tiernanhunter'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
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Self harm, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Drug use, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, Blood, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Body shaming, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
samants'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
4.25
Take a shot every time you read:
- "Hungry ghosts"
- "Trotted"
- "Behatted"
- "Curious"
Also: I think I would have liked this more if the absolute psychological torment undergone by the characters wasn't described so lushly. The prose got a little purple at times, describing people's internal suffering. It was a bit much.
Graphic: Violence, Transphobia, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, War, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Body horror
leonormsousa'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
3.0
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Abortion, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Infidelity, Body horror, Grief, Self harm, Sexism, Gore, Sexual assault, War, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Slavery, and Violence
katdawg7's review against another edition
Graphic: Rape, Body shaming, Homophobia, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Ableism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Kidnapping, Child death, Physical abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Slavery, Sexual content, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
stephanelli'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Ableism, Blood, Gore, War, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Vomit
anxieteaandbiscuits12's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Ableism, Murder, Self harm, Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, and Slavery
percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The book has a bit of a slow start admittedly. It's tough to follow up the ending of the first book and the crazy choices the characters made. But give it a little bit of time to get reinvested in the world and characters and you'll find that Parker-Chan did an incredible job of building off of where she left off. There are more POVs than before, but I didn't mind the inclusions at all. In fact, this book made me truly appreciate Ouyang's character and his downward spiral. All of the different narrators gave such depth to the main themes of loss, ambition, and what it means to be yourself.
We see all these become more and more hyperfocused on their "fates", losing themselves and who they used to be in the process. In some ways, their fervent pursuit of the future is just an extension of their fixation on the past that they can't let go. I was fascinated and horrified with the choices these characters made, that simultaneously a character can be cruel and yet undeserving of the cruelty thrust upon them. Madam Zhang, General Ouyang, Wang Baoxiang, and even our original main character, Zhu Yuanzhang all suffer from the same oppressive forces in society and fight back in their own ways, but more often than not end up working with the society that hurt them as they try to defy it.
If you enjoy character deconstructions, character's descent into self-destruction, and examining the way that a society can hurt different people in the same way, for not belonging or acting within the expectations thrust upon them, this is the book for you.
I also just have to add that my favorite parts were when Ouyang and Zhu interacted, they ended up accidentally being a hilarious comedy duo that really lightened the darker mood of the book haha.
Graphic: Grief, Death, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Rape, Murder, Sexism, War, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Self harm
Moderate: Body horror, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Transphobia, Vomit, Torture, Outing, Xenophobia, and Slavery
warlocksarecool21'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
If you read all of this, then congratulations 😂. This duology was really well done and is definitely worth a read (it’s really brutal though so watch out).
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Dysphoria, Torture, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, War, Body shaming, Homophobia, Murder, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, and Rape
winterwoodbooks's review against another edition
3.75
Much more gory tho
Graphic: Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Deadnaming, Body horror, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Grief, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Genocide, War, Torture, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Misogyny, Hate crime, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Child death, and Body shaming