jessicaludden'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
This book had me stressed the ENTIRE time. I’m still stressed. I never knew how Rin was gonna get out of any of those situations. I still don’t, but I am sooo pumped for the next book. This was so good. The war and politics, the power struggles, and the PAIN. Rin finally realized that Altan was no hero and effectively moved on from him. R.F. Kuang did an amazing job portraying Rin’s love and disdain for Altan as she let go of him and refused to let him have anymore power over her. The way this book ended had me screaming with excitement. Rin was betrayed. Again. But this time she’s taking matters into her own hands. She’s finally not taking orders from anyone else and I am SO here for it. Overall, this series continues to live up to expectations and I cannot wait for the finale.
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, War, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Classism, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Miscarriage
fareehareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spoiler
Okay now for the pain. wowowowow the deaths were harsh and I knew they were coming but they still hurttt. Nezha STABBING her at the very end was not okay and I should have seen it coming because I didn't trust the boy for one second during the entire book, but I know Rin did and THAT is what hurts. All of these men that she either looks up to, loves, or admires always let her down so profoundly that she has no choice but to be her own support system. Makes me want to hug her.Jinzha's death was great, super satisfying.
Qara's death I could see coming from a mile away since she got lines for the first time the whole series, but I like the little moment where she told Rin that she wasn't overpowered by Chagan she was simply in the spiritual world, that was nice. Ramsa, Suni and Baji's deaths were just unfair. They should have gotten a watery end in battle instead of on a chopping block. It also felt a bit cheap to me since it was acknowledged earlier that if the Hesperians knew that they were shamans maybe they would have been spared (tortured for sure, but with potential of a jail break). But it looks like the whole Cike plotline is being burned as a part of Rin's past. Chagan being the last among them is still annoying to me. All the annoying men in this that keep not dying sucks so much.
Overall this book is such a painful and incredible journey. I highly recommend it.
Graphic: War, Violence, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Confinement
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Death, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Sexual violence
Minor: Bullying and Toxic relationship
natfig's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Death, Confinement, Blood, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Cursing, Classism, Addiction, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Murder, Sexism, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Alcohol, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Excrement
Minor: Gun violence, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Vomit, Slavery, Sexism, Miscarriage, Genocide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Abandonment
jakepasseri'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
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Self harm, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Addiction, Gore, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Violence, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, War, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abortion and Genocide
riyakona's review
- 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: Vomit, Body horror, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, War, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Violence, Confinement, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Gore, Colonisation, Murder, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Miscarriage
gryczalke'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? It's complicated
4.5
Man, we've got so much and lost even more.
Spoiler
i cried rivers when they killed Banji, Suni and then Ramsa, after all of the loss in this book I couldn't take it no more. That's why i love it and that why many loved Game of Throne; it's so real and unpredictable, just like real war.I gave it half star less then I gave TPW just because the book is, at least in my eyes, mainly about war but in other way than the firs book. Here it was kinda long and boring at times. And because
Spoiler
i fell in love with the idea of Yin Nezha and forgave him for all only for him to literally stab us all in the backGraphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Genocide, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Vomit and Miscarriage
faroroshae'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
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Confinement, Vomit, Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Murder, Classism, Gaslighting, Blood, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Death, Racism, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Child death, Violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Addiction, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Miscarriage
jelloreads'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
Graphic: Torture, Sexual violence, Death, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Rape, War, Violence, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Genocide
donatio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Animal death, Body horror, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Classism, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
missbsbookshelf's review
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Violence, Gore, Torture, War, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Rape