Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

105 reviews

swilko's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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R.F. Kuang has proved the sentiment that ‘sequels are always worse’ completely wrong. This book was so good that I was left feeling PHYSICALLY ILL by the end and completely traumatised…

The second book of the trilogy is better than the first, but they are most definitely both 5 stars. 

I hate and love Nezha. I am obsessed with Kitay. Daji? DAJI?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War

hailstorm3812's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If the first book is about what you can do to fellow people by dehumanizing them, this is about the atrocities you can do even while you know their humanity personally. While this book didn't make me dry heave like the last, it arguably cuts deeper since it's all personal. I was extremely stressed while reading this book, which was purposeful but makes it harder to read. I did love what they did with Venka. I think she was kind of used as a prop in the last book but this book gave her something to do

and sets her up in an interesting place for the next. I do think killing off so many characters towards the end leaves us for a rough time in the beginning of the next but we'll see how that is handled.

I loved Rin's arc as well. Overall this book is a lot of horrid drudgery and darkness but used to good effect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Classism

Minor: Abortion, Death of parent

alex_greenleaf_'s review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book but that's not a fault of the writing at all and more personal preferences on how I like character motivation set up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement

Minor: Cannibalism, Abortion, Pregnancy

finn_1312's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War

Moderate: Cannibalism

winterwoodbooks's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

broccoli_j's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism

bacook0403's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War

kaylaswhitmore's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Coming straight out of the first book and into this one was very interesting. After the first book’s rather awe-inducing end (

Rin’s use of the Phoenix to completely level an entire country

) I already anticipated that Kuang would have to find a way to “nerf” Rin in the second book. After all, if it was all just easy wins, nothing would feel very climactic, would it? So, with that in mind, it’s safe to say that the first half of this book was exceedingly frustrating. I don’t mean that in a negative way, but rather, that Kuang found the bruise that conjoined both Rin and the reader and she pushed down, hard. It thoroughly sucked for awhile there, especially considering my standing-critique of Kuang’s writing style that she tends to sum up Rin’s various relationships with a handful of informative scenes but too little transition in-between (imho). This occasionally made those relationships and characters feel a little flat in comparison to the rich intimacy we have within Rin’s character and arc. However, I think that particular flaw took a hard turn for the better around 2/3 through the book (

Rin and Kitay’s bond

). After that point, the emotions, stakes, and overall well-roundedness of every character beside Rin felt much more vivid than before, and Kuang even delved a little deeper in adding casual exchanges here and there that really enriched the dynamics. By the end, I truly felt immersed in this world and found myself longing for exactly what Rin herself is headed towards: purpose. I’m going right into the third and final book now, and hope this journey finds a satisfying end!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Self harm, Grief, Abortion, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol

Minor: Cannibalism

As with the first book, please check trigger/content warnings before reading.

There is an incident involving a woman being r*ped in the second half of the book that is moderately graphic and could definitely be triggering for some.

peggy_racham's review against another edition

4.5

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Such a goid sequal. Loved the friendship between Kitay and Rin. Getting background on so many characters, Nezha specificly, was so good and needed. Cried at her reunion with her brother. Mind the tw's

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Deportation

bites_of_books's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I am immediately starting The Burning God.

Talk about character development, complex relationships, both with family, friends, and even enemies! Twists? Check! Reveals? Check! Incredible suffering? Absolutely. 

I said it in my thoughts about the previous book, if you can't read about war and horrible violence, don't even try this one. 

While some stories that have military tactics and such aren't my thing, I was on board with this one. I needed to know exactly what and why certain things needed to happen. I was intrigued from the first page since we do get more backstory on characters from the first book while continuing with Rin's story. Rin... oh Rin, where will you end up? I'm terrified for her and also cheering for her to no end. 

Now, I could go to bed, but I'm starting the next one now. Wish me luck. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism