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Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Racism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Cannibalism, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Deportation
Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Sciona is an interesting character -- prickly and determined and talented and thoroughly wrapped in privilege that she can't see until something shocks her awareness loose, and even then, she struggles to reframe her worldview. It's very real. She's torn between her selfishness and an inherent sense of right and wrong. She remains selfish throughout, concerned with her legacy and her place in history -- but that's not entirely incompatible with taking action to challenge and upend an oppressive system. The book explores intersectionality through her lens: racially privileged, working class (but not totally impoverished), highly educated (thanks to family support and outside patronage), religious minority (but not apostate or, at first, heretical), and the victim of sexism. Two things can be true: She can be oppressed and an oppressor at the same time (and in that lens, her character is a not-at-all-subtle allegory for and indictment of white feminism). Watching Sciona negotiate that as she tries to find a way to make things better is intriguing because it spotlights how difficult the system makes change: Sciona doesn't know what she doesn't know; she doesn't have the experience to take other perspectives into account; she's benefitted from the system and could keep doing so even after she realizes what a trap that is.
I wish we spent more time in Tomil's POV. I was hoping for more of a back-and-forth, but instead he stays engimatic through most of the book.
The intersectional explorations are all worth chewing on, particularly for anyone who may be new to these concepts, but some of the discussions do go on for too long, retreading the same ground. This book probably could have been a bit tighter and shorter. The plot points are very spread out, separated by long philosophical discussions. If that's not your cup of tea, you may find that this book drags in places.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
on a serious note, I think it’s a great story about intersectionality and how white women are not exempt from racism even with an oppressed gender identity. i thought it was a pretty sick as plot and developed in a way that i found both interesting and meaningful. the actual themes were good and could be impactful but obvi i’m true to this not new to this
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, War
Racism and sexism *can* exist even if the perpetrators aren't generic, predictable, mustache-twirling villains. I wish the story had explored less obvious and more nuanced depictions of these real world issues.
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Classism
A bit more predictable than The Sword of Kaigen, but not in a bad way, and also more polished (though I wouldn't say the less-polished nature of SoK is a bad thing either!). This was a fantastic tale with fascinating world-building and a truly explosive (and satisfying) ending, but the best thing about it was Sciona as a protagonist...complicated and difficult, at times you hate her but you're also urging her on, and her growth is incredible.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Miscarriage
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt