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Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War
That said, PEOPLE WERE NOT JOKING ABOUT CHAPTER 21. Really all of part three is one major potential trigger after another, but chapter 21 contains the worst of it. PLEASE heed the content warnings for this book if you're considering it. I had to skim over chunks of it personally.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation
Minor: Excrement, Vomit
If you are looking for a lighthearted political fantasy THIS. IS. NOT. THE. BOOK. FOR. YOU.
I seriously wish I had read more reviews that stated that because I didn’t know what this book entailed and was caught off guard. There should be content warnings printed on the first page.
The pros:
The Magic system established is truly unique - with shamans and martial arts and Lore. The characters are somewhat likable and unique, and I was interested in their motivations and their journey. I actually liked that Altan and Rin didn’t have a love story - there was a commander/soldier relationship, an emotional connection between the last two Speerlies left after a genocide, and arguably a abusive friendship. I liked the enemies to friends with Nezha.
The cons:
This book has complex themes. There’s racism, genocide, war, torture - you name it and it’s there - it’s graphic and disturbing af. Like seriously disturbing. I get that there’s an argument for the readers needing to be disturbed by the books content to fully understand the characters motivations and that many of the events that happened in this book can be referenced in actual history but there should be trigger warnings everywhere in that book. It’s challenging and dark. I don’t think what happened to Venka needed to be as graphic as it was. The retelling of what happened to the pregnant woman? Sick. I went through all of the context warnings I would add for this book and there were at least 28 and you could argue for more.
To be honest, I don’t think I will recommend this book to people because I wish I hadn’t read some of the scenes. I’m not sure I’ll even read the second book.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Torture, Blood, Grief, Colonisation
A mix of fantasy and tragedy, warfare and death, this is an intense story and I’m not sure I have the heart for another.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Self harm
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism
Minor: Confinement, Abandonment
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War