Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Sexual harassment, War
This story is about reaching for power, pulling it in, holding tightly to it, despite the warnings from everyone around you of the cost of such power. I respected Rin's decisions to pursue power, understood why she clung so desperately to the idea. But as the story progressed, the more warnings that she was given, the more she pursued the power. She chose the path of destruction again and again, even after witnessing the devastating effects that war brings. Revenge was a drug, she was addicted and wouldn't relinquish its control over her.
I found myself hating her. How could she chose this road after the things she had seen? Bodies piled in the streets, desecrated in horrific ways. Hearing the story of Venka and her repeated violation, witnessing the mutilation of women for the sexual gratification of Federation soldiers. Rin chose to take these horrors and inflict them upon others, vengeance for vengeance sake. She only briefly realizes the gravity of what she's done, to then brush it aside and continue on her mission to kill more people.
I can agree with others that this book is beautifully written, gut-wrenching, and harsh. I can understand that most of the depictions of war violence are taken from real-world accounts of war. But I can't continue reading a series with such graphic depictions of rape, mutilation, and torture.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, War
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Amazing. Rin is definitely a true dark and twisted heroine. Every chance for redemption she ignores making for a gripping read.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Alcoholism
I will be continuing on with this series however, as the stroy itself is very encapturing and I am excited to see what happens next, I love all the other characters and I don't find Rin completely insufferable I'm interested to see what becomes of her.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
That being said, what an incredible book. It is much much darker than I anticipated, but so well-written, and I love that all the characters, especially the main character Rin, are flawed and mostly morally grey. I love that they make mistakes, that this isn’t a book where the chosen one always makes the right decision. I am quite afraid that the rest of the trilogy will continue being very grim, and I’m not sure this is the kind of series that ends with a happy ending, but this first book has been so compelling and well-written that I’ll go inhale the two others happily anyway.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Stalking, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, War
Impressions : Words cannot begin to decribe how good this novel is - and to think this was a debut novel! The mix of mythology, historical facts and social realism makes for an extraordinary tale, full of vivid characters and impossible choices. A must read.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Infertility