Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

78 reviews

findleydunn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

ytzel_vr24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This book is actually the wildest thing I’ve ever read in my life. It has a really interesting combination of characters who are right but also completely merciless and borderline villainous. Super fast paced, engaging, and thrilling, but occasionally the dialogue falls flat which is why it’s a 4.5 for me. Mostly a style preference. Otherwise, an excellent book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, and Sexism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Rape

simsplayer30's review against another edition

fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

happysoullovesyou's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Xiran, take my soul already.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent

mandieroz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book starts out a little slow. The main character can be whiney and really annoying to follow when she's clearly ignoring things happening around her. Zeitan wants very much to believe that everyone should just believe what she wants them too, while simultaneously wanting to buck a 200+ year old system. Which is a haunting task in itself, but to try and do so with absolutely no help and no support is ridiculous even for a strong headed, passionate, killing machine (literally). She eventually does start to open her eyes to the society she's stuck in and learns to work around it...only to windup in a new hell towards the end. Overarchingly, I really enjoyed the book I will definitely read the next one because I'm invested in knowing what happens next. Not 5 stars, but it's right there, I'm here for it. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism

malecbanewood89's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Medical trauma

thoselittlesoyfishthings's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

Some clunky anime-esque dialogue at points, one side of the relationship developed very quickly and the main character got a little Raven Dementia Darkness Way at points but overall a fun read. Very much enjoyed how angry the main character was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Racism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism

clarksamanthab's review

dark tense 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? No

1.0

This book was awful. The main character isn‘t just unlikeable- she‘s practically evil. Am i supposed to root for her as she enjoys torturing someone or destroying entire cities?? Additionally the older sister is main character’s whole motivation- but she is only given a name once in the beginning. the whole rest of the book she is just called „Big Sister“ as if the author forgot to go back and fill the name in in editing. Also, the romance was choppy and annoying- each time shed begin to get close to one guy, shed suddenly make a move on another. there was no clear development of her love for either man. Definitely there wasn’t enough time spent with the one who dies before he did. The whole  time the main character rambles on and on this repetitive „man bad woman good“ crap. i get it’s supposed to be a feminist book but feminism isnt violence and rage without nuance. Overall the book was surface level and lazy. The only redeeming factor was the interesting worldbuilding. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, and War

discowing87's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely loved this book, probably gonna recommend it to everyone I know. I usually stray away from this genre because I don't particularly enjoy 1st person writing or romances but the romance here is developed in a believable way that feels so human that I was so invested in it working out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

griminycricket's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism