Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Dragon Republic - Republik Naga by R.F. Kuang

168 reviews

gigglesigh's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I should've been to bed hours ago but those last hundred pages wouldn't let me go. The political detail is impressive and the constant reconstruction of the truth has me on my tiptoes all the time, I love it so much. I spent half this book thinking "no, no, no, please, no" and the other half wishing she would just kill one of the various people I hate, and yet it was great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Genocide, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Vomit, and War

nclausel25's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Addiction, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Gore, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Religious bigotry, Violence, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, and Genocide

Moderate: Vomit, Racism, Child death, Confinement, Self harm, Abortion, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Pregnancy

erton's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Genocide, Addiction, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death, Gun violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Grief, Cursing, Gore, Medical content, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Racism, War, Confinement, Medical trauma, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

ellenwm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

“…They cannot accept the truth of other gods. And when nations start to believe that other beliefs lead to damnation, violence becomes inevitable.”

The world building and cadence of Kuang’s writing is mesmerizing. I’m not normally one for war-focused literature but it’s very compelling. The moral quandaries pondered in this book overtly and through the plot and character growth are weighty. Who is responsible for a society’s violence and inhumanity? What do we owe other humans? What is actual kindness? Like the first in this series, it covers colonization, war, violence, white supremacy, religion as weapon. So it’s a little difficult to continue at times when you’re not up to being emotionally slayed. All the content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Drug abuse, Blood, Xenophobia, Slavery, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Classism, Death, War, Violence, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide

Minor: Abortion

raisinbrann's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gore, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Racism, War, Religious bigotry, Blood, Sexual violence, Self harm, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Death, Confinement, Addiction, Colonisation, Classism, Chronic illness, Rape, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child death, Abandonment, Torture, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Genocide, Body horror, and Abortion

justaddwater's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, War, Colonisation, Drug use, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Emotional abuse

leonplaysintheuniverses's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

A lot more action and the powers are used more. I loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Violence, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Genocide, Colonisation, Classism, Child death, War, Racism, Racial slurs, Vomit, Gore, and Body horror

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I did not enjoy the first half of this book. It was just the same thing over, and over, and over. War, war, war. I was honestly confused a few times wondering “how could we possibly have moved on so fast to battle just to have the same conflict in a slightly different context” 
But for a second book, overall it was quite good. I’m feeling more & more attached to these flawed characters. Again, very Game of Thrones esque.

You also need to be careful getting attached to characters… like in Game of Thrones

There was also a kinda sorta enemies to lovers thing going on that I loved! It’s refreshing to read something where romance isn’t the primary focus, not even the secondary focus, but is still acknowledged.
I’m so interested to see how this story ends…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Torture, Racism, Physical abuse, Death, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Drug abuse, Gore, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Hate crime, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Slavery, Alcohol, and Vomit

If you’re here, presumably you’ve read the first book. I would say this second book has moments where it is harsher than the first… more graphic. But if you were able to handle the first book, you should be fine.

amalas_bookstop's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

So the second book was battle after battle after battle. I really enjoyed the comedic relief parts between friends and I kind of wish this book had more of that. It seemed like this book was full throttle without a break. I would have gladly had less battle scenes for more friendship building. I honestly might feel more connected to the characters. 

However, she does have me still intrigued on how this war ends. I am glad this ended with Rin with some backbone. She got a little annoying to me throughout most of this book. But I totally get character development. 

I am looking forward to reading the last one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Animal death, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Classism, Abandonment, Colonisation, Genocide, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Death, Mental illness, Addiction, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, War, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Murder, Body horror, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

cryptofauna's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

i didn't like it as much as the first one but it was still decent! 
i am generally not a fan of a protag whos just a downer (and i hate self loathing in first person especially) so that was kind of a drawback of this book. her grief and anger were all valid which made it more bearable to read but still just not my favorite ever. 
interesting plot and twists but just generally didn't feel that enthused because its so much of rin just being a problem and being manipulated by ever military man whos ever met her. its like her main flaw, and wasn't terrible but she just makes the same mistakes over and over which was a little frustrating. 
i liked the characters and stuff and the writing as always is very strong. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, War, Drug use, Vomit, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism, and Blood

Moderate: Self harm