amirahazhar'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? Yes
5.0
Politics and military strategy play a major role in this story. R.F.Kuang also touched a lot on classism, colorism, colonialism, and the collateral damage of unnecessary wars that span through generations, which I appreciated.
I can't recommend this book enough. To say that I'm blown away would be an understatement, especially owing to the fact that this is R.F. Kuang's debut novel, and she started writing it at 19! So excited to read the rest of this trilogy.
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Blood, Suicide, Racism, Pregnancy, Addiction, Sexual violence, Self harm, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Body horror, War, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Child death, Rape, Vomit, Trafficking, Infertility, Grief, Gore, Genocide, and Drug use
pages_to_go_until_i_sleep'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Suicide, Slavery, Murder, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Bullying, Addiction, War, Violence, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Sexual assault, Drug use, Racism, Gore, Drug abuse, and Death
remasm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
like, when the author went on for 200 pages about the academy and rin's life there and then 30 pages later a new set of characters is introduced with little to no knowledge about them?? and also, in terms of East Asian history, i've heard mixed opinions.
like, the depiction of the speerlys (or taiwanese people) being considered evil and inhuman, and the author even reinforcing these stereotypes with the main character
Spoiler
when it's revealed that she's a speerly?and the rape of Nanjing being used as a gotcha! moment to further enhance the plot, and in the end when rin SUFFOCATES the people of mugen (japan) in the name of revenge for the genocide of Speer??
anyways, if this book wasn't based on the sino-japanese wars and was purely fictional, or was just chinese inspired, it could've been something great. i don't understand claiming the book as "more than fantasy" bc it references modern chinese history when you've changed the names of the nations, added a fanciful element that contradicts the history, and have watered down a few historical events.
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, War, Eating disorder, Racism, Trafficking, Body horror, Addiction, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Genocide, Child abuse, Blood, Violence, Slavery, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Bullying
Moderate: Trafficking and Suicide
katemarie99's review against another edition
1.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, War, Xenophobia, and Rape
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual violence, Addiction, Fatphobia, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Violence
lavenderviolin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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: Addiction, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Drug use, Violence, and War
kikalox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, War, Grief, Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
starzyk'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Torture, Body horror, Death, Gore, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Rape, War, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, and Slavery
aya1403'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Colonisation, Slavery, Suicide, Genocide, Infertility, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, War, Bullying, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
pieeater97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Murder, Racism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Sexual violence, Suicide, Gore, Blood, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, and War
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Excrement
ibroughtyouknives'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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Confinement, Body horror, Classism, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Genocide, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, War, and Cursing
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism