Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

59 reviews

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Miss Kuang i would like to have a chat. why would you do this to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Genocide, Rape, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Excrement, Gore, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Suicide, War, Murder, Sexual violence, and Torture

literarydumpling's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

4.25

If you thought the first two books of The Poppy War were intense, hold your horses. I wasn't sure how the series would end, or how I wanted it to end, but somehow The Burning God has managed to finish off the series in a way that makes sense.

Overall, a great conclusion to an already fantastic series.

I really enjoyed Rin's character development throughout the three books, but The Burning God topped it off with her almost going mad at the end. Even with Kitay trying to help her, her paranoia and the flaws that have always been present in the books come bubbling to the surface and become what the readers can see could be her downfall. Really well-written.

I'm glad Kitay for more of a limelight in this and the small amount of light where Kitay, Rin and Venka are discussing their dreams for the world give you that moment to consider how young they all are when in the last three books you sometimes lose sight of their age. It's also interesting how Rin's relationship with Jiang, Altan and her Speerly heritage evolves throughout the book, which I think has been cleverly done and alluded to without just shoving it all in your face in one go.

I'll also add that the back and forth between Nezha and Rin and whether they're enemies or allies has been consistent in the series. If the series has shown anything is that there isn't anything that is black and white, it's all gray.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, and Violence

Minor: Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, and Trafficking

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

5.0

Ugh my heart can’t take anymore damage. RF Kuang really knows how to reel you in and then kick you in the teeth, but you’ll enjoy every moment. I love that Kitay becomes a strong, fully formed character and that we get closure across the board (even if some of it doesn’t go the way we wanted it to) While the ending is admirable and beautiful, I wish it hadn’t ended that way, but I suppose thats the moral of war and therefore the Poppy War Trilogy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Excrement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Rape, Vomit, Bullying, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Self harm

Minor: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Confinement, and Pregnancy

justlilah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

5.0

Never again in my life will i find something like this. Never again will a book leave me so thoroughly devastated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, War, Xenophobia, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Torture, Sexism, Self harm, Racial slurs, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Animal death, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Physical abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Genocide, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racism, Hate crime, Colonisation, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Medical trauma

madisonbell_'s review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Classism, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Misogyny

zharaa13's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

<Spoiler>

So this book was amazing. Especially the ending, I was wondering how R.F. Kuang would finish a series like this as I always hate when things just are okay and fine once "the good guys" won the war and then everyone is happy and as someone came from a war stricken country I know that isn't the case. I loved the fact that Rin was a bad leader she couldn't possibly be a queen or empress, she was a soldier and soldiers don't stop fighting and turning Rin into a better show Daenerys Targaryen was the best decision.
I was a bit bored midway through but things started escalating fast and towards the end I was on the edge of my seat.
I really wish we knew what happened to kesgi I really felt sorry for him and Kittay deserved better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Cursing, Genocide, Grief, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Colonisation, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Animal death, Abortion, and Classism

donatio's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really don't know how to feel about it. Like, the style and everything absolutely matches the theme and it beautifies nothing. But still... Why the ending?! I don't think Kitay got the appreciation he deserved. On the other hand it's the only possibly "good" conclusion of the trilogy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Hate crime, Vomit, War, Death, Violence, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Racial slurs, Torture, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Self harm

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I don't know where to begin. Kuang is an excellent writer and creator of characters. I fell in love with Chen Kitay and his bond with Rin was the most moving aspect of the story. Rin's ending felt fitting, inevitable, and unsettling. It feels so cruel that Nezha is the only surviving character out of the dozen or so we came to love. He was so well written, but I wish more was done with his character ultimately. The third installment felt so very rushed and frustrating at times. I'll be thinking about this for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, War, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion

cemeterygay's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, War, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Grief, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Additional CW: Colorism and Implication of incestuous feelings

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

I'm actually trying to form words to express my feelings, and probably because I'm now dead, it's hard.

The dedication in the front of the book kind of says it all (not really a spoiler but..):

"To my dear readers, who stayed with this series until the end, and came prepared with a bucket for their tears"

This whole series is devastating. Heartbreaking. Poignant. A true masterpiece. Honestly a new fantasy classic.

I think because of the sheer anticipation of it all ending, there were parts of this book that were slow to read. But as I said I think that's just because you are trying to mentally prepare yourself for the end, while also wanting it to kind of never end - because you're scared for the ending. Every interaction between Rin and Nezha you are holding your breath. The whole book is a rollercoaster of emotion.

Ending:

It's definitely very climactic! I knew how it had to end... but it doesn't make the last chapter/epilogue any less brutal to read. When Rin thinks Kitay has betrayed her, I was screaming. When she almost kills him, I was sobbing. When Nezha does what he must, I died. Literally my only qualm with the ending is that I wish Nezha's love was shown in a stolen kiss at the end. I was yearning for one moment of intimacy and pure love between them. If that had happen however I might actually have died of heartbreak.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Moderate: Colonisation, Self harm, Racism, Child abuse, and Grief

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

So much animal death, sacrifice, cruelty. SA/Rape is briefly mentioned more for context of character's pasts. Nothing graphic or on page. Famine/starvation and the results explicit.