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the characters are undeniably flawed. they’re unlikable. they’re human. Rin and Altan especially, they do such terrible things and think such terrible thoughts that you almost dislike them until you remember what they’ve been through.
Yet, you’re also drawn to characters like Kitay, who went through hell and back but still manage to gain control of their humanity. Their morals.
The writing in this book was insanely brilliant. Like actually fucking amazing. I’ve never read anything like it, and if you’re thinking about picking this book up having read all of the content warnings, please do. It’s so worth it. The disturbing contents add to the story and why these characters do the things they do.
The rest of the series is already on its way to my house and I could not be more excited.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
“It’s so great to meet you. I love your book! … you scare me a little.”
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation
Minor: Vomit
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
We start in a small town with Rin, a young war orphan who is about to be married off to a rich merchant, a future of stability but compliance to the world around her. Instead she decides to study for a very difficult exam to try and get into the top military academy and form her own destiny. Again, this is not a "oh the wonders of academia" story, not at all! Rin's worldview is very limited, as an orphan she doesn't quite have family history to know about, she doesn't have the social status that the other students have, the money, or the influence. She's an outsider trying to fit in but she also has the drive and mindset that she will get ahead and survive.
So far it just seems like a classic hero story but this world has a history of war caused by complex political machinations and fueled by the push of opium on the population. Based on Chinese history and the Sino-Japanese war, everything gets complicated for Rin very quickly. She is faced with the realities of class disparities, she needs to choose where she wants to fit into this society, or, if she'll completely break out of it and choose something completely different. In comes the magic aspect.
The magic aspect in this book is based on shamanism, the use of drugs to reach the realm of the gods and use their power. It's not as easy as them granting magical abilities, their power comes at a very high cost and it's also very difficult to control. Society has been taught to not believe that magic exists but at the same time the leaders use this magic to their own advantage, and not always with the best intentions. So, where will Rin go with all of this? Will she choose the path of least resistance to fit into this society? Or, will she make her own path? What will be the consequences of all these choices? For herself, and those around her.
Yes, this is a very complex story and I loved it for that. It mirrored our own society, how the education system is flawed and skewed so that only people with access and privilege can thrive in it; how politicians can just make decisions based on pride and wanting power, not on seeking the good of those they represent; how drug use is demonized and those that fall or are driven into addiction are seen as less than and not helped; how trauma can drive history to repeat itself over and over.
If any of that sounded interesting and you can take the very very violent acts in this book then do pick this up. Even if you don't dive deeper into the meaning of the story, the story is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Bullying, Eating disorder, Sexism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Death of parent, Alcohol
Characters were dynamic and understandable.
Prose was perfect, it was a steady sense pace that never felt like it was just info dumping to me.
Story is gorey and has many trigger warnings. There are moments of intensity in regards to war violence, genocide, rape and more violence.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Self harm
Minor: Suicidal thoughts