irezdurezd's review against another edition
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Genocide, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Rape
amirez1043's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, Genocide, and Drug use
joepyeweed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I did appreciate the way the author balanced Rin’s character development; even though she becomes more and more morally grey and winds up committing terrible atrocities in war, somehow I still cared about her. If anything, the trajectory of becoming both more powerful and more traumatized made her a more compelling character. I didn’t always like her, but I am invested.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Rape, Drug use, Gore, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Torture, Violence, and War
thyprincess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I would have liked more exploration of character relationships, especially concerning the events of Part III. There was such a sudden tonal shift, perhaps to reflect the realities of war, but I felt like there should have been an appropriate reflection of Rin's investment in the relationships she's held throughout the book. Though her dilemmas are the main focus of the story, as the heroine, it would have made it more heartbreaking to see more of our other side characters, particularly those she spent time with in the academy. Though I surmise we will learn more from them in the succeeding novels, which I hear are even better than this.
Overall, a highly recommended book for anyone with the stomach and will to see it through. Be sure to heed the trigger warnings before you dive into the lands of Nikara.
Graphic: War, Rape, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Torture, Gore, and Genocide
Minor: Slavery and Colonisation
Spoiler
If you are particularly squeamish, best to skip Chapter 21 due to graphic violence, gore and moderate sexual assaultlyrapollock's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, War, Racism, Physical abuse, Murder, Gore, Death, Genocide, Drug abuse, Torture, Drug use, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Colonisation, War, Torture, Slavery, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Abandonment, Violence, Racism, Murder, Dementia, Child death, and Blood
readwthsam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape
kingspite618's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THE THEMES OF THE EXTREMES OF MORALITY, OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY AND INHUMANITY AND THE DIVINE, OF DEVOTION LINKED TO LOVE!!!! THE THEMES OF RAGE AND HATRED BEING BORN FROM LOVE!!! THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH EMOTIONS AND THE WAY THEY BOTH DRIVE THE MC!!! THE SYMBOLISM!!!! THE WORLDBUILDING!!!! THE PLOT AND THE
Spoiler
(SORT OF) PLOTWIST AT THE END!!!!ALSO!!!! JIANG IS SO COOL TOO!! AND NEZHA!!! AND FANG FUCKING RUNIN!!!!!?!?!?!?! I LOVE THEM ALL SO SO SO SOOOOOMUCH SKCJDKXJDKX!!!!!!
Seriously though. I've never felt such a connection to ANY other mc, (and characters, in general), since forever. It has been a long while since a character has made me so SO I N S A N E and Chronically Deranged as Rin (and Altan) does (probably since I met Maven from Red Queen). Her character arc is
Spoiler
on a Eren Jaeger-levelI sometimes couldn't completely understand her motivations, or the way she changes opinions rather quickly sometimes. But I could always get behind her reasoning, and I guess the sudden and extreme mood changes are due to the fact that she's living in an extreme situation, such as a war. Also, since she's an unreliable narrator, I LOVED the way she greatly influences the way the reader perceives the other characters (and all of her world). I can understand that she might not be likable to some, but I wouldn't argue that she isn't an INCREDIBLY well written character!!!
SHE MAKES ME SOOOOOOOOOO BEYOND INSANE IT'S CRAZY. NO ONE COMPARES TO FANG RIN. NO ONE EVEN COMES C L O S E. MI REINA <3333
Aside from that, and moving on to more serious matters. I've never seen someone in YA fantasy before deal with topics as sensitive as war,
Spoiler
g*nocide, and r*pe(I want to add that this is just my opinion as someone who has never experienced any of the topics she writes about (mentioned before). Of course, a person who actually relates to them might have a very different and more valid opinion - I just wanted to share my thoughts anyway, but I thought it was important to mention this too).
Also, I wanted to add here that the theme of dehumanization of the enemy in times of war was so interesting and well-written, as tragic and fucked up as the parallels are
Spoiler
(Rin at the end of the story dehumanizing her "enemies" and the Federation like the Nikara were dehumanized.That's on positive aspects.
On negative aspects, I felt like the pacing was a little too fast (4 whole years go by within the same book), and as a slow-paced books-lover, I sometimes would've wished that things happened more slowly. On the other hand, some chapters were a little hard to go through exactly because of this, because it seemed like not much of anything was going on. Despite this, the story was still immensely enjoyable, and the resolution for it was SO. GOOD. that it's worth reading through the whole book.
I just feel like this book caters specifically to my personal tastes in types of characters, themes, plotlines, worldbuilding, tropes etc... on such a scale that it's unimaginable. Like I would've never expected to like a book (ANY book) as much as I liked this???? AND AS AN ASPIRING AUTHOR IT WAS SO INSPIRING TOO OMG?!?!?!?!???? it's going to be on my top 3 favorite series of all time list FOR SURE. 2947293810191018492 STARS OUT OF 5
R. F. KUANG THE WRITER THAT YOU AREEE
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Grief, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, Death, Gore, Murder, Torture, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
finn_1312's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Sexual violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Confinement, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape
Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, Excrement, Vomit, Sexual content, and Animal death
historical fantasy, informative, challenging,shannon336's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Torture, Violence, War, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Blood, Colonisation, Addiction, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
sammuraichan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Addiction, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, and War