Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

243 reviews

menomica's review against another edition

”If the capital had been built in Tikany, I'm sure we'd be running around dark as wood bark."

Dear god.

This naruto ass fighting. 

And the pacing was….

This is why I don’t fuck with fantasy 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Racism

Moderate: Drug use and Sexism

jlyles_177's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Genocide, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Child abuse, Body horror, Medical content, Blood, Bullying, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War

Moderate: Cursing, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Miscarriage, Confinement, and Infertility

roget's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

A compelling, complex story of warfare, survival, ambition, and desperation that takes place in a living, breathing world. Brutal and unforgettable, tensions around race, class, imperialism, and violence bring the story to a boiling point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Violence, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, Drug use, War, Grief, Classism, Child abuse, Bullying, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Torture

Minor: Infertility

wingsofareader's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Addiction, Genocide, Child death, Colonisation, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Xenophobia, Bullying, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Racism, Confinement, Ableism, Animal death, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Author R.F. Kung explains - in a note at the back of the paperback edition - that the vivid descriptions of war violence, including sexual violence against women and children, we’re taking from historical documents and personal accounts from World War II survivors. Kuang’s rating offers specific sensory imagery, alongside a listing of violence observed by the characters as a means of connecting the reader with both the profound horror and the casual brutality of wartime atrocities. These descriptions do not seem gratuitous, when taken as part of the overall level of description of character experience and visual detail throughout the novel, as well as the context of author, intent bring awareness of historic events and truths that are buying large ignored in the West. The details are, however, unflinchingly described, as are the characters emotional, mental and physical trauma responses to what they see and endure. Some readers may find detailed descriptions difficult to read or process, particularly depending on personal circumstance and experience.

samflowerv6's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I was assigned this for school. The poppy war is a bloody, scorching coming of age story of an angry orphan who finds power within herself. Rin is such an interesting and complex character. Based on historical tribulations of China. Check trigger warnings. Kitay, Nezha, Altan, Jiang and Rin are such deep and beautiful characters. I will be continuing this series.

“I have become something wonderful, she thought. I have become something terrible. Was she now a goddess or a monster? Perhaps neither. Perhaps both.”

“I don't love you. And I can kill anything.”

Well, fuck the heavenly order of things. If getting married to a gross old man was her preordained role on this earth, then Rin was determined to rewrite it.

“Nothing is written," said the Phoenix. "You humans always think you're destinied for greatness. Destiny is a myth. Destiny is the only myth. The gods choose nothing. You chose. You chose to take the exam. You chose to come to Sinegard. You chose to pledge Lore, you chose to study the paths of the gods, and you chose to follow your commander's demands over your master's warnings. At every critical juncture you were given an option; you were given a way out. Yet you picked precisely the roads that led you here. You are at this temple, kneeling before me, only because you wanted to be.” 

“Jiang was wrong. She was not dabbling in forces she could not control, for the gods were not dangerous. The gods had no power at all, except what she gave them. The gods could affect the universe only through humans like her. Her destiny had not been written in the stars, or in the registers of the Pantheon. She had made her choices fully and autonomously. And though she called upon the gods to aid her in battle, they were her tools from beginning to end. She was no victim of destiny. She was the last Speerly, commander of the Cike, and a shaman who called the gods to do her bidding. And she would call the gods to do such terrible things.”

“I don't need your pity. I need you to kill them for me. You have to kill them for me," Venka hissed. "Swear it. Swear on your blood that you will burn them.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Infertility, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Sexism, Gore, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Death, Drug abuse, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Excrement, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Drug use, Rape, Animal cruelty, Deadnaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Classism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and War

miciahsreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

characters - 1
worldbuilding - 1
writing - .75
enjoyment - .75
plot - .75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Death, Child death, War, Chronic illness, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Racism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Rape, Slavery, Murder, Sexism, Genocide, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Child abuse

jaz_apples's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.25

I found the writing to be a bit juvenile and the pacing to vary wildly. It has an excellent premise and I think could have been something great. The execution lacked however. This was very nearly a dnf for me due to the lack of cohesion and flow within the plot. The character interactions were engaging however the character development and the development of the relationships between them were rushed, forced, underdeveloped, on several occasions did complete 180s, and overall were hard to follow. The lack of effective character development made it very hard to relate to the characters and even like them in some cases. 

This book was incredibly graphic. It goes into heavy detail of body horror, death, murder and SA. The author did a good job of painting the picture of the scene but could have done so in a more tactful and effective way. 

“The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying on the road. You pick the smallest manageable part of the big thing, and you work off the resonance.” -Richard Price

The author could have elicited an even greater emotional response from the reader, without being quite as triggering by using metaphors and focusing on a smaller, seemingly inconsequential aspect.  

Another thing to be wary of is the heavy drug use and abuse within this book. 


I believe that the most triggering chapter is chapter 21 and I’ll have a general description of the events for those who wish to skip it under a spoiler. This chapter covers exceptionally graphic and detailed descriptions of: murder, genocide, torture, body horror/mutilation, the postmortem state of bodies, SA, sexual violence, miscarriage/forced abortion/violence towards a pregnant women, and drug abuse. With that said, here is the general description of the chapter: 

The Cike travel to Golyn Niis and find that the Federation soldiers had already reached the city. They had brutally killed almost every citizen and Nikan soldier within. There were very few survivors, of which two were students Rin went to school with: Kitay, Rin’s friend who suffered no lasting injuries, and Venka, a girl Rin shared a dorm with. Venka had suffered from repeated SA and explains to Rin the details of what happened to her and to other women and Rin swears to get revenge for them. Afterwards Rin goes to find Altan and finds him practically incapacitated from smoking mass amounts of opium.

See the content warnings for the rest of possible triggers

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Genocide, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Drug use, Violence, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Murder, Slavery, and War

Moderate: Racism, Classism, Cursing, Misogyny, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry

ehrycyna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, War, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

iniiri's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

I don’t know what I expectef when I picked up a book called ”poppy war” but it was not this (I will be adding quite a bit of warnings). I knew basically nothing about it except there was a test, a school and based in china. Everything else came as a suprise and if I was surpirsed. 
Things seemed well thought out and nothing gave the impression of being shallow; just a character because it was needed which I really liked.

Slight spoiler because I don’t know how to talk about this book otherwise.
I really liked the time skips in the first half of the book. It didn’t need to tell certain things in detail so I’m glad it didn’t. It took me by surprise, that’s for sure, but I liked it. It also made things more convincing to learn that significant time had passed without anything noteworthy because that’s just life.

Still in the slight spoiler zone, but my closing thoughts. It was quite difficult to read at times. Again, I didn’t know anything going into this book so I didn’t expect the turn it took. I’m used to books glossing over a lot of things, but again, it delivered on the name.
I honestly don’t know if I’ll read the other books. I’m quite overwhelmed by everything. There were moments where I didn’t even want to read  because it would just lead to more missery. It was a good book on its own and as of right now, I don’t feel any need to read the next one. I think I need to leave this world for a while before I light pick up the next one.

All in all, would recommend with caution :)

(Audiobook)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Genocide, Death, Drug abuse, and War

Moderate: Torture, Rape, Cursing, and Body horror

Minor: Kidnapping, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, Classism, and Colonisation

snaileton's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

rf kuang the woman that you are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Colonisation, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, and Genocide

Moderate: Drug use, Torture, and Rape

Minor: Sexism and Addiction