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chasinggrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The magic system and environment that Kuang creates is unmatched - completely transformative, no stone left unturned, no detail spared.
The way Kuang breaches racism, colonialism, sexism, and exploitation is horrifyingly accurate. And this book is devastating.
Graphic: Murder, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Suicide, Racism, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, Bullying, Colonisation, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Child abuse, and War
jdromsky's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
And R.F. Kuang’s thoughts on and approaches to the power of language and translation, the difficulties and responsibilities of revolutions, and the contradictions and similarities between life and death feel brand new!
There were moments where it got a smidge slow but it never felt like a struggle to get through. It was always super engaging and thought provoking, whether that was because of a new plot obstacles or because she presented a brand new way of thinking about something.
Graphic: Grief, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Physical abuse, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Suicide
This book is an exploration and discussion about dismantling a colonial empire that does not shy away from describing the horrors that colonization wrecks on the oppressed people. It is for a mature reader who understands/is ready to confront their biases about colonization and European/white influenced history.lefthandlou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Colonisation, Slavery, War, Suicide, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Racial slurs, Child abuse, and Violence
polaris1117's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Torture, Slavery, War, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Hate crime, Grief, Gun violence, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
fractaltexan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
To me, reading this book was a mixture of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History", with its long, winding rhetoric, and its extremely slow moving plot, mixed with a long-winded diatribe about the issues of Imperialism and language as a tool of the colonizer.
Overall, I can see why so many young people and Booktok were enamored by the book. It is a 500 page book dealing with a Chinese-Born, English raised Oxford Don who rebels against the system. But for me, the big issue is the way it approaches this, and glosses over the subject of radicalization that the main characters (save one) goes through, and how that radicalization ranges from action to revolution, and flat out violence. It calls to those who seek violent revolution in the world and who can see themselves as the main character in a major conflict that seeks to burn the world down and start over (let alone that this rarely, if every works like people think)
I think, as a book, this is very mixed in terms of substance versus message. It is long-winded, and to me, half the book is seemingly pointless. I honestly could not discern a proper plot until later in the book. Message is mixed. And to me, it puts revolution on the pedestal, while glossing over the harmful effects of radicalization. All the while, it, at least to me, as a Mexican-America, seems to demonize anyone who is against the revolutionaries, and doesn't allow much room for nuance. One is either a Good Character or a horrible, bad character. And yes, a lot of these characters who are "bad" are white.
Overall, it was too little substance mixed with an in-your-face version of "Imperialism is bad!!" which is common sense, and "Let's not fully burn it down but lets make people, who are also inherently victims of imperialism because they aren't upper-class suffer".
Perhaps it is because this idea of revolution and violence being the only answer is the mindset of people who are new and want immediate change is not my thing anymore. There are always other ways. Perhaps it is something else. But I was really looking forward to this book, and I'm walking away from it rather disappointed.
Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Death, and Colonisation
teabrewer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Classism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Torture, and Racism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Islamophobia, Medical content, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Slavery, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Trafficking, War, and Genocide
katwolffcreates's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse and Death
Moderate: War and Drug use
wheatlyre's review against another edition
I have enjoyed it so far, with a couple parts in particular sticking out to me, especially [spoiler cw:
Graphic: Child abuse, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Classism, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Terminal illness, and Colonisation
Minor: Trafficking and Slavery
all content warnings mentioned were put in intentionally by the author and are seen clearly to be character flaws or problematic.alfieartheart's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Racism
snarkycrafter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The magic in the book felt like an afterthought.
It was an interesting commentary on colonialism and whiteness. But beyond that I found little in this book to be gripping or interesting. I had to push myself to finish it.
I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn’t land for me.
Graphic: Misogyny, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Classism, Xenophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, War, Sexual harassment, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug abuse and Addiction