A review by pjs99
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous challenging dark funny tense medium-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

Love love love, "delightful to read" wouldn't be accurate, but I certainly enjoyed every dangerous turn.
After months of laughing at people describing this book as polical (bro did you even read the first one), I do actually see why this one gets called that (it's still silly).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War

Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Classism

For those concerned about the sexual tags, I shall contextualise with very minor spoilers

there is a lot of zetian feeling coerced into sexual situations, but she is always consciously considering if it's better to go along (pretending she wants it), or pushing away. Personally I'd consider these sexual violence BC she is forced by her situation to consider things this way but I think rape would be a bit strong, as the pov of her describing still gives the impression of her consent, however limited it my be. Very different to the scene in the first books when Yizhi saves her from the pilots in he night.