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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Colonisation, War
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know how to feel about this book. I liked the characters and the school/martial arts part. But the genocide was too graphic.
I did appreciate the way the author balanced Rin’s character development; even though she becomes more and more morally grey and winds up committing terrible atrocities in war, somehow I still cared about her. If anything, the trajectory of becoming both more powerful and more traumatized made her a more compelling character. I didn’t always like her, but I am invested.
I did appreciate the way the author balanced Rin’s character development; even though she becomes more and more morally grey and winds up committing terrible atrocities in war, somehow I still cared about her. If anything, the trajectory of becoming both more powerful and more traumatized made her a more compelling character. I didn’t always like her, but I am invested.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-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:
Yes
An incredibly strong debut, with vivid worldbuilding, interesting character dynamics, and a terribly depressing story of war amidst a magical fantasy world. Each chapter left me slack-jawed in shock, and my anxiety for the fates of our characters kept me turning pages.
I would have liked more exploration of character relationships, especially concerning the events of Part III. There was such a sudden tonal shift, perhaps to reflect the realities of war, but I felt like there should have been an appropriate reflection of Rin's investment in the relationships she's held throughout the book. Though her dilemmas are the main focus of the story, as the heroine, it would have made it more heartbreaking to see more of our other side characters, particularly those she spent time with in the academy. Though I surmise we will learn more from them in the succeeding novels, which I hear are even better than this.
Overall, a highly recommended book for anyone with the stomach and will to see it through. Be sure to heed the trigger warnings before you dive into the lands of Nikara.
I would have liked more exploration of character relationships, especially concerning the events of Part III. There was such a sudden tonal shift, perhaps to reflect the realities of war, but I felt like there should have been an appropriate reflection of Rin's investment in the relationships she's held throughout the book. Though her dilemmas are the main focus of the story, as the heroine, it would have made it more heartbreaking to see more of our other side characters, particularly those she spent time with in the academy. Though I surmise we will learn more from them in the succeeding novels, which I hear are even better than this.
Overall, a highly recommended book for anyone with the stomach and will to see it through. Be sure to heed the trigger warnings before you dive into the lands of Nikara.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, War
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Torture, Blood
Minor: Slavery, Colonisation
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Murder, War
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
dark
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
This is a hauntingly raw book. I think reading it in the wake of what is occurring across boarders amplifies the destructive and painful realities of war, genocide, and violence.
RF Kaung writes in details that strike the heart and prick the soul. Runin is a fearful character, who learns to wield her fear as a power and to strike back against those who so desperately want to see her fail. She is someone who knows loss and ruin and still rises because she believes she destined for more, for better. Along the way she meets characters who are her friend and who are her family. Altan is another character who knows raw grief and pain.
The description of witnessing the events alone brought tears to my eyes and sometimes that’s all we can do. Witness. Much like Kitay who just had to watch and wait. Venka whose narrative was far from the one she carried in school. All of it is gut wrenching and profound and you just can’t look away.
Rin is power and I’m both hesitant and excited to follow her on the remainder of this journey.
RF Kaung writes in details that strike the heart and prick the soul. Runin is a fearful character, who learns to wield her fear as a power and to strike back against those who so desperately want to see her fail. She is someone who knows loss and ruin and still rises because she believes she destined for more, for better. Along the way she meets characters who are her friend and who are her family. Altan is another character who knows raw grief and pain.
The description of witnessing the events alone brought tears to my eyes and sometimes that’s all we can do. Witness. Much like Kitay who just had to watch and wait. Venka whose narrative was far from the one she carried in school. All of it is gut wrenching and profound and you just can’t look away.
Rin is power and I’m both hesitant and excited to follow her on the remainder of this journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. I have no words to describe what this book means to me. Seriously. I am at a loss for words. It's the first time I read it, and it's very Very probably going to become one of my favorite books/series ever. I can feel it. It's making me go completely INSANE and DERANGED and LOSE MY ENTIRE MIND!!!! BECAUSE. IT'S. JUST. SO!!! PERFECT!!!!!!!! SXJSOXBSKXNQOXBQOZBQOXBWICBSOXBWIXNWOXNWKFBWKXJWLXKQODJQOSK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE THEMES OF THE EXTREMES OF MORALITY, OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY AND INHUMANITY AND THE DIVINE, OF DEVOTION LINKED TO LOVE!!!! THE THEMES OF RAGE AND HATRED BEING BORN FROM LOVE!!! THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH EMOTIONS AND THE WAY THEY BOTH DRIVE THE MC!!! THE SYMBOLISM!!!! THE WORLDBUILDING!!!! THE PLOT AND THE(SORT OF) PLOTWIST AT THE END!!!! THE CHARACTERS!!!! *THE CHARACTERS!!!!!!!* THE CHARACTER DYNAMICS??!?!? THE PARALLELS BETWEEN ALTAN AND RIN'S CHARACTER AND THE RAGE THAT DRIVES THEM!!!! THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN RIN AND KITAY!!! (purely platonic relationships are My Absolute Favorite and rarely seen in YA fantasy, I believe. As an aromantic-spec person who's not the greatest fan of romance it's SOOOO refreshing to see that the first character the female mc feels close to is a boy that she has a purely platonic relationship with and it never evolves into romance. and said character (Kitay) is not casted aside, but remains one of the mcs and he influences the mc's decisions greatly because they care about each other because they're bffs and DPXNSKXNDKFKDKFJWLDNWIFNSOFNDKFNDKDK. THEY MAKE ME BEYOND DERANGED).
ALSO!!!! JIANG IS SO COOL TOO!! AND NEZHA!!! AND FANG FUCKING RUNIN!!!!!?!?!?!?! I LOVE THEM ALL SO SO SO SOOOOOMUCH SKCJDKXJDKX!!!!!!
Seriously though. I've never felt such a connection to ANY other mc, (and characters, in general), since forever. It has been a long while since a character has made me so SO I N S A N E and Chronically Deranged as Rin (and Altan) does (probably since I met Maven from Red Queen). Her character arc ison a Eren Jaeger-level and one of the most impressive ones I've ever seen in any work of fiction yet. And it's only the first book :|
I sometimes couldn't completely understand her motivations, or the way she changes opinions rather quickly sometimes. But I could always get behind her reasoning, and I guess the sudden and extreme mood changes are due to the fact that she's living in an extreme situation, such as a war. Also, since she's an unreliable narrator, I LOVED the way she greatly influences the way the reader perceives the other characters (and all of her world). I can understand that she might not be likable to some, but I wouldn't argue that she isn't an INCREDIBLY well written character!!!
SHE MAKES ME SOOOOOOOOOO BEYOND INSANE IT'S CRAZY. NO ONE COMPARES TO FANG RIN. NO ONE EVEN COMES C L O S E. MI REINA <3333
Aside from that, and moving on to more serious matters. I've never seen someone in YA fantasy before deal with topics as sensitive as war,g*nocide, and r*pe (and other atrocities), with as much finesse and feel as R. F. Kuang, while simultaneously exposing the horrors of it all in the crudest way possible. idk but that balance seems completely deliberate and perfect to get across the message of the book - I don't know why but it felt completely different (and much, much better written) from any other (recent) YA fantasy book I've read until now. Her approach to these topics felt more real, more verisimilar and somehow more... respectful? both to the experiences of irl victims of these atrocities and to the readers. I have no idea if this even makes sense😭 but idk how else to word it, i just liked it so much.
(I want to add that this is just my opinion as someone who has never experienced any of the topics she writes about (mentioned before). Of course, a person who actually relates to them might have a very different and more valid opinion - I just wanted to share my thoughts anyway, but I thought it was important to mention this too).
Also, I wanted to add here that the theme of dehumanization of the enemy in times of war was so interesting and well-written, as tragic and fucked up as the parallels are(Rin at the end of the story dehumanizing her "enemies" and the Federation like the Nikara were dehumanized.
That's on positive aspects.
On negative aspects, I felt like the pacing was a little too fast (4 whole years go by within the same book), and as a slow-paced books-lover, I sometimes would've wished that things happened more slowly. On the other hand, some chapters were a little hard to go through exactly because of this, because it seemed like not much of anything was going on. Despite this, the story was still immensely enjoyable, and the resolution for it was SO. GOOD. that it's worth reading through the whole book.
I just feel like this book caters specifically to my personal tastes in types of characters, themes, plotlines, worldbuilding, tropes etc... on such a scale that it's unimaginable. Like I would've never expected to like a book (ANY book) as much as I liked this???? AND AS AN ASPIRING AUTHOR IT WAS SO INSPIRING TOO OMG?!?!?!?!???? it's going to be on my top 3 favorite series of all time list FOR SURE. 2947293810191018492 STARS OUT OF 5
R. F. KUANG THE WRITER THAT YOU AREEE
THE THEMES OF THE EXTREMES OF MORALITY, OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY AND INHUMANITY AND THE DIVINE, OF DEVOTION LINKED TO LOVE!!!! THE THEMES OF RAGE AND HATRED BEING BORN FROM LOVE!!! THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH EMOTIONS AND THE WAY THEY BOTH DRIVE THE MC!!! THE SYMBOLISM!!!! THE WORLDBUILDING!!!! THE PLOT AND THE
ALSO!!!! JIANG IS SO COOL TOO!! AND NEZHA!!! AND FANG FUCKING RUNIN!!!!!?!?!?!?! I LOVE THEM ALL SO SO SO SOOOOOMUCH SKCJDKXJDKX!!!!!!
Seriously though. I've never felt such a connection to ANY other mc, (and characters, in general), since forever. It has been a long while since a character has made me so SO I N S A N E and Chronically Deranged as Rin (and Altan) does (probably since I met Maven from Red Queen). Her character arc is
I sometimes couldn't completely understand her motivations, or the way she changes opinions rather quickly sometimes. But I could always get behind her reasoning, and I guess the sudden and extreme mood changes are due to the fact that she's living in an extreme situation, such as a war. Also, since she's an unreliable narrator, I LOVED the way she greatly influences the way the reader perceives the other characters (and all of her world). I can understand that she might not be likable to some, but I wouldn't argue that she isn't an INCREDIBLY well written character!!!
SHE MAKES ME SOOOOOOOOOO BEYOND INSANE IT'S CRAZY. NO ONE COMPARES TO FANG RIN. NO ONE EVEN COMES C L O S E. MI REINA <3333
Aside from that, and moving on to more serious matters. I've never seen someone in YA fantasy before deal with topics as sensitive as war,
(I want to add that this is just my opinion as someone who has never experienced any of the topics she writes about (mentioned before). Of course, a person who actually relates to them might have a very different and more valid opinion - I just wanted to share my thoughts anyway, but I thought it was important to mention this too).
Also, I wanted to add here that the theme of dehumanization of the enemy in times of war was so interesting and well-written, as tragic and fucked up as the parallels are
That's on positive aspects.
On negative aspects, I felt like the pacing was a little too fast (4 whole years go by within the same book), and as a slow-paced books-lover, I sometimes would've wished that things happened more slowly. On the other hand, some chapters were a little hard to go through exactly because of this, because it seemed like not much of anything was going on. Despite this, the story was still immensely enjoyable, and the resolution for it was SO. GOOD. that it's worth reading through the whole book.
I just feel like this book caters specifically to my personal tastes in types of characters, themes, plotlines, worldbuilding, tropes etc... on such a scale that it's unimaginable. Like I would've never expected to like a book (ANY book) as much as I liked this???? AND AS AN ASPIRING AUTHOR IT WAS SO INSPIRING TOO OMG?!?!?!?!???? it's going to be on my top 3 favorite series of all time list FOR SURE. 2947293810191018492 STARS OUT OF 5
R. F. KUANG THE WRITER THAT YOU AREEE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racism, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War