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jays_secret_garden'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
5.0
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•6/5⭐️
Nothing could have prepared me for the third part of this book. I foolishly thought that the second part was absolutely crazy, but the third? Devastating. This book completely changed my perspective on life. It was so beautifully written that I feel like people don’t write books like this anymore. The FMC, Rin, is one of the best characters I have read in my entire life. From the first line she had in the book, I knew. Her absolute rage and hate actually means the world to me because how dare they make women and children hurt this much?
The topic of war, genocide, r*pe, etc., is HEAVY. I didn’t really read the trigger warnings because I like to go into books blind, but please read them :). Nothing could have prepared my heart for the heartbreak it would experience while reading the Golyn Noriis part, and even more so after reading the author’s note and finding out everything was inspired by real-life experiences of Chinese people. It broke my heart to read Venka’s story—I was sobbing!!!
I cannot wait to continue with the series because every two pages, something insane and unpredictable happens, and I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK!
Graphic: Misogyny, War, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Self harm, Physical abuse, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gun violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Blood
megsssss_'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: Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Hate crime, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, War, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Colonisation, Blood, Child abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Rape, Slavery, and Xenophobia
pagesofpins's review against another edition
2.0
I thought the story was really picking up when Rin begins training with one of the wackier and less respected masters, mastering the elements a la The Name of the Wind. At this point a war breaks out that is clearly the 2nd Shino Japanese War, and nearly every description of infant rape, mass murder of families, and creative torture was lifted directly from The Rape of Nanking. That work made some intelligent observations on what prompted men with no violent past to do such horrific things, but this work adds nothing thoughtful. There is no hint of how a nation heals after suffering atrocities like this. It's merely used as a device to add drama. I think sensitive elements in history can be responsibly represented in fantasy, but instead a team of X-Men wander the country wreaking havoc and our MC cries a lot about her abusive and problematic crush. Fantasy can add enough distance to see history clearly, or ask "what if it had happened differently?" I couldn't find either here.
It's possible in the sequel the Taiwanese will be more than a red eyed bloodthirsty race used as bargaining chips in battle, the Japanese will have some context as wealthy oppressors, the Chinese will be more than torture porn, and human experiments like Unit 731 will be treated with more gravity than a device for our heroine to understand her boyfriends drug addiction. But I won't be reading to find out.
Graphic: Sexual content, War, Torture, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Incest, Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Addiction, Death, Genocide, Medical trauma, Gore, Racism, and Rape
lilly24's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Deportation, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Excrement, Xenophobia, Classism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Racism, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit
stephsbookedout's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual assault, Classism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, War, Body horror, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Grief, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Vomit
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Gore, Genocide, Addiction, Rape, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Torture, Sexual assault, Death, Colonisation, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Animal death and Pregnancy
georgia_lou's review
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Murder, Body horror, Bullying, Addiction, Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Child death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Classism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Xenophobia
hailsatan'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Deportation, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, War, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Infertility, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Hate crime, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
ryanmcweeny's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Body horror, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Drug abuse, Rape, and Death
fedekanejbrainrot'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: Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abortion, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse