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justamy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Confinement, Body horror, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Violence, Medical content, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, and Grief
Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
ihas'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual harassment
cyberhavok's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Alcohol, Murder, Sexism, War, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, and Confinement
nina_rae_131's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Alcoholism, Death, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Domestic abuse
tfortilney'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Alcoholism, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Rape
bookswithlydscl'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
3.5
Read the trigger warnings at the start of the book
One of the most chaotic books I've read in a long time.
Pacific Rim meets Handmaid's Tale meets Hunger Games (love a sci-fi dystopian angle)
Really appreciated the use of traditional Chinese culture to inform the story, characters and setting (the feet binding will stay with me)
For me an interesting take on science-fiction/fantasy - female power and taking control by escaping traditional patriarchal expectations with some serious anger (though there are elements of this in The Sword of Kaigen by ML Wang which are done better)
Remember it's YA targeted and for that audience level works well
Overall I enjoyed reading it but there are multiple elements that did detract:
World Building - not massively in depth, I had a picture in my mind but I think that was informed more by the Pacific Rim and recent Godzilla movies.
Wu Zetian - so very angry which I get as above but made it difficult to fully root for her. Very few female allies, doesn't really sell the feminist angle of the story for me but uses a 'feminist' agenda as a vehicle for selling her as a Mary Sue style MC (no empathy for the situation of one female character towards the end, no spoilers for the outcome).
Polyamory relationship not particularly fleshed out or developed, the male characters in the relationship didn't get much depth beyond being vehicles for Wu to get to the next thing.
Narrative not subtle - lots of telling not showing. Works great as a wish fulfillment escapist narrative but felt sometimes that messages were getting shouted at me multiple times to make sure I definitely got them (reminded me a little of Her Majesty's Royal Coven in that respect) - this may be the YA audience influence - subtlety not always their thing
Overall I enjoyed reading it but there are multiple elements that did detract:
Summing up - I enjoyed this, it's action packed, loads of set pieces, empowering messaging and utilises fantasy and sci-fi tropes well especially mixed in with the use of traditional chinese cultural elements. It has a main character that for YA audiences is someone they can likely identify with and root for and is a classic tale of overcoming your circumstances to take control and find your own destiny and identity.
Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, and Violence
coffee_and_novels's review against another edition
2.25
• "Plus, I don’t trust myself to landscape two matching brows out of the entity I’ve got. And how am I supposed to sign up for my death if my eyebrows are uneven?"
• “There’s no such thing as karma. Or, if it does exist, it sure doesn’t give a shit about people like me. Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can’t afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favor. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force.”
• “I would seriously give that back to her. That girl does not seem like one to be messed with.”
• “Do you terrorize people often, beautiful?”
• “You’ve been living a dream for long enough! Welcome to your nightmare!”
• “Well. This is an interesting development.”
• "Me. Li Shimin. An assassin. A murderer. Huaxia’s best hope. Not hostile."
• “If you want something from me, you better pay what I’m due!”
• “Yeah, we’re not the ones who want you dead, you unhinged bitch!”
• “Oh. Poor guy.”
• “I think…you’ve been lied to about what male needs are like. We aren’t animals. Yes, our desires get pretty strong, but they’re not overpowering. There’s no such thing as going mad because of them.”
• “Well, supposedly, you smash the lenses, sharpen the biggest fragment on the floor of your bunker, hide it in your collar, and try to slit a soldier’s throat with it.”
• “When you cherish someone for how amazing they are, you don’t pluck them from their roots just to watch them wither in your hands. You help them bloom into the incredible thing they’re really meant to be. And no, I’m not expecting anything back from you, so don’t feel pressured. This is simply what I want to do.”
• “You’re my polar star. I’ll go wherever you guide me.”
• "What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can’t, you probably don’t have enough money for that particular problem."
•“You can’t shoot me; I’m from Central Command!” ... “You can’t shoot me; I’m rich!”
• “You’re the miracle I’ve been waiting for all this time, going into these battles, praying that something would be different. I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”
• "Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open. I mean, when you think about it, love is fueled mostly by compatibility. Whether two people make each other happy by being close."
• “Listen up: just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, it doesn’t mean you have the obligation to, especially when they won’t even appreciate you for doing it.”
• “If you say so. But mark my words: one day, this will come back to bite you in the ass.”
• “Humans…scourge of the universe…”
• “Remember. Remember who you are. Remember me.”
• “Fuck the cabin in the mountains. Let’s rule the world.”
Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Sexual harassment
beckahh_i'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
There's definitely a lot of horrible things in this book so definitely check trigger warnings, but it's so worth it.
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Death, Alcohol, Confinement, Alcoholism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
summerpy'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
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Misogyny
slimejules's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Alcoholism, and Violence
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual assault