Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

1141 reviews

dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I can respect the author for what she does, but this just got too dark for me personally. Also had some things spoiled for the next book that, while unfortunate, made it clear this was not for me. 

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I am GAGGGGGGGGEDDDDDDD at the ending!!!! The middle was a bit slow for me but the final chapters kicked it into high gear. Starting the final book in the series now!

FUCK NEZHA

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I was able to devour the first book, this felt like a whole epic in it of itself, and we’re not even DONE

it was a bit slow going in the first third of the book, which I was debating on giving a 4.5, but then it PICKED UP

damn you Nezha

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

I liked this book a little more than the first which surprised me. I had a harder time getting into this one, I found the pace didn’t really pick up until about halfway through the book. Once it got there though, I read the rest very quickly. I was surprised by the direction that Kuang took this series in, and I find that alluring as it keeps me interested in continuing. I love-hate Rin as an FMC, sooo morally grey and a touch awful — my favorite.
I think Nezha’s character arc has been brilliantly done. I started out hating him, then you start to have a soft spot for him, then you start to feel bad for him, then you want him to die, and to die hard. I’m very much looking forward to Rin releasing her full Phoenix’s wrath on him. The House of Yin are the fucking worst. I’m so glad Rin is going back to her roots and uniting the south.
Excited to get into book 3!

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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

Petition for Rebecca F. Kuang to pay for my therapy after this.

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The story is good, heartbreaking, and the authors writing style is excellent. I just don’t care for the main character. I find it hard to relate and to understand her choices but I’m trying to have an open mind. I’m curious to see how the story ends.

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

My goodness - as a follow up to Poppy Wars, well done R. F. Kuang! This book builds upon what made the first book great - moral complexity, a fast clip that keeps one engaged throughout, and engaging, if at times frustrating, characters that give one pause and make one think - and adds more.

The world-building is richer and the central conflict manages to be even more of a moral quagmire than the first book. Moreover, the emotionality of the book is stronger than the first one - I was brought to tears at times. The book also ends things to set up for a great conclusion in the third book.

A couple critiques come to mind - I like the moral complexity of the book, but the main character's internal conflict seems to ebb and flow so much that I got a bit of whiplash at times. Also,
I thought that the Hesperians weren't given much depth for the role they played in the story. In Poppy Wars, the Federation soldiers were treated similarly superficially, but I feel like that made more sense as they were always more of a looming, faceless threat, as opposed to the more involved role that the Hesperians played in this book.


One final thought - like the first book, this book is a page-turner, but can be tough to read - Kuang does not shy away from describing the harsh realities of war, so be prepared for some pretty gruesome and harrowing descriptions.

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

The last 30 pages of this book were devastating in ways I probably should have seen coming but didn’t. Kuang pulled the rug out from under me in so many (good!) ways throughout this book, too, in terms of plot and character growth. Additionally, there’s action and engaging story twists throughout this book, which makes it a pretty compelling read front to back. I’m strapping in for the third and final book right after I finish typing this.

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challenging dark tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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