Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Dragon Republic, by R.F. Kuang

180 reviews

whenjessreads's review against another edition

4.0

After the DEVASTATION that was The Poppy War, I had been putting this book off in order to protect my little heart. But it was TIME.

The Dragon Republic was HEAVY. Not dark in the way that TPW was (if you recall, TPW was a reminder of some of the more horrendous war crimes committed in the Second Sino-Japanese War), but heavy in that it was a very geopolitical view  of the machinations of civil war.

I’m not entirely sure that this book fits into the fantasy genre. While the first book was very focused on shamanism and Gods and SPARKLE magical genocide SPARKLE, they took a back seat in The Dragon Republic, leaving the forefront for the war efforts - which were very much based on the movements of the Chinese Civil War of the 1940s. I would probably class this as historical fiction with a teensy bit of magic. For people who don’t enjoy historical fiction, this could be an issue. But maybe its a sneaky way for Kuang to teach us fantasy readers some things about our own world’s history 😂

I don’t read many war-based novels, but it presents an interesting dynamic when the main antagonist is absent through most of the book. This does tend to lessen the feeling of tension and lower the stakes a little, but… Kuang’s writing just does something to me. Would I usually be invested in a naval military fantasy with an absent antagonist? No. In fact, that’s why I stopped reading Game of Thrones. But the beauty of the writing in TDR kept me engaged.

I liked the portrayal of the MC. Rin is… not a good person (keep in mind she is Mao, in this version of Chinese history). She was a prideful, flawed and messy character (they all were!) and her experience of trauma and addiction is one that I thought was compelling and important.

However the MOST striking thing about this book was the representation of inequality, scientific/biological racism, and xenophobia. Every few pages I found myself inwardly cringing at the blatant reminder that throughout our world’s history, there have always been people who have been considered ‘other’, and ‘lesser’.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Abortion, Death, Gore, Addiction, Genocide, Misogyny, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicide, Xenophobia, Rape, Grief, Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, War, Colonisation, Body horror, Violence, Murder, and Racism

crdjrose's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Addiction, Rape, Xenophobia, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Racism, Blood, Genocide, Medical trauma, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and War

bananapie123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Addiction, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, War, Child abuse, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Animal death, Blood, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Slavery

talah_pha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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: Sexual violence, Death, Addiction, Drug use, Rape, War, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Gun violence

saltypraline's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

miss luang has done it again. this book was darker and more tragic than the first. when i thought i knew something, turns out i didn’t. this book really explored the tragedies of war and fighting the wrong enemy. also, r.f kuang ripped out my figurative heart and stomped on it repeatedly…pain…
A fantastic read, as expected.
P.S. watch out for chapter 28 (graphic SA towards the end of the chapter)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Cursing, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Gaslighting, Animal death, Bullying, and Colonisation

char42's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Animal death, War, Cursing, Blood, Medical trauma, Excrement, Vomit, Injury/injury detail, Death, Torture, Rape, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Child death, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, and Body horror

graciephilpot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

natfig's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Death, Confinement, Blood, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Cursing, Classism, Addiction, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Murder, Sexism, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Alcohol, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Excrement

Minor: Gun violence, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Vomit, Slavery, Sexism, Miscarriage, Genocide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Injury/injury detail, Infertility, and Abandonment

heather_leighbros's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a slower read for me at the start, it really picks up after the half way point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Murder, Injury/injury detail, Grief, War, Self harm, Death, Sexual violence, and Violence

jakepasseri's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

Even more enjoyable than the first! Enthralling and dark. The character development, twists and action werr amszing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Self harm, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Addiction, Gore, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, War, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abortion and Genocide