Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

105 reviews

jillysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.5

A book of three parts. In the first third it's almost a young adult book, the plucky orphanage in a magic boarding school. Then it has an extended, even bloated middle section which is very modern fantasy band of brothers style adventure. But then at 70% through it suddenly switches to a very dark and brutal introspection of the atrocities committed by Japan and to Japan in the second world war. It is very dark and totally not in keeping with the beginning of the book. I did not find the characters likeable but I tore through the book. Very curious to see where it goes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Genocide, Physical abuse, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and War

bookishreadersclub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When they say this book is dark, they mean it. Do not be fooled by the beginning chapters of this book that feign hopeful stories of aspiring soldiers. The darkness of this book has subjected itself to one specific chapter, chapter 21. There are gruesome, cruel, horrifying depictions of war crimes. Nothing will prepare you for it. Read trigger warnings. Please.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Mental illness, Abortion, War, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Grief, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Addiction, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Genocide, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Cursing

lilureads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

That was intense

The first part was definitely my favorite. I really enjoyed Rin’s character and her arc, even though I have a hard time with morally gray characters. 

Huge TW for anything violence related, I had a hard time getting through some parts because of that.

In more lighthearted news: Kitayyyyyy 🫶🫶🫶 love him dearly

Spoiler

Also the scene at the beginning of part 2 where Rin and Nezha fight together? That was so epic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Genocide, Death, Torture, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Vomit, Xenophobia, Blood, War, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse

hunter_uhl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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: Cursing, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Gore, War, Drug abuse, Murder, Self harm, Colonisation, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

donzzles's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

4.5

Spoiler

fang runin girlboss slay go commit your funky little harrowing war crimes queen!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Murder, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Genocide

Moderate: Self harm, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Ableism

kikalox's review

adventurous challenging dark inspiring tense medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, War, Grief, Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

desiderium_incarnate's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.5

I think the book is well done. The characters are vivid and the story is rich, the chaos and desperation that stems from war seems very realistic, I do have just one subjective opinion, that keeps me from liking this book: everything is so angry and hateful and I am not about that. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Slavery, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Vomit, Sexism, Sexual assault, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, War, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape

jessicaludden's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

“War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.”

Oh this was insane. I feel like I’ve lived so many lives with Rin in one book. This book destroyed the idea of destiny in favor of this idea that we make decisions that lead us to where we are and Rin embraces that entirely. It starts with Rin’s coming of age and as the story progresses it turns into her loss of innocence. I loved the war and politics in this combined with elements of shamanism and divine entities. It kept me on the edge of my seat and surprised me in many ways. It’s also interesting to see the power dynamics in different relationships within this story and how they impact the characters and shift as time goes on. Overall, I will be thinking about this for a while and I’m excited for the next one.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Gore, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Vomit, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Physical abuse, Violence, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Body horror, Child death, Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, and War

nomenleftalive's review against another edition

This book promotes early hysterectomies to further academic learning, self harm for the same reason, and drug use to reach enlightenment. After that it was tame until it got to a massacre of a city. Here the atrocities written down are horrific and gratuitous in detail. If that wasn’t bad enough the author proceeds to have a character who was raped described in detail even more atrocities committed against her and other women. I stopped as soon as I realized how far the author was going. This is a terrible book that is well written enough to trick you into reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, Violence, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Child death, War, Genocide, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Gore, and Domestic abuse

myk_yeah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-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: Addiction, Body horror, Rape, War, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Torture, Violence, Genocide, Child death, and Medical trauma

Minor: Fatphobia and Self harm

Be aware that a certain chapter needs heavy TWs. I will put in wrapped in spoiler text.

Spoiler

Chapter 21 there are many many descriptions of grotesque murders and rapes. Later in the book there is increased content about addiction and a kidnapping.