Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

574 reviews

templedaniel's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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 just sitting here in shock. I feel like everything you've heard about the poppy war prepares you for what you're about to read in a way. I knew what was coming, and it came, and I am so drained and numb. this is my first adult fantasy which is probably why it took me a month to read. when it had me, it really had me, but when it got slow, it really lost me. I put it down a lot of times, and although there was some suspense and I was attached to the characters, it wasn't either of those that kept me picking it back up. I felt like I owed it to the story to read it; like before anything else, it truly just is a technical marvel. I would recommend it for people that hated Dumbledore as they grew older, hated that Harry became an Auror, liked the half-blood prince. I know harry potter comparisons are tired, but I do think that both stories are about what happens when you make children fight a war, with one obviously pulling back the idealized curtain of "ya chosen ones". I have never written a review even for books that were an immediate clear five-star, but I just feel so compelled!! it is so disturbingly allegorical, or at least that was the lens that I read it through. I may not have cried or devoured it in days, but to rate it anything less than five stars would be a disservice. I do think that this is a series where you have to endure a rocky start before you start flying through. not that the poppy war was rocky, but the world has been built, and characters have been constructed in a tedious but perfect 500 pages, and the payoff is here. cannot wait to read dragon republic. anyways tldr: even if you don't like fantasy try the poppy war & finish even if it takes you longer than any other book you've ever read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

idun_aurora's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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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I will choose this over A Song of Ice and Fire any day, and if you liked ASOF, you will like this. I'm not actually overly fond of books intensely centered around war, but throw in the words "psychedelics" and "the vermillion bird" and I'm in. All the characters are deeply flawed, and Rin is terrifyingly relatable. Despite the gut-churningly grotesque warfare, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not for the faint of heart, heed trigger warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Grief

Minor: Confinement, Cannibalism

lmanor's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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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The graphic scenes were a lot, but as they were based in history I commend the author from not shying away 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

sterilization of a minor

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

haylzno'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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YIKESSSSS
BUT IN THE BEST WAY?! 

When I tell y'all to LISTEN to the TW. The dark and gory and violent things are sprinkled throughout the novel, but chapter 21 is the darkest thing I have ever read. 

This is very much a book about war. PROCEED ACCORDINGLY. 

having said that, this was a fantastic novel. It honestly felt like 3 different books in one. I hope the rest of the trilogy can live up to book 1

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

lauwpie237's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm

tinybluepixel's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Classism

writtenbydickinson's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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: N/A

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absolute perfection of fantasy novel. kuang wrote a masterpiece, that shattered my heart and made me root for war criminals. while talking about politics & history of made up land. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Genocide, Rape, Violence, War

Moderate: Slavery, Suicidal thoughts

thebookworm777's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book will have you on the edge of your seat, speed reading to find out what happens next.

Kuang beautifully blends historical events of the Sino-Japenese war (1937-45) with fantasy and lore in a way that pushes readers to question their own perceptions of this part of history and forces readers into a head-on confrontation with difficult concepts, such as, what actions are moral during war? The Poppy War features a strong underdog character who you can't help but root for and hurt alongside as she navigates a multitude of seemingly insurmountable challenges. This is a good read for anyone who enjoys L.A Meyer and Tamora Pierce and is looking for more mature content. 

Note, this book does not shy away from the atrocities of war, cw: graphic violence, sexual assault, racism, addiction, torture, ptsd

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, War

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship

Minor: Misogyny, Cannibalism

rosey14's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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rebecca kuang at 19? a genius.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, War

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infertility, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Slavery, Trafficking