qani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Animal death, Body horror, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Classism, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
being_stupid'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
4.5
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
cemeterygay'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Self harm, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Torture, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Murder, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Cannibalism
Additional CW: Scientific racism, Christian imperialism, and colorismnatnat_7's review
- 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
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
tinyghostbat_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Animal death, Classism, Racism, War, Body horror, and Death
gioivb'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Classism, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Cannibalism, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, War, Confinement, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, Child death, Chronic illness, and Cursing
odp'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
Graphic: Body horror, War, Gore, Blood, Violence, Rape, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Abandonment, Cannibalism, Bullying, and Ableism
Minor: Grief, Self harm, Abortion, Cannibalism, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
whailey'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
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Sexual violence, War, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Genocide, Medical content, Blood, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Classism, Infertility, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Abortion
guesswhosaninja'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
5.0
The first thing about the Dragon Republic that stands out to me is how good Kuang is at writing all the horrible intricacies of grey morality—maybe not even grey so much as her ability to convey the absolute atrocities people and nations commit, while making them so clearly reasoned. There’s no black and white of “the good guys”, which is imperative to the story she’s telling about these wars. Everyone in power abuses it in different ways, and inevitably every time it leads to nothing but more terror and darkness.
It certainly makes for a series that I think could feel like a slog of horrible events, but Kuang writes such compelling and real characters that, while the content is constantly heavy and dark, I never felt daunted by picking the book up like I have with other dark fantasies. Even knowing things were going to get worse, I was drawn in by Rin and her allies and always wanted to keep reading.
As I said with my review of The Poppy War, this series is very heavy. It pulls from real war crimes from history with sickening detail at times (moreso in Poppy War than here) so is not an easy lighthearted read at any point, but I really want to praise how Kuang handles the darkest elements of these stories. It never felt to me like pain for spectacle’s sake or just to be ‘dark and gritty’. It feels grounded and real.
I finished the book several weeks ago and the last line still gives me shivers; I can’t wait to read the next one.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, War, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty and Torture
isleoflinds's review
- 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: War, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Injury/injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Cursing, and Excrement
Minor: Animal death, Cannibalism, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Slavery