The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
alex_salamander'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
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, War, Addiction, Body horror, Death of parent, Genocide, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Alcohol, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Classism, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic friendship, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, and Bullying
Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, and Cannibalism
winterwoodbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, War, Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Pedophilia, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Classism, Excrement, Misogyny, Vomit, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Torture, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual violence, and Slavery
geminireader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
What it comes down to, is if you are going to successfully write a morally gray/villainous main character, you should be offering the reader perspective. I like reading those type of characters to learn from different perspectives. But there are some perspectives that truly do not need to be heard or even matter. I do not need to know nor do I have anything to learn from a serial killer other than grotesque fascination. And Rin isnāt even real so nothing of her perspective or truth can be translated to life. She truly just sucks. And I really cannot tell whether the author is doing this intentionally. I guess if this is intentional, pat on the back Kuang. Cause you truly created the worst, most despicable character Iāve ever encountered.Ā
And *spoiler* can we just talk about how Rin disowns the South to poise as elitest trash when really the South didnāt do anything to her. Her caretaker sucked but that was about it. And then when it conveniences her to start another war, suddenly she going to fight for the South. But actually, she literally said sheās going to send tens of thousands of ābodiesā just to basically get back at Nezha. Oh my god, just thinking about that again, I really hope she dies in the next book. Everyone else sucks too but she is truly just garbage. I have nothing to root for. Also, her whole thing with Altan. Weird. Just weird. So anyway, see you after the third book.Ā
Graphic: Self harm, Racism, Animal death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, War, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Death, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Drug use, Grief, Blood, Gore, and Body horror
peggy_racham's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Rape, Child death, Gore, Self harm, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexism, Sexual assault, War, Colonisation, Murder, Gun violence, Xenophobia, and Physical abuse
Minor: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
meliflowers'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
4.25
Kuang does not spare details when describing horrific events and actions. It was really hard to get through the graphic writings about the substance use abuse and PTSD. But once I did, the story rapidly moved along.Ā
The trauma and pain of the characters aren't used as a prop for the story but are actually explored as consequences of war. Through the story, we explore the consequences of war to the mind and to the civilisation, how people with low socio economic status/ racial appearances are always exploited and sacrificed for the seemingly greater good and the role colonialism plays within war.Ā
I could go on an endless rant to talk about all the aspects of the story which Kuang has clearly constructed carefully and thoughtfully. Some parts of the story did feel redundant (I assume it's meant to be a basis for the next book) and repetitive, however.Ā
Regardless, it was still a really enjoyable book and although I want to start reading the next one immediately, for my own well-being I decided to wait it out a bit...Ā
Graphic: War, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Addiction, Racism, Body horror, Abortion, Death, Classism, Alcoholism, and Murder
Moderate: Classism
It's a heavy book that describes the consequences of war graphically. I do believe it's a great and insightful read but do be warned of the topics aforementioned.stitchof'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: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Abortion, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Child death, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Drug use, Mental illness, Murder, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, War, Deadnaming, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Xenophobia
lynseyye's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Blood, Genocide, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, War, Animal death, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Vomit, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
hailsatan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Child death, Gun violence, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Ableism, Abortion, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
praaliine'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
5.0
A fantastic read, as expected.
P.S. watch out for chapter 28 (graphic SA towards the end of the chapter)
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, Physical abuse, Rape, Vomit, Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Animal death
stefy27'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, War, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Animal death, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse