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while the tonal shift between parts i and ii was jarring, it felt necessary in terms of story-telling. upon reading part i, you assume that you're in for a more magical/martial arts focused schooling story; something where the education aspect is the primary focus. when part ii hits, you're IMMEDIATELY thrust onto the frontlines of the war and kuang does not hold back. the tone immediately becomes gruesome and dark, almost unexpectedly so. however, this works narratively because it mirrors the experience of the protagonist, rin, in the novel. there is no lead-up, no warning to the prompt arrival of pillaging, murder, r*pe, and bloodshed for the reader because there is no warning for that in real life. while it was definitely off-putting at the start, in hindsight it not only makes sense but also feels necessary in order for kuang to accomplish what she set out to write.
the book was incredibly well-written, the world-building sucked me into the story immediately, and the downfall of rin's morality has me eager to read the second book.
it just needs to be said to incoming readers that this book is dark, gruesome, and describes the perils of war in extremely vivid detail to the point where i had to put the book down and walk away before picking it back up because it made me nauseous.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Medical trauma
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, Colonisation
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Infertility, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Colonisation, Pandemic/Epidemic
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Grief, Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Abandonment, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail