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Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Abortion, Pregnancy
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, War
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility, Slavery, Pregnancy
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Classism
Graphic: Violence, Grief
Moderate: Slavery, Pregnancy, War
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War
Moderate: Pregnancy
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, War, Injury/Injury detail
I liked this one better than SWBTS because it had less of a story telling style I dislike, though it came back toward the end, especially with Baoxiang. I dislike when the narrator in books (and tv shows, movies) knows more than the reader. It feels like a cheap and lazy way to create suspense. It is a testament to how much I liked SWBTS that I kept reading it with that (imho) flaw. The story premise, characters, and setting I absolutely love.
The Zhu and Ouyang working together chapters were so fun and entertaining. Such interesting characters to compare and contrast! It did start to feel like Ouyang was becoming too OP, but it fit the story.
As in the first book, I felt like I was missing some things because I don’t know that much about China, Mongolia, Buddhism, and all the cultural norms and history there in. Once I did a bunch of Wikipedia reading and I realized these characters are based on real people (on Zhu and Ma’s side mostly), I got even more into it.
At first, I found Baoxiang’s chapters boring, but I appreciated them more later on.
After I finished SWBTS, one of the things I was hoping for in this book was a Zhu/Ma kissing scene. I did not get it. RIP Xu Da. RIP Third Prince.
There are many more trigger warnings to add to this book compared to the first one.
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, War, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Outing
Minor: Pregnancy
Graphic: Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail