Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

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

59 reviews

isabellaft's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, and Racism

Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy

alexiconic's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

5.0

This book is so great. I love it.

I love how we see Rin develop as a character, confronting her emotions and vulnerability instead of staying comfortably in a haze of anger and hatred. I love seeing her genuinely bond with people she initially struggles with and learning to trust herself.

The plot is fast-paced, written in a clear and vivid style. The twists and turns in this story caught me by surprise continuously, without seeming overwhelming or too much. And even though I generally dislike swearing in books (it just seems like a cheap way to liven up the dialogue too often), in this book, I never minded. 

I can't wait for part 3!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Violence, Self harm, Racism, Medical trauma, Murder, Grief, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Rape, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Abortion, and Xenophobia

Minor: Genocide, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit

hanarama's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

The Good:

• Well developed characters.
• Challenging topics, specifically concerning the cycles of war and violence. 
• Engaging plot, keeps you wanting more. 

The Bad: 

• Characters are extremely morally gray (may be off-putting to some readers). 
• Slower middle section. 

The second installment of the Poppy War trilogy builds exponentially on the themes introduced in the first book. Even as the war ends, another begins while Rin struggles to strengthen and stabilize her bond with the Phoenix. 

The story is an extremely frank depiction of wartime and the life of a soldier, while still integrating fantasy elements. Readers picking this series up should be extremely cautious for this reason. Additionally, even "good guys" commit heinous acts as a part of their effort to win. Readers need to be aware that the protagonists are not necessarily in the right or moral people. Kuang's world setting is very grey and morally complicated. 

The character development in this book is excellent. Kuang is great at writing charismatic characters that are likable despite their evil actions. Likewise, she is excellent at subtly building up to twists in the narrative that are at once surprising, but totally in line with the characters as they have been written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence

redthistle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is a good continuation of Rin's story from the Poppy War.
Overall I enjoyed it, although I admit there were sections which dragged pretty hard for me and I struggled to want to continue reading, which isn't surprising given the books 650+ pages.
I struggled particularly because

I hate the 'hero losing their powers' trope

and a good section of this book this occurs which left me feeling frustrated and bored.

The story continues to be a brutal depiction of a country ravaged by war, young people thrust into positions of unimaginable power the consequences of which they do not fully grasp or allow themselves to consider (mainly Rin but others as well), and the ultimate reminder that those in power are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to gain and keep what they desire.

While the narrative does show a window into Rin's mind as she tries to deal with what she had done and continues to do in the name of winning a war, I did feel that she lacked much actual development. She never really changes. Whether that is because of the nature of the pheonix and it's rage or because its the only way she can live with what she's done I'm not sure. I admit I had hoped for some sort of develop or growth from her which I personally did not see.

One thing I loved and kept me reading was the development between characters and their relationships. I have gotten much more attached to many of the ensemble characters than I had in the Poppy War and loved to see their friendships grow.
Thoughts on individual characters have spoilers:

I got particularly attached to Nezha and his betrayal was honestly awful. I loved his friendship with Rin and I really wish he had been strong enough to break from his family's grasp and stand on his own two feet. I hope that maybe in the next book he will. I want to believe that he did what he did because he thought he was protecting Rin and not that he fully sold her out.

I was so glad that Venka got to be in this story and that her and Rin have become allies. It warms my heart that Rin supported her and helped to to fight and I'm excited to see their relationship developed in the next book.

I loved the development of Kitay and Rin's friendship. I was getting pretty bored of the story before they became Anchored and that's when it turned back around for me. I've always loved their friendship and that he loved and accepted her from the very beginning of her story at the Academy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

ireadinbed's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I am really loving this series. There is so much lovely character work and good description. They aren't exactly lovable. Sometimes they are down right *unlikable* but I still can't stop reading. 

I found the relationships in this book so much better developed and interesting and the action sequences were really fun to read. Plus the ultimate villains are TERRIFYING. 

But I will say I kept feeling like I was missing stuff occasionally. Like stuff that should have been in page was off page or something? But I also read it in three big chunks so could be user error. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Religious bigotry, Rape, Medical trauma, Medical content, Grief, and Addiction

Moderate: Abortion, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Self harm, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, and Animal death

sophiesticatedselections's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Confinement, Blood, and Addiction

jessiewolf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The first half was very readable, but I got lost in the details sometimes. The second half, however, I devoured! All of the seemingly unrelated strings from the first half tie together by the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Vomit

m_________'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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: Addiction, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Grief, Gore, Genocide, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Child death, Body horror, and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Bullying, and Alcoholism

emerynmader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Medical content, Hate crime, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Cursing, and Confinement

Moderate: Genocide, Rape, Self harm, Vomit, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Gore