Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Опиумная война by R.F. Kuang

1870 reviews

reshelman's review against another edition

1.0

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Book was not well written and very abrupt in changes in time. The development of characters was not creative

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment

aubreecoats's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark 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: Complicated

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It’s the second time that I’ve read this book, and I enjoyed it as much as the first. Kuang did a phenomenal job IMO of blending fantasy and “growing up” of Rin with the horror of the Second Sino-Japanese war.

Some parts of the book are incredibly hard to read knowing that aspects of this book existed.

I am looking forward to read the rest of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Drug use, Torture, Medical trauma

mykale's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging 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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The Poppy War was unfortunately the victim of my ongoing book slump, so it’s hard to give it an accurate rating. Coming hot off of the She Who Became the Sun duology, I felt like I was diving into a book I had just finished reading. This is definitely a story that warrants a reread and is not without its shocking moments, but I should have given myself more time between fantasy books before diving into The Poppy War.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Blood, War

milica_reads's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Loved the first 150 pages then boom- genre shift and into the war she goes! Into the magic! A completely different character to who she was before- if that ever was constant!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Self harm

aukohler's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Genocide, Blood, Murder, War

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Colonisation

shermansays's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional 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, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War

Moderate: Misogyny, Vomit

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Xenophobia

lroth's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous 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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This is 100% a war book. If you're expecting romance or hand holding through the gruesome details, don't. The fast forward through time was well done and kept the story moving along. The ending was okay, in my opinion. The isn't a major cliffhanger, but the author makes it clear what is to come next. Honestly, I think it could be read as a stand alone. Overall, I really enjoyed the raw war experience of this book and it's use of the spiritual plane. I wish there was more time spent with the gods. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Abortion

leichamoo's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, War

kwewani's review against another edition

4.0

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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i will ALWAYS love a morally ambiguous read. rin is one of the most complex main characters i’ve ever read; you can neither support her or fully condemn her because everything that has ever happened to her led her to make these choices. i’m not a fantasy reader either but i have to appreciate how well r.f. kuang crafted rin + altan + all of the other character dynamics.  doesn’t shy away from the themes of war, power, + corruption

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War

Moderate: Addiction, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death

gtures's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: Complicated

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😮😮😮

R.F. Kuang does not hold back. This book is very intense. (Depictions of war violence).

The character arcs are diverse and you really grow to care for them throughout the story.

 Not ready for Book 2.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War