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urastrologygf'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: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Cannibalism
hanz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and War
book_sense's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have zero sanity left after reading this.. this series. These characters. I have so much love for them. They are so real to me.. the ending. The fucking ending broke me.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
fruitea's review against another edition
- 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
the depiction of war and conflict is brutally blunt, i said this in my review of the dragon emperor as well. some books tend to… romanticise war, turn it into some dramatic love story where the characters are invincible and benevolent and altruistic. but there’s none of that bullshit in this book, because war isn’t pretty or glorious, the people who suffer the most during wars are innocent civilians, who starve so the soldiers can have their rations, whose towns are pillaged, who are mercilessly killed by the enemy soldiers, even if they’re defenceless. the book constantly reminds you of this fact. you can’t forget it or ignore it like the big important political people who sit on their thrones waiting for the army to win the war for them.
i think what i appreciate most about the trilogy is the brutally realistic portrayal of the people. not their abilities, but the way they live their lives, how they react to things. sure, we like to think that we’re good and kind, but realistically, if we were in a war zone, starving and desperate and afraid, we would be utterly selfish. we wouldn’t share resources with the other innocents, wouldn’t jump in front of a blade to protect a stranger. regardless of who wins, a lot of people would accept the victors because they’d do whatever they had to to survive.
yes, it’s disheartening, more so because we see it from the perspective of someone who is on the frontlines and has seen first hand the cruelty of the enemy. these poor kids, i know they’re a couple of years older than me and aren’t really kids by the end, but… they’re so traumatised. they suffered throughout their entire lives. they’re so young. the things they’ve experienced have shattered their minds, but that’s the bitter truth of any war - no one emerges unscathed.
anyway i went on a. tangent. my brain is scrambled with the emotions i am feeling and also the fact that it is now 24 minutes to 1 am so i will end it here.
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
isabellaft's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia
caregorman'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Violence
fiveredhens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"Jinzha?" Jiang frowned, digging his little finger into his ear. "The older Yin brat?"
"Yes," Daji said.
"I think taught him at Sinegard. Utter asshole. Whatever happened to him?"
"He got plucky," Daji said. "I turned him to mincemeat and sent him back to Vaisra in a dumpling basket."
Jiang arched an eyebrow. "Darling, fucking what?"
"It's a bad guest that shows up
unannounced," Daji said.
"Not if a third guest is holding a knife to the host's throat," Rin said.
"This analogy has lost me," Jiang said.
How many chances, asked Altan, are you going to throw away?
At least one more, she thought, and ignored his jeering laughter.
Their eyes met. She felt a shock of horror. She recognized the way he was looking at her. It was how she'd once looked at Altan. It was the way she'd seen Daji look at Riga—that look of wretched, desperate, and reproachful loyalty. It said, Do it. Take what you want, it said. I'll hate you for it. But I'll love you forever. I can't help but love you. Ruin me, ruin us, and I'll let you.
good pacing, good exposition, and an end i can't tell if i loved or hated
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Racism, Rape, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Grief, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
maddiebusick's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Drug use, Excrement, Medical content, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Cursing, Child death, and Animal cruelty
totallyshelfaware's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexual violence
plumpaperbacks'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
4.5
Representation
- amputee protagonist of color
- side characters of color
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Ableism, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Trafficking