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Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Cool magic system? Yes. Entertaining? Sure.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, Classism
M.L. Wang rips away the facade of a glorious empire and exposes the atrocities committed beneath, and does it with beautiful and expressive writing. Everyone should read this - books like this give me hope.
I hope it burns anyone who tries to ban it.
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence
There is a bit of buildup before the magic system is established to the reader and characters are deep into the plot, but once everything starts unraveling it doesn’t stop.
I look forward to reading more books by M L Wang. I listened to the audiobook and will be seeking out other books read by narrator Moira Quirk.
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Violence
Moderate: Death, Gore, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Classism
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Alcohol
Wanted to absolutely hit someone with their sexism and racism, and I loved her rants to
Kind of sad
Would recommend to people
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I think everyone should read this book. It is excellent commentary on so many real-world issues told through a riveting story of flawed, raw characters that you want to root for. Wang tackles racism—specifically against indigenous people—, colonization, collective liberation, hypocrisy in religion, corruption in government, "benevolent" complicity, white guilt/tears, and so much more with such finesse. She asks us all to grapple with the questions: what is the cost of our comforts, and what is the effect on our humanity of the denial of those costs?
The story is a page-turner the whole way through, and hooked me within the first chapter. The magic system is extremely unique and interesting, and the world-building is so well-done. Both are intricate without being hard to understand (plus a handy pocket guide is included in the back!). The series of events is realistic as it pertains to the world/characters and the IRL issues the story seeks to tackle.
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Suicide, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
Go read it!!
I still cannot put into words the way this book affected me. The premise sounds so simple, but it is interwoven with such complex issues and thoughts that are so brilliantly handled and discussed. The characters are so amazingly fleshed out and morally gray. They are understandable while also being frustrating. The magic system is unique and the world reflects so many different places and times we are familiar with.
It is amazing. Probably my top read of the year.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Colonisation, Classism, Deportation
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Alcohol
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, War
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage
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