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rynstagram's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
melissaslibraryy'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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
manaledi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
ghostsversion'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: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Biphobia
_azure76's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
jessiereads98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
UPDATE: I read the These Violent Delights duology then read this again. It is better after reading that. However, I still feel that the setting and atmosphere in this book are lacking, even in comparison to the These Violent Delights duology. It seemed like Chloe Gong decided that rather than expanding on that, and the changing political climate, she would handwave world-building for this one. The tropeyness irked me less on reread. The characters do still read a little young for what their ages seem to be, but not as harshly as I originally thought. It especially makes sense when these are young people caught up in large, shifting politics and underworlds, and that’s a theme Chloe Gong is clearly exploring in both duologies.
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Torture, Transphobia, Grief, Abandonment, War, and Classism
btwnprintedpgs'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Kidnapping
bailey63's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Car accident, and Colonisation
matilda_holroyd_'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
This story is about 2 spies who are forced into working a mission together posing as a married couple to try and discover who is behind Shanghai’s chemical killings. This book is based in true Chinese events fictionalised for the readers pleasure. It’s a fantastic idea and Gong’s execution of prose topped my wildest expectations. Honestly adored this and will be picking up all future work.
“He had gone beyond getting attached to her. She was his guiding saint, the polaris of his heart.”
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation and War
lqvekanej'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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Transphobia