Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

66 reviews

ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Grief

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Medical trauma

lizreadsbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

This took a bit to get into and find my footing, but ultimately, I quite liked it. This gave me Psalm for the Wild-Built vibes in the sense of a non-binary monk-like figure who travels to a remote location and talks with a friend about their life stories. This novella deals with themes of love and loss, war, power, and female friendship. There’s a mystery element that reveals itself through Rabbit’s stories, and it’s satisfying in the end. I’m eager to read the next one in the series.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Murder

larqspur's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Death

Moderate: Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Infertility, Misogyny, Racism, and Pregnancy

ablaine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

How do you a tell a political history from personal objects left behind? How do you read between the lines of official records to see their unofficial purpose? I found this beautiful, folkloric novel difficult to pin down, but I realized there’s something to learn here about how stories are shaped by both what is recorded and what is omitted. 

I first listened to this as an audiobook and was immediately lost. A mystical creature, a gender non-binary cleric and a funeral for an empress were too much for my auditory processing to grasp all in the first few seconds. I’m grateful to my friend for encouraging me to pick it up in written form. 

Each chapter begins with an inventory of significant objects and reading reveals the historical meaning of each within this imagined political landscape. Reading this while grieving a parent and taking stock of objects and memories made this a sad and reflective experience, but I’m grateful for it. 

Thanks for the recommendation, Hannah ❤️

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Murder, and War

Minor: Body horror and Sexual content

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Grief, and War

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy

lain_darko's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Slavery, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide

horationelson's review

mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Confinement, Infertility, Violence, and War

reviewsandreadathons's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: War

troisha's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Infertility, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

laneport's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Grief, and Murder