The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
jaz_apples's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
This book was incredibly graphic. It goes into heavy detail of body horror, death, murder and SA. The author did a good job of painting the picture of the scene but could have done so in a more tactful and effective way.
“The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don’t write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying on the road. You pick the smallest manageable part of the big thing, and you work off the resonance.” -Richard Price
Another thing to be wary of is the heavy drug use and abuse within this book.
I believe that the most triggering chapter is chapter 21 and I’ll have a general description of the events for those who wish to skip it under a spoiler. This chapter covers exceptionally graphic and detailed descriptions of: murder, genocide, torture, body horror/mutilation, the postmortem state of bodies, SA, sexual violence, miscarriage/forced abortion/violence towards a pregnant women, and drug abuse. With that said, here is the general description of the chapter:
See the content warnings for the rest of possible triggers
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Genocide, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Drug use, Violence, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Murder, Slavery, and War
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Cursing, Misogyny, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry
ehrycyna's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, War, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
mktraxel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Torture, Vomit, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Abortion, Child abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, Body horror, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Racism, Suicide, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Drug abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
BRUTALkaequinn's review against another edition
This book has graphic depictions of violence, assault, drug addiction, and just about every other trigger warning you can think of. Again, not that having that kind of content is bad, it just should be very clearly discussed when talking about the book. Otherwise a reader goes into it, like I did, thinking it was going to be a (to quote a literal reviewer I heard) "Harry Potter meets Avatar: The Last Airbender." That is not this book. I cannot reiterated enough, that is NOT this book.
If you want a book that puts the horrors of the Second Sino-Japanese War into a fictionalized world, this is definitely a book for you. If not, please don't read it. If you're unsure, look up the atrocities that were done against Chinese civilians and then proceed with caution.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Child death, Body horror, War, Pregnancy, Genocide, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, Gore, Rape, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Drug use, Torture, Addiction, and Abortion
naturally'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
4.25
our heroine rin is the perfect shade of grey. the pacing at the beginning of the story was very slow, but i'm glad i stuck with rin's journey. her motivation for wanting to go to the sinegard are simple and strong. the scene where she
the military academy portion was my favourite part of the book, and i think rin made some really touching friendships there. rin's relationships with other characters - specifically jiang and altan added to her complexities. there was so much to analyse, and this is only the first book! (imo rin attributes power with safety, but in actuality, on top is the most dangerous place to be as someone will always seek to rob her of such a high status.)
the revelation that rin was
very curious to see how this journey continues.
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Drug use, Misogyny, Murder, Addiction, Classism, Grief, Racism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Ableism, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Moderate: Rape and Pregnancy
bookswithgracie'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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Blood, Body horror, War, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Drug abuse, Death, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Rape, Cursing, and Animal death
margauxjpg'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Gore, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Death, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Torture, Addiction, War, and Slavery
wytherwytch'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Rape, Gore, War, Grief, Addiction, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Death, and Genocide
Minor: Animal death
lilaudio's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
bookishreadersclub's review against another edition
- 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
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