Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Jade City, by Fonda Lee

12 reviews

lanid's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Torture, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Injury/injury detail, Violence, War, Addiction, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Gun violence, and Xenophobia

dbooks23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-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

3.5

I honestly expected to like this more than I did. My interest went from 80% to 60% after my semi favorite character was abruptly killed off. It was action packed one moment and then boring the next. I would've liked to have read the POV of the Pillar of the Mountain clan, just to see what she was thinking and planning. But overall I couldn't seem to develop any deep attachments to any of the characters (besides Anden) and was relieved once the book was finally over. I can see why so many people enjoyed this book but I'm not intrigued enough to continue the series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Body horror, Cursing, and Death

jijelly's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder, War, Addiction, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Kidnapping, and Cursing

Minor: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Gore

kinomatica's review against another edition

adventurous 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: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Dementia, Medical trauma, Murder, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Chronic illness, Death, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Self harm, Death of parent, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Self harm, Abandonment, Abortion, Kidnapping, Outing, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Alcohol

rebeccaxpaige's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Blood, Death of parent, Torture, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Gore, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

a gritty, cool, stylish story about family, loyalty, duty. gangster stories and their seemingly needless violence have never interested me, so it's an amazing feat indeed that jade city is able to make the aforementioned seem rational--even inevitable--to me.

even more surprising, though at times painful as well, is how much lee is able to make me care abt the characters, their plight, their battles (both external and internal). i also appreciate how much nuance is imbued in both sides of the clan war: the characters' personalities, their motivations, differing ideologies that have both merit and disadvantages, making the central conflict actually seem unavoidable. this book is also full of violence--though none of it is gratuitous--and w/ the startling death of [redacted] halfway thru the book, i was shocked to discover that no one is spared, which is actually realistic, rly.

i also enjoyed the political stuff, esp how much meaning can be conveyed or inferred from even the subtlest words or actions. the third person pov is effectively used to great effect as well. another thing i rly like is the ideas and themes explored in the story. shae is disturbingly relatable w/ her internal warring of stifling expectations and need to escape her present environment; parallels to the real world are reflected in the hubristic foreign presence on kekon, and the latter's rightful desire to take control of its own country, though obvs the means are a contentious point; the seemingly cyclical nature of violence and vengeance spurred on by loyalty and a sense of duty. lee explores the themes w/ aplomb w/o ever seeming preachy or overbearing, and that's not sth many authors can say. im daunted to see how it all further unfolds in the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Gun violence, and Infidelity

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism

whatevertheysay's review

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Gun violence and Homophobia

achingallover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence

kait_sixcrowsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

Representation:

• queer boy/man MC
• Asian-inspired cast/world

I....I honestly don't know what to say. The characters? Amazing. The world-building? Impeccable. The writing? A masterpiece. I am. Flabbergasted. I need my hands on Jade War yesterday, omg.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Gun violence, Violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content

Minor: Self harm

Additional triggers include: child sexual assault/child porn (mentioned)

citymouse's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Self harm, Death, Drug abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content