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Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Murder
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Infertility, Self harm, Torture
Minor: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Vomit
The characters are vibrant and distinct, even the ones the MC doesn't like are interesting as individuals. I felt like I really got to know them during the first half or so of the book. It showed at times how individual characters understand the same events differently, and I didn't always find myself agreeing with the MC's interpretation. I understood why even some minor characters made their choices. The narrative continually conveys nuanced and varied interpretations of events, making it feel simultaneously like there were so many better options and also like, for these particular characters, there was no other way. It's deftly done.
Read this if you like books featuring war in a fantasy setting with excellent worldbuilding and a large cast of complex characters. Read it when you're ready to feel broken.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Excrement
Minor: Death of parent
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Genocide, Infertility, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Excrement
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma
Minor: Excrement, Vomit
📚 It's also amazing to read an epic fantasy story based on real history that isn't European history.
📚 I loved that every character learned and grew and changed, often after learning more about people different from them.
📚 This world is so layered and detailed, and the characters struggle with really big questions brought on by the social and political intricacies of the story.
📚 Some of the writing was a little heavy handed, but I feel like that can be attributed to the fact that the author was SO YOUNG when she wrote this (seriously, how?)
📚 It's extremely graphic. I guess that's not necessarily a dislike, more like a warning. Everyone will tell you how grim this book is, take them seriously.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief
Well fuck me. I...I'm not entirely sure how to review this one. I reread it so I could continue the series and that after a year of badgering I pushed book club to read it with me. We'll be talking about it tomorrow and hopefully be able to wrap our minds around it. I remember it being brutal. I remember a lil about being hurt by it, but FUCK. Kaung does such a great feat on this book not only to bring you along, but to really understand her characters and their choices, even if they're often not the best choices. But, how can you make a choice when all the choices are bad? How can you try and be good in a world that will continue to torment you and destroy you constantly and even if you try to make better choices, they still get thrown in your face.
Frig, man. I will be reading book 2 soon. 5/5 stars. Forever. Fuck this bullshit of 4.5/5 stars I said in 2019, 2019 Michelle you're an idiot.
2019:
I don't know much about Chinese history, but hearing from other people the book is based on Chinese history, this was absolutely brutal.
"They trained her for a war. She intends to end it." That line, I didn't expect her to brutally horrifying to end the world, JFC Rin...
The language and the story itself was complex, well made, and kept my interest the entire time. I believe my favourite character was Jiang. I am definitely going to purchase the sequel!
4.5/5 stars.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, War