madisonbell_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: War, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Drug use, Injury/injury detail, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Classism, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Misogyny
zharaa13'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
4.0
So this book was amazing. Especially the ending, I was wondering how R.F. Kuang would finish a series like this as I always hate when things just are okay and fine once "the good guys" won the war and then everyone is happy and as someone came from a war stricken country I know that isn't the case. I loved the fact that Rin was a bad leader she couldn't possibly be a queen or empress, she was a soldier and soldiers don't stop fighting and turning Rin into a better show Daenerys Targaryen was the best decision.
I was a bit bored midway through but things started escalating fast and towards the end I was on the edge of my seat.
I really wish we knew what happened to kesgi I really felt sorry for him and Kittay deserved better.
Graphic: Gore, Cursing, Genocide, Grief, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Colonisation, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Animal death, Abortion, and Classism
donatio's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Hate crime, Vomit, War, Death, Violence, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Racial slurs, Torture, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Self harm
chaoticnostalgia's review
- 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
4.0
Spoiler
I don't know where to begin. Kuang is an excellent writer and creator of characters. I fell in love with Chen Kitay and his bond with Rin was the most moving aspect of the story. Rin's ending felt fitting, inevitable, and unsettling. It feels so cruel that Nezha is the only surviving character out of the dozen or so we came to love. He was so well written, but I wish more was done with his character ultimately. The third installment felt so very rushed and frustrating at times. I'll be thinking about this for a while.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, War, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion
cemeterygay's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Cursing, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, War, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Grief, Rape, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
Additional CW: Colorism and Implication of incestuous feelingstakarakei'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
The dedication in the front of the book kind of says it all (not really a spoiler but..):
Spoiler
"To my dear readers, who stayed with this series until the end, and came prepared with a bucket for their tears"This whole series is devastating. Heartbreaking. Poignant. A true masterpiece. Honestly a new fantasy classic.
I think because of the sheer anticipation of it all ending, there were parts of this book that were slow to read. But as I said I think that's just because you are trying to mentally prepare yourself for the end, while also wanting it to kind of never end - because you're scared for the ending. Every interaction between Rin and Nezha you are holding your breath. The whole book is a rollercoaster of emotion.
Ending:
Spoiler
It's definitely very climactic! I knew how it had to end... but it doesn't make the last chapter/epilogue any less brutal to read. When Rin thinks Kitay has betrayed her, I was screaming. When she almost kills him, I was sobbing. When Nezha does what he must, I died. Literally my only qualm with the ending is that I wish Nezha's love was shown in a stolen kiss at the end. I was yearning for one moment of intimacy and pure love between them. If that had happen however I might actually have died of heartbreak.Graphic: War, Death, Blood, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Colonisation, Self harm, Racism, Child abuse, and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Spoiler
So much animal death, sacrifice, cruelty. SA/Rape is briefly mentioned more for context of character's pasts. Nothing graphic or on page. Famine/starvation and the results explicit.tinybluepixel's review
- 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: War, Animal death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
alexpaperandpages's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book series that has ever given me a book hangover. 😭
Graphic: Cannibalism, Rape, Genocide, War, Xenophobia, Suicide, Pedophilia, Murder, Death, Colonisation, Child abuse, Vomit, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Racism, Drug use, Child death, Addiction, and Abandonment
arwyn_d_'s review
- 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
pain
pain
pain
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Cannibalism, War, Body horror, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Death, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, and Murder
navayiota's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Spoiler
What a fucking rollercoaster. My god.. the betrayals, the slow descent into madness, the unreliable narrator... perfect. Just, wow. This is exactly how I wanted this to end. A giant crash and burn, everything going so wrong yet so right, everyone going back exactly to where they started out, but with everyone more hurt and traumatised that before. It hurts to read, but you can't stop cause it's just so good. You can't look away from the carcrash. What a fantastic finale. My heart couldn't bear it. I feel so bad for all the characters who deserve better, but didn't get it cause Rin was too blindsighted by her rage, cause of the flaws in the system, cause people are hellbent on hurting each other, cause, cause, cause. How fucking amazing.Graphic: Medical content, Racism, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Suicide, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, and Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent and Confinement