, rin, in the novel. there is no lead-up, no warning to the prompt arrival of pillaging, murder, r*pe, and bloodshed for the reader because there is no warning for that in real life. while it was definitely off-putting at the start, in hindsight it not only makes sense but also feels necessary in order for kuang to accomplish what she set out to write.
the book was incredibly well-written, the world-building sucked me into the story immediately, and the downfall of rin's morality has me eager to read the second book.
it just needs to be said to incoming readers that this book is dark, gruesome, and describes the perils of war in extremely vivid detail to the point where i had to put the book down and walk away before picking it back up because it made me nauseous.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Slavery, Grief, and Medical trauma
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, and Colonisation
kingspite618's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
tammharker's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
magicstasis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
everlymayreads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infertility