Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Republika Smoka by R.F. Kuang

65 reviews

hamstringy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Jesus fucking Christ. This is a deeply intricate trainwreck of a book that actively raised my heart rate. 

At times it’s a little hard to understand the emotional back-and-forths that Rin goes through with regards to opium, her power, and her relation to power, but I also think that kuang does an uncomfortably good job of describing the ways that war can affect people, so what do I know?  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Self harm

chasespace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

swilko's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

R.F. Kuang has proved the sentiment that ‘sequels are always worse’ completely wrong. This book was so good that I was left feeling PHYSICALLY ILL by the end and completely traumatised…

The second book of the trilogy is better than the first, but they are most definitely both 5 stars. 

I hate and love Nezha. I am obsessed with Kitay. Daji? DAJI?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

alex_salamander's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book but that's not a fault of the writing at all and more personal preferences on how I like character motivation set up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Excrement

Minor: Cannibalism, Abortion, and Pregnancy

winterwoodbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bacook0403's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War

kc_mellow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

3.25

While I preferred the first book, I thorougly enjoyed the slow-burn aspect of The Dragon Republic. I dropped my rating because some of the sections of the book seem to drag out for way too long. I also didn't like how

Faylen's plot point wasn't mentioned at all up until hundreds of pages later into the book. He was introduced at the end of the first book, but it's as if he didn't exist until a third of the way through the second book.

While there could have been more foreshadowing there, it got really intense and fast-paced toward the end, with some great plot twists. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, and War

heisiiri's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-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

4.0

A great continuation to a, so far, fantastic series! These books have such a distinctive writing style that is amazing to read, and the way they tackle these heavy themes of war and everything that surrounds it is impressive. 

I found the first half-ish of this book to be somewhat slow and not as gripping as the first book of the series, but it definitely picked up in the latter half. The main character is amazing and her journey is fascinating to follow. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, and War

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, and Toxic relationship

loup's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Genocide, Gore, Vomit, and Police brutality

stuckinatimeloop's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Rape