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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Extreme graphic violence including a prolonged rape scene; violence is central to the novel's political argument
Language
Some
Some strong language
Sexual Content
A lot
Graphic sexual violence as a sustained element of the novel; disturbing throughout
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological horror of being property in a post-human future — and Emiko's journey toward agency — is the novel's most devastating and important thread
What this book is about
Paolo Bacigalupi's Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel is set in 23rd-century Thailand as global energy and food supplies have collapsed. The windup girl of the title is Emiko, a Japanese-engineered human who is considered property and suffers accordingly. The novel is one of the most important science fiction works of the 2010s and one of the most disturbing — the violence and sexual violence against Emiko are graphic and sustained. Brilliant but extremely difficult reading.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Graphic sexual violence as a sustained element
Extreme violence throughout
Reader Verification
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