Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

13 reviews

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, War, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Genocide, Grief, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Child death, Slavery, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Animal death

julesadventurezone's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Excrement, Blood, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Animal death, Ableism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Sexual content, Vomit, Sexism, Grief, Dysphoria, and Child abuse

Minor: Medical content, Sexual violence, Body shaming, and Slavery

hollowhallow13's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Death, Ableism, and Animal death

tbd24's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual violence, War, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

cheye13's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

5.0

I think this would make a great book club selection, and I don't think it needs a sequel. There's so much to discuss, both throughout the story and at the end, with some open-ended philosophy questions. I worry that a sequel will cut off further ruminations rather than encourage them or pose new ones.

I also don't think this book was pitched to me correctly. "A fantasy Mulan retelling" is very far from what this actually is. There's very little fantasy (more in the realm of magical realism) and the story is much more in the spirit of intricate political historical fiction. The book itself has a broader scope than just Zhu Chongba's perspective, and I found it riveting.

The nuanced depiction of gender identities as well as cultural identity in a period of colonization was expertly done. The physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven was an excellent choice and offered a significant thought exercise. The various sympathetic perspectives in war time made the story feel full and rounded. An expertly crafted piece of fiction. I plan to read the sequel in hopes that it lives up to its predecessor.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Genocide

Minor: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Slavery

numerous instances of amputation, including genitals

raeb's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, War, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Transphobia, Body horror, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Child death, Ableism, Gore, Grief, Murder, Blood, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Classism, Excrement, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Genocide

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.25

Main character Zhu brings some
seriously power hungry she/he questing energy. I enjoyed the exploration of gender in Zhu and Ouyang’s body-mind experiences, and the ever lurking themes of trauma and social/cultural violence and oppression that (sometimes literally) haunts these characters. I felt parts of the book dragged or stalled, and the greater world building or depth of other characters (esp Ma) could have improved some of the slower parts. I’d have enjoyed more development of the ghosts or other spirit world elements but that’s just me. Will definitely be on the lookout for #2!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, War, Murder, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Torture, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, War, Death, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Child death, Sexual content, and Slavery

Minor: Animal death and Alcoholism

miyalynn06's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This book is Mulan if mulan was a psychopathic liar and murderer and nearly everyone else was too. The beginning set up the story perfectly and I think the plot overall was intriguing. War, betrayal and slow burn, painful romance really kept the story going. It wasn’t a bad book by any means but I literally did not like a single character (even the nice ones) and there were a few things that really pissed me off. For being a book about war, the author found a way to skirt around writing any actual fight scenes until the very end. Also with a metaphor every other sentence, the writing felt like it was trying to be beautiful and profound but ended up beating a dead horse to oblivion. Half the time I had no idea what the author was saying and the other times they were just telling you what I would’ve rather picked up on subtly. It got really frustrating and dragged in the middle part but the pacing at the end was really attention-grabbing. Zhu and Oinoing were perfect foils for each other and their characterization was immaculate - but i still didn’t like them or really feel bad for them. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexism, Murder, and Misogyny

caitlinbutcher's review against another edition

adventurous 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

I’m honestly speechless. This was one of the most elaborate, sweeping, and epic books I have ever read. 
I was hoping for a little bit more fantasy elements, but with how amazing this book was I honestly didn’t mind at all. 
This book has it all: politics, complex characters, character growth, sapphic romance, mystery, inspiration, beautiful action sequences, and plot twists. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, War, Body shaming, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Colonisation, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Misogyny

Minor: Cursing and Sexual violence