Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

32 reviews

palmkd's review against another edition

inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.0

The story follows two twins, one expected and desired, the other a spare. They're born to an incredibly powerful figurehead and "gifted" to the Grand Monastery to be raised. This was a super interesting world where your gender isn't official until you go through a confirmation ceremony. The twins are returned to their mother, who holds a very high rank in society and exercises her power without care for the civilians. This is the first in a 4 part series. This first story focuses on the Twin's upbringing and how they find themselves settling into adulthood and learning about the world outside their sheltered walls. Are the Machinists or the Tensors in the right? Is the protectorate actually protecting anyone? I'm very intrigued by this world and the setup and look forward to continuing this series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Suicide, and Blood

1_800_fuck_off's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: War, Child death, Blood, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Colonisation

some_random_person_hi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.75

More time skips than I expected. Underwhelming ending. Engaging during some parts though, so it felt like it had potential. [spoilered parts are complaints about specific scenes]

Why did he keep kissing his sister's boyfriend and later husband tho??? Those parts were so random. Apart from that, the part where apparently to choose not to kill his mother would truly free him could have more setup because it was just confusing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Murder, Death, Abandonment, Grief, Medical content, and Gun violence

Minor: Racism and Child death

lonelylooper's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Violence, Animal death, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

becksusername's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia

leanne_miron's review

adventurous reflective fast-paced

• 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Violence and Child death

Minor: Suicide

dragongirl271's review

adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

gardens_and_dragons's review

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed the unique way that gender is explored in this book: everyone is born genderless and confirms their gender later in life after exploring gender roles for themselves. 

I liked the way that the twins relationship with each other through their childhood is explored, and how it conflicts with their mother and her wishes for them. 

I feel like having this be a novella made this feel less complete, as there is not enough time to explore the world building that is always touched upon but not super explored beyond the surface level. Especially where the mother and politics are so intertwined in the plot, it feels like we are sometimes missing information about the world in which the twins live. 

Overall, a fun read though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Animal death

jadziaaudrey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, Classism, and Death

breakery's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death

Minor: Child death