Reviews tagging Gun violence

The Dragon Republic, by R.F. Kuang

73 reviews

rockinoutforthdead's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Medical content, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Rape, War, Kidnapping, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Classism, Violence, Misogyny, Confinement, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Pregnancy, Addiction, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Genocide, Excrement, and Cannibalism

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

The book is quite strong for much of it. However, in the tail end with excessive large battle scenes you lose a lot of the excellent character dynamics of more one on one battles, conversations and interrogation scenes that are Kuang’s strong suit. The Dragon Republic is strongest when focused on character dynamics in the face of the greater war politics. The inequalities and bigotries shown by different groups is quite prevalent throughout the book. Rin’s self hate toward her ethnicity is quite apparent through the narrative too. The book does a really good job of showing that all supposed great leaders ultimately have selfish interests. Some of the added backstory elements are really intriguing. The real life historical background references are very apparent if you know your stuff but it’s also got enough of a veneer of fictionalizing if you don’t. This middle book is a slight step back from “The Poppy War” but not by much and it’s mostly due to pacing hiccups. Please note the role that alcohol and drug use plays in the narrative if you are sensitive to such content. There’s a lot of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, and War

lanid's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Colonisation, Confinement, Gore, Child death, Racism, Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Self harm, Torture, Ableism, Physical abuse, and Abortion

freya_eliza's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Physical abuse, Addiction, Blood, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Drug use, Self harm, Torture, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War

georgia7's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, Cultural appropriation, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

being_stupid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

I have a love hate relationship with Rin, she's really well written. Like she has some kind of growth but refuse to reflect and stay really easy to manipulate due to her stubbornness. She's so full of herself that she refuses to believe she's wrong while simultaneously hating every part of her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual assault, War, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexism

Moderate: Xenophobia and Slavery

thousandlives's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

R. F. Kuang really said nothing is off limits for this book 😳

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Gun violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Death

Moderate: Rape and Suicide

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

A stunning sequel to The Poppy War. Few authors can make a 650 page book feel like it flies by. This is a series about the brutality of war, but told in a way that enraptures the reader. Since this is the second book (and thus less world building to do) you really jump right into things and there is more war/battle depiction in this book. However the writing is so fantastic, that even as someone who doesn't usually like reading about battles/war I was still enthralled. The underlying message is the dangers of seeking power and control over others (obviously the main problem with our world & history so very relatable).

Spoiler

I loved learning more about the tribes of the Hinterlands (I saw that bit on the map in book 1 and was like... ok we gotta go there eventually!). I fully believe we will see them again in book 3. My favorite thing about these books continues to be the way magic/connection to the gods works. Rin must connect with herself, know herself, at times become meditative to access the power of the gods. You kind of can't really trust anyone in these books. I loved the evolution of Daji and look forward to seeing where that storyline continues. The Hesperians I am convinced will be the greatest evil we've yet to encounter as we move into book 3. My heart aches for the unlikely possibility of Nezha and Rin ever really leaning into their love (I love a good rival/enemy to lovers, but I don't think it'll happen for them).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Animal death, Violence, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Death, Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Injury/injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Abortion, Vomit, Racism, Alcohol, Torture, Medical trauma, Grief, Child abuse, and Body horror

Minor: Colonisation and Classism

Spoiler

Encounter of active rape (on page). This book has much more animal death than 1st book including detailed scenes of animal sacrifice/killing. Detailed scenes of graphic injury and medical treatment of said injury.

natnat_7's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Rape, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Kidnapping, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Classism, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Vomit, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Bullying, Pregnancy, and Abortion