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anootamei'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: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ringofkeyz'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
4.75
Equally as well done was the depiction of desperation during war time. Rin's descent into instability over the course of this book, whether through the power of the Phoenix or her own paranoia, was almost infectious. I couldn't help but continue reading, wanting to see if she would overcome her demons or succumb to them. And wondering, if she succumbed, would she bring Kitay down with her?
My main criticism of this trilogy (and the reason this book isn't 5 stars) is because of the temporal displacement the dialogue creates. This is a book that is HISTORICAL fiction. While the war draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War (thus the WW2 era), the setting is based on the Song Dynasty, which ended in the late 1200s. However, the dialogue always felt modern. I could walk outside and hear people talking in the same manner as Rin, Nezha, Kitay, and everyone else in the novel. That disconnect is my one major nitpick about this trilogy, and this book in particular because I loved pretty much everything else.
Shoutout Martina for recommending this trilogy to me. I'm in your debt.
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual assault, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cannibalism
themoostconfused'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
it will stay with me for a long time and i will keep reflecting on it over and over and over again. i don't know what to put in this review, since everything i write does not seem to do it justice, so i will just say this:
in my studies as well as through (social) media i see pictures and accounts of war, brutality, famine and starvation regularly and reading about it described in such tremendous detail resulted in me having shortness of breath and feeling like that moment close to having a panic attack when the world becomes blurry and everything seems to fade but be amplified at the same time
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, and Abortion
aggrocuddles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, and Cannibalism
seasoledad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, and Rape
chris_reads'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: Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Trafficking
maryrosem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism
haylee_t'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: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Kidnapping
hevlav's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Rape, Torture, Blood, Murder, and War
quoting_ravens'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
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, and Suicide attempt