Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Im Zeichen der Mohnblume - Die Kaiserin by R.F. Kuang

18 reviews

ccpetrikas's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sorodeeznuts's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bookbaristeas's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

redthistle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is a good continuation of Rin's story from the Poppy War.
Overall I enjoyed it, although I admit there were sections which dragged pretty hard for me and I struggled to want to continue reading, which isn't surprising given the books 650+ pages.
I struggled particularly because

I hate the 'hero losing their powers' trope

and a good section of this book this occurs which left me feeling frustrated and bored.

The story continues to be a brutal depiction of a country ravaged by war, young people thrust into positions of unimaginable power the consequences of which they do not fully grasp or allow themselves to consider (mainly Rin but others as well), and the ultimate reminder that those in power are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to gain and keep what they desire.

While the narrative does show a window into Rin's mind as she tries to deal with what she had done and continues to do in the name of winning a war, I did feel that she lacked much actual development. She never really changes. Whether that is because of the nature of the pheonix and it's rage or because its the only way she can live with what she's done I'm not sure. I admit I had hoped for some sort of develop or growth from her which I personally did not see.

One thing I loved and kept me reading was the development between characters and their relationships. I have gotten much more attached to many of the ensemble characters than I had in the Poppy War and loved to see their friendships grow.
Thoughts on individual characters have spoilers:

I got particularly attached to Nezha and his betrayal was honestly awful. I loved his friendship with Rin and I really wish he had been strong enough to break from his family's grasp and stand on his own two feet. I hope that maybe in the next book he will. I want to believe that he did what he did because he thought he was protecting Rin and not that he fully sold her out.

I was so glad that Venka got to be in this story and that her and Rin have become allies. It warms my heart that Rin supported her and helped to to fight and I'm excited to see their relationship developed in the next book.

I loved the development of Kitay and Rin's friendship. I was getting pretty bored of the story before they became Anchored and that's when it turned back around for me. I've always loved their friendship and that he loved and accepted her from the very beginning of her story at the Academy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder

olivialandryxo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

Starting an adult fantasy novel whilst in the middle of a reading slump might not have been my best idea. Despite that, I was immediately immersed in this book, as if there hadn’t been a several month gap between me reading The Poppy War and me reading The Dragon Republic. Kuang masterfully writes complex, morally grey characters, and weaves multiple subplots into a story that’s fascinating despite it’s occasionally slower pacing, also integrating discussions of heavier topics relevant both in Rin’s world and our own. So many mind-blowing things happened in this book, and I look forward to picking up The Burning God as soon as I’m in the mood for fantasy again.

I love Rin and Kitay’s friendship. I loved seeing Venka and Rin become allies and then friends. Rin and Nezha’s dynamic was also very interesting to me. I know this series is a military fantasy inspired by real Chinese fantasy and it isn’t at all focused on romance, but can I just say that there’s SOMETHING going on between those two? Is that just me? While I like the way his character was written, I don’t love Nezha the way I do Rin and Kitay. I’m in a love-hate relationship with him at the moment. I’m excited yet concerned to see what unfolds in the final novel, given that every single review of it I’ve seen just talks about how heart-wrenching it is. I’ll get there eventually.

Representation

• protagonist of color
• some side characters of color

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma

Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Abortion

tinytrashqueen's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Vomit

Minor: Pedophilia, Slavery, and Dementia

kaylamoran's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I found the first book of these series to be extremely predictable at times.  I did not have that problem at all with this book.  It's a rare example of a second book that's better than the first, and the first was excellent in its own right.  I think this one was slightly less violent and bloody, but the plot was so much more gripping.  I loved this, and I can't wait to see where the next book goes.
R.F. Kuang has a unique ability to get me to worry and care about awful people.  Rin and her friends have done some really terrible things, and yet I still care so much about what happens to them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Vomit

idlereader's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death