Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Опиумная война by R.F. Kuang

2257 reviews

amiraw's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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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I kept thinking things were gonna get better... but they just kept getting worse. I went  hrough the six stages of Grief (Cruella iykyk) reading this book and it was amazing. I did read 3 found family books for therapy after though.

This book is brilliant. R. F. Kuang had me invested in the Characters and the world from the first page and I loved watching the MC grow and change as the story went on. I felt so many strong emotions while reading

(mostly hate and depression but that's irrelevant)

and if you ask me, that's the bread and butter of a good book. It was captivating from cover to cover, I could barely put the book down(for which most of my teachers hate me now), especially during the second half. But I will say that this is definitely not for sensitive people. If all the tags have deterred you, just trust me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Classism

thenyamartin's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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There are no words that I can string together to accurately describe the feelings I have after reading this book. All I can say is, if you want pain, I recommend this book. And that I am terrified of R.F. Kuang's pen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail

wynnter's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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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I’m going to be adding to this review a lot. This book was fantastic but sooo long. Part 1 was so good. It was painful and hopeful and anxiety inducing and then it only really accelerated from there. Part two was probably my least favorite. Book two was a hard and disturbing read filled with unthinkable atrocities and loss and sadness. Part 3 felt like a new beginning and then another set back. All in all I wish I didn’t only listen to the audiobook because I don’t know how to spell anyone’s names 😭 but wow I love Rin as a main character. She is so damn brave and intelligent and flawed and works so hard. I loved Jung too and Kitay. I was surprised by a certain character’s redemption arc but pleasantly and don’t believe he’s actually dead. 

This book almost felt too long. There was too much going on. But since it’s broken up into different parts it’s forgiven. Part 1 is like 1 speed and then it feels like it gets exponentially more intense from there out. I couldn’t stop listening. I didn’t want to stop listening. I don’t think I can wait for my Libby hold on book 2. 

This isn’t a series you read for feel good enjoyment. It’s dark and appalling and full of a lot of death. But the story building is fantastic 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War

angelina3803's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is such a strong start to this trilogy. I feel like I could read it over with so many different lenses and find something new every time. Literally stunning work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, War

Moderate: Addiction

colbyjaq's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Colonisation, War

Moderate: Addiction

screamingthroughtheradio's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War

saffista's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Loved it so much that I finished it and immediately downloaded Book 2 (The Dragon Republic). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, War

Moderate: Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexism

rapaciousreader's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I loved the story but my god the main character is awful. I understand she is a literal child, but you would think she would evolve at some point. Her journey is so annoying I don’t know if I can continue the series. Hopefully she redeems herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Classism

bekahswell's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional 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

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A hauntingly intriguing book full of ethical questions. 
I can’t decide if I liked it or not but, boy, did it drive me to learn about a horrific section of history and make me examine my stances on warfare. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment

subatomic_bunny's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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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Intense, consuming, and addictive. The story shifts dramatically and without warning. A great book to get back into reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, War

Moderate: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief

Minor: Animal death, Infertility, Self harm

War brings out the worst in all, and this book does not shy away from that.