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chaoticnostalgia'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
4.0
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.
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
lovelymisanthrope'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 Burning God" begins where "The Dragon Republic" left off: with Rin ready to do anything and everything in her power to win this war and protect the southern providences. She has overcome betrayal, hardship, death, and destruction, and she will not let the Dragon Republic be victorious. Will Rin be able to win the war without using the power of the phoenix to destroy the entire world in the process?
Upon finishing this novel I watched some discussions of this story on YouTube, and my eyes were completely opened to the fact that though this is a work of fiction, these conversations about war and colonization are rooted in history. More often than not generals and other higher ups in military forces are so great at what they do because they have a strategic war mind. They are able to be ruthless and lead a team to victory at any cost, which is great and important. However, this mindset and leadership is not what people need after the war ends. This mindset is too extreme and idealist to properly lead a country through recovery post war. The characteristics I did not enjoy about Rin execute this point perfectly, and I have a newfound love and appreciation for her character development because it sparks an important conversation about war leaders.
R.F. Kuang is an immensely talented author, and I am so glad I gave her books a chance. This story is thought-provoking, eloquently written with beautiful prose, and provides important insight into a side of war rarely talked about.
I look forward to reading more from R.F. Kuang in the future because she has rapidly become a favorite author of mine!
Graphic: Colonisation, War, Drug use, Death, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Toxic relationship
being_stupid'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Genocide, Rape, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Self harm, Blood, Cannibalism, Body horror, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Deportation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Dementia and Forced institutionalization
tori_mccausland'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
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Suicide, War, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Self harm, Abortion, Rape, Sexual violence, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Gore, and Physical abuse
pearlbird's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Drug use, War, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Torture and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape
natnat_7'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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, Classism, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, War, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Slavery, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage
cemeterygay'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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 feelingsreadandfindout's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Graphic: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Grief, Sexual violence, Self harm, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Mental illness, Addiction, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Body horror, Genocide, Torture, Blood, War, Child death, Racism, Rape, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Murder, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
saojimenez'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, Torture, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Racism, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, and War
livreads16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I did not love the ending. I just really didn’t like how
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Colonisation, Cannibalism, Death, Animal death, Sexual violence, Genocide, Xenophobia, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Grief, Drug use, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Torture, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Classism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Infertility