Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

Jenž utopil svět by Shelley Parker-Chan

50 reviews

raix's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Hoo boy, this one is a lot darker than the first book. If I had a criticism, it's that it's sooo long, so much happens in it. There's less of a focus on Zhu, but I found the scheming of the other characters incredibly interesting, especially with the empress. Zhu and Ouyang having to team up was amusing. He's so very bitter and Zhu takes everything in stride. I love the way this book looks at gender, the prisons it can put them in and whether they choose to work within their bars or slip through them.
There's so much self-hatred packed into this book. I found it a little amusing how often characters thought "I feel terrible right now, all according to plan!". That being said, you can't really look away as you watch them barrel toward their own destruction. 
I honestly wondered if/how Zhu was going to manage to come out of this successful.

Her endless ambition was bound to be her downfall in the end, and I thought for sure she'd lose Ma forever. But once again she pulled it off at the end, doing what the others couldn't. It made me think about how  Baoxiang had thought "I can still stop now" but chose to keep going. Zhu had the courage to do what he couldn't. I had hoped for a nicer ending for Ouyang, but it wasn't meant to be. Even so, he's on his way to peace.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture

Minor: Infertility, Abortion, Colonisation

scissor_i_barely_know_her's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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damn

This book was an incredibly strong follow up to the first book. I was a little skeptical about continuing the series because the ending of the first book stomped on my heart, but I am soooo glad I persisted. It ended up drawing me in just as much as the first one. It held me in rapt attention. This series has definitely solidified itself as one of my favorites.

There were some parts that were a little heavy handed, so just make sure to be aware of the trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Violence, Grief, Murder, Dysphoria, War

Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion

hanloc's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War

Moderate: Abortion, Pregnancy, Colonisation

Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

nywn's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Violence, War

Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion, Pregnancy

kukazashi's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail

abnormal_shadow's review against another edition

5.0

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The twists, the turns, the death, the life the way that the story interacts with itself. The way it fuels itself and how you can see and sense the characters losing their resolve or failing to achieve their goal. Additionally the Strain that desire puts on the characters and the people around them is just so amazing. This is the first time that I've seen wanting something and having desire pictured as something both good and bad, selfishness that can be wielded into determination.

I love how religion and the belief system of this period mingle in with the story so well how Buddhism is so effortlessly referenced consistently. And oh my God the ghosts I love the way that the ghosts interact with the story being both a conscious member of the plot and a subconscious anchor it is absolutely astonishing.

I absolutely love this book and it's probably one of the best duology I have read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Deadnaming, Abortion

Minor: Child death

k_aro's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Abortion

All three moderate content warnings happen explicitly but is basically contained to just one scene.

beckcatbooks's review against another edition

4.5

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Shelley Parker-Chan is a masterful storyteller! This book had me losing my mind at several points. I was a little nervous approaching the end that I would hate the ending, but they pulled everything together in a very satisfying way. Anyways, Ma Xiuying supremacy!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Abortion

jesshaleth's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If there had been slightly fewer moments meriting a content warning it would've been 5 stars for me, so maybe it will be for you. But yeah - I think it ticked more content warnings than it didn't, so, at your own risk.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail

dreadspawn's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Abortion, Pregnancy