Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

60 reviews

meganpbell's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative 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

The Poppy War trilogy is a masterpiece and a modern classic of both military and grimdark fantasy—and every single book will leave you breathless, punched in the gut, in awe and in pain. Follow Fang Runin from poor scholar to powerful shaman, from war orphan to war criminal, as she takes vengeance on the rulers who’ve abused her, on a war path inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, and delve into war and trauma, rage and revolution, in detail not only horrific, but historic. I’ll read anything R. F. Kuang writes, even if (and it definitely will) hurts me. Check content warnings before reading this series!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

bekahzabel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

My soul has been decimated. If you want a happily ever after… steer clear of this trilogy. If you want outstanding literature that will pierce your heart forever… leaving you in shambles… you’ve met your match. 

I barely have words. I felt every emotion in my arsenal, and I’m glad I saw it through to the end. A conclusion that tore me to shreds, but I don’t know that I could’ve seen it wrapped up in any other way. 

RF Kuang’s writing is god tier in my book, these characters will live in my heart for eternity. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kaylynnlock's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

persephonefoxx's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Torture, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, and Colonisation

Minor: Rape

brynalexa's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

For context, I do not normally read war books and this series did not convince me to. That being said, this book was the most compelling. There was not enough evidence to justify a lot of the decisions the characters made about each other. Part one was more of the same of the last two books: a violent, repetitive drag. Part two was just confusion. 

Part three was very fast paced. 

The ending was satisfying and also infuriating. A story about the horror and hopelessness that colonialism is.  Devastating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

loup's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Sexual harassment

peggy_racham's review against another edition

4.75

"I am the force of creation, I am
the end and the beginning. The world is a painting and I hold the brush. I
am a god."

Did I stare at a blank space for 10 min after finishing the book? Yes I did. An amazing ending to a briliant debut trilogy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jiyushier's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, War, and Injury/Injury detail

cbrigs99's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

I truly pity anything I read in this genre after, because nothing will ever compare. This series was wholly not what I expected it to be, it was so much more. This series deals with so many heavy topics, such as racial disparity and most importantly the duality of humans; showing that nobody is moral when it comes to war. No character is perfect in this book, no character is lovable. All are equally vile, cruel, but yet you understand why each acts the way they do. I’ve never quite read a series like this or felt so moved the way I did while reading these books - from audibly laughing, heart racing during battles, to sobbing at its conclusion. These books are truly a masterpiece from start to finish, and the third book was the perfect capstone to a work of art. R.F Kuang is painfully brilliant, and to her all I can say is thank you.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, and War

marinasjd's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic