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maheenm's review
- 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
Graphic: Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
pannii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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.
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
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
sisa_moyo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I know people don't love the 2nd and 4th book of young Xie Lian but those are my absolute weekness.
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
ankita1996's review
- 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
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
junggi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
vael's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment
nnguyen73's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
vkodhai'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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
thewrongalice's review
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Grief
My CWs include ‘rape’ because the torture scene really ressembles it psychologically, even if it isn’t technically