Reviews tagging 'Child death'

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

2 reviews

nillech's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.25

More prequel than standalone in a series. Captivating in its world rife with creative magical realism before the midway slump, but quickly rewarding in its final act if you've managed to overcome the lull.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: War, Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Grief

Minor: Torture and Vomit

nytephoenyx's review

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

I thought A Magic Steeped in Poison was good, but not great. I appreciate the twist Judy I. Lin employed in this book, leaning in to tea as magic. My understanding is that the tea ceremony and traditions surrounding it are revered by many Asian cultures, and as such, I loved that Judy I. Lin gave tea this additional sway.

That said, the emotions were flat in this book. I’m not sure if it was intentional. The world was interesting enough to bring me in every time I read it, but the characters weren’t so compelling that I felt invested, excited, or disappointed. They simply… were. For that, this gets 3.5 stars instead of 4. The book was interesting and I’m curious to see where it’s going, but I’m not compelled to reread it or own it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: War, Grief, Medical content, and Torture

The characters in this book and their culture is Asian-coded, albeit it is a fantasy story. The author is Taiwanese and currently lives in Canada.