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Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, War
The protagonist, Rin, has a classic underdog arc of being an orphan with no prospects to attending a prestigious military academy. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies and understands her innate knack for shamanism, or ability to channel the power of gods few think to even exist.
When war breaks out between her country, Nikan, and the island nation, Mugen, Rin has to not only hone her shaman abilities but grapple with the moral choices of harnessing a destructive, otherworldly power or else watching everyone she loves suffer.
The story also serves as a fictionalized parallel of the real-world Sino-Japanese War during World War II. Kuang has stated atrocities committed in that conflict — including massacres of whole cities and scientific experimentation on people — were direct inspirations for similar wartime horrors she writes into this book.
I’m not sure where the story will go from here, but I’m eager to read the next two books.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
That said, the writing and the plot were great. The political scheming was dense at times - as an epic fantasy should be - but I found it complicated at times.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, War
Moderate: Torture, Blood
Minor: Confinement
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, War
Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pregnancy, Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Once again, Kuang approaches topics of racism, misogyny and classism superbly well, and the exploration of what is moral in war was handled well as well. Not one I'd recommend to everyone, check the trigger warnings.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma
Enjoyed the first half of the story, classic school and training montage to defying odds pay off. Found the second half of the story harrowing but couldn't put it down.
Didn't fully love MC, she wasn't super agreeable and also didn't have a reliable moral compass or reliable decision making. Felt like she was written to be who the author needed her to be in that moment.
Enjoyed other characters and their dynamics.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Torture, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Genocide, Gore
Moderate: Rape, Slavery