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A review by nomonbooks
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-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
Very cleverly written. Enthralling. A perfect continuation of the story of Zhu and all of the other beautifully queer and/or violent people we follow. I didn’t like everyone, but I understood them, at times better than they understood themselves. That automatically springs compassion for almost everyone. Such a wonderful portrayal of going down the path of no return, of outwardly being evil with no redemption but having an insight into that as a reader that allows comprehension and empathy. Every event is believable, and everything is crafted so well even in the final pages, which are perfectly paced. I usually try and look for a negative but this book was everything I could have wanted.
Before reading, I thought maybe watching Zhu triumph and their buoyant nature would get boring in this book but the character growth and strength of plot meant that, it was nowhere near an option. I loved the first one and I'm so glad this one didn't dissapoint.
Though generally, it is very dark, so be prepared. There are a sea of content warnings. Generally handled pretty well but the self-harm and assisted self-harm is quite intense.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
Before reading, I thought maybe watching Zhu triumph and their buoyant nature would get boring in this book but the character growth and strength of plot meant that, it was nowhere near an option. I loved the first one and I'm so glad this one didn't dissapoint.
Though generally, it is very dark, so be prepared. There are a sea of content warnings. Generally handled pretty well but the self-harm and assisted self-harm is quite intense.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
Graphic: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Transphobia, War, Ableism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Abortion and Kidnapping
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Abandonment