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Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
Im Zeichen der Mohnblume - Die Kaiserin by R.F. Kuang
65 reviews
pbevans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
wylanslcve'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
in many ways, the dragon republic is a significant improvement from the poppy war, taking what was already one of the greatest fantasy books I've ever read and somehow going beyond that. any pacing issues I'd had with the first book were practically nonexistent in this instalment, and somehow the characterisation managed to stay as hard-hitting and intricate as it was in the first book. rin is such a fantastic protagonist in, and kuang handles her development from the first book (for better or for worse is up to you to decide), as well as her complicated relationship with altan, with such meticulous care, and not a day has gone by without me thinking about the progression of kitay's arc throughout this book. I've always had a soft spot for him, but the way kuang handled his progression from the boy we see in the poppy war to the hardened, furious version of him in the dragon republic is so incredibly devastating but oh so incredible.
even though this took me literal months to get through, the dragon republic is a fantastic and gut-wrenching sequel that will certainly stick with me for a while. I don't think I'm ready for what might unfold in the burning god (I'm preparing myself for the worst, but I have a feeling that isn't going to help much given kuang's track record).
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Vomit, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation
chickenmidwife'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: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
chlschn'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War
chloe_601's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I have so many mixed feelings about the main character, Rin. In the first book, she wanted to get out of her rural village and attend Sinegard, the foremost military academy in the Empire. Her ability to push her mind and body to its limits scared me, and it was foreshadowing for the amount of grief and anger she felt, and ultimately for the war crimes she committed.
This book explores a bit more of the mythology of the world, and how shamans call upon the gods to access their power, but the gods are chaotic and view this world as a plaything. Any mortal who calls on them knows that it only ends in their death or in their body becoming a vessel of chaos. Rin was still reeling from her choice at the end of the previous book, and turned to smoking opium every day just to function and not burn everyone around her with the phoenix god’s destructive will.
I really like how the story weaves a fantasy world full of shamans and chaotic neutral gods with the history of 20th century China. The wars happening in the empire are also treated as a curiosity by the Hesperians, who are a stand-in for western allied powers in world war 2. Their treatment of the main characters as savages who need salvation was angering and sickening, but it also parallels what happened in real life. I’m excited and utterly terrified to read the final book.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, and War
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism and Suicidal thoughts
mirissab's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Classism
chris_reads'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Genocide, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Excrement, Abortion, and Alcohol
elizabeth_helmer'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
theshanana'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
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Child death and Forced institutionalization
amalas_bookstop'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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism