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maheenm's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
pannii's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
"No one was listening."
I really don't think I have the ability to write a coherent review for this book because well. It was a lot. On one hand, there were many things that hit a bit too close to home for me personally, but even setting all that personal stuff aside, it was so difficult reading everything that Xie Lian (and Hua Cheng) goes through, and I just. Sometimes I wish Mo Xiang Tong Xiu were not as good with characterization as she is because it would have been so much easier if the whole thing had not felt as real as it did. (Obviously I don't really wish that but. It was so painful.) The way she describes Xie Lian's emotions and the state he is in is literally chilling, it's scary how real it feels. Everything that happens in this book is basically just one traumatic event after the other, and while it is necessary for Xie Lian's character development and for the reader to understand him, and serves a purpose and is definitely not for shock value, it's still a lot.
"Thus, Xie Lian understood. No one would give him a hand to help pull him up.
He laid there for a good while before he crawled up himself."
I absolutely do recommend reading the list of trigger warnings because this novel gets dark. In that sense, chapters 190 and 191 might be some of the worst, so if you feel like there are things that you might not be able to handle but still want to read the book, those are the chapters you should maybe just skim through or skip altogether and read a summary instead. However, the entire book is a lot, so please do not go in expecting that there is some dark stuff in it but before that it's all good, or that after the "worst" it will quickly get better, because... it really won't.
I really don't think I have the ability to write a coherent review for this book because well. It was a lot. On one hand, there were many things that hit a bit too close to home for me personally, but even setting all that personal stuff aside, it was so difficult reading everything that Xie Lian (and Hua Cheng) goes through, and I just. Sometimes I wish Mo Xiang Tong Xiu were not as good with characterization as she is because it would have been so much easier if the whole thing had not felt as real as it did. (Obviously I don't really wish that but. It was so painful.) The way she describes Xie Lian's emotions and the state he is in is literally chilling, it's scary how real it feels. Everything that happens in this book is basically just one traumatic event after the other, and while it is necessary for Xie Lian's character development and for the reader to understand him, and serves a purpose and is definitely not for shock value, it's still a lot.
"Thus, Xie Lian understood. No one would give him a hand to help pull him up.
He laid there for a good while before he crawled up himself."
I absolutely do recommend reading the list of trigger warnings because this novel gets dark. In that sense, chapters 190 and 191 might be some of the worst, so if you feel like there are things that you might not be able to handle but still want to read the book, those are the chapters you should maybe just skim through or skip altogether and read a summary instead. However, the entire book is a lot, so please do not go in expecting that there is some dark stuff in it but before that it's all good, or that after the "worst" it will quickly get better, because... it really won't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
illicitrature's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
sisa_moyo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
heartwrenchingly heartbreaking, soul crushing, tear inducing, life altering.
I know people don't love the 2nd and 4th book of young Xie Lian but those are my absolute weekness.
We see XL suffering with PTSD and find out what happened between him and his 2 besties and why they left. It's depicts how XL's mental health just sinks into the pits and it's absolutely heartbreaking.
I know people don't love the 2nd and 4th book of young Xie Lian but those are my absolute weekness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
aspentreesarepretty's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt
ixtskay's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence
makaroni_reads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely stunning novel. My chest hurt the entire time I was reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
ankita1996's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
r1vana's review
4.25
This book is shorter then the other but weights more pain and angst then I ever felt.
I was not expecting to tear up while reading the past of Xie Lian. This book scared me for life.
Known as the God of misfortune when all he wanted for the people is to have a good and non miserable life.
In this book we see Xie Lian at his breaking point and his cries for help was devastating.
-
Spoilers!
Now we now the true cure of the Human Face disease:
“This was the situation that Xie Lian feared. Once the cure for Face Disease had been exposed, one thing would inevitably happen.
The killing of one another.”
First of all, the stabbing on Xie Lian by the common people. I understand their desperation of not having the Human face desirable but what type of people would stab someone even if they are a god/immortal?!?! Listening to someone they don’t know aka The White no-face.
It is inhuman!
The abandonment of Mu Qing really hit me.. the trio breaking apart. Especially when Feng Xin leaving… (I understand why he left: Xie Lian acting like a sociopath and pushing Feng away, including his own parents.)
He'd finally left.
Ever since Mu Qing had left, Xie Lian had always
been terrified of this: that one day, Feng Xin would also leave.
Because he was too scared, today, Xie Lian could
no longer endure the torment of this fear.
When Xie Lian realizes that Feng Xin doesn’t fully trust him anymore as much as he did in the beginning and him screaming back on how he can’t show resentment as a god:
"What are you trying to say?" Xie Lian said. "It's not like I'm a god, can't I be angry? Can't I hate?"
-
The suicide of his parents; with them not wanting to be a burden to their son…
And the end: when Xie Lian was told that his last believer aka the white-clothed calamity aka Wuming the one who saved him was his last believer💔:
"To die for you in battle is my greatest honor. I am forever your most devoted believer."
Fucking stab me to death…
-
I wished that Xie Lian got a revenge persona honestly… he is a much better person then me.
TW: betrayal; death of parents; suicide; violence
I was not expecting to tear up while reading the past of Xie Lian. This book scared me for life.
Known as the God of misfortune when all he wanted for the people is to have a good and non miserable life.
In this book we see Xie Lian at his breaking point and his cries for help was devastating.
-
Spoilers!
Now we now the true cure of the Human Face disease:
“This was the situation that Xie Lian feared. Once the cure for Face Disease had been exposed, one thing would inevitably happen.
The killing of one another.”
First of all, the stabbing on Xie Lian by the common people. I understand their desperation of not having the Human face desirable but what type of people would stab someone even if they are a god/immortal?!?! Listening to someone they don’t know aka The White no-face.
It is inhuman!
The abandonment of Mu Qing really hit me.. the trio breaking apart. Especially when Feng Xin leaving… (I understand why he left: Xie Lian acting like a sociopath and pushing Feng away, including his own parents.)
He'd finally left.
Ever since Mu Qing had left, Xie Lian had always
been terrified of this: that one day, Feng Xin would also leave.
Because he was too scared, today, Xie Lian could
no longer endure the torment of this fear.
When Xie Lian realizes that Feng Xin doesn’t fully trust him anymore as much as he did in the beginning and him screaming back on how he can’t show resentment as a god:
"What are you trying to say?" Xie Lian said. "It's not like I'm a god, can't I be angry? Can't I hate?"
-
The suicide of his parents; with them not wanting to be a burden to their son…
And the end: when Xie Lian was told that his last believer aka the white-clothed calamity aka Wuming the one who saved him was his last believer💔:
"To die for you in battle is my greatest honor. I am forever your most devoted believer."
Fucking stab me to death…
-
I wished that Xie Lian got a revenge persona honestly… he is a much better person then me.
TW: betrayal; death of parents; suicide; violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
vialsiu's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide, and Torture
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts