Scan barcode
ebabs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rcd229's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
gronklfluff's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ellaensorcelee's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
shays's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I love this whole series, but I particularly enjoyed the look we got inside Singing Hills Abbey in this installment, and the deeper lore about the neixin.
timinbc's review
5.0
Didja ever go to a fancy restaurant and order the super-whizbang $12 chocolate dessert, and they bring you a tiny little piece of dark-brown something, and you think "Huh?" and a coupla minutes later you're all "$12 is cheap for this, and why am I feeling so full?"
This is that in a book. As usual, the story is exactly the right length. We have to wade around in a LOT of they/them for a while (although the birds get she/her, hmm) but we get used to it.
At first this seems to be a simple story of stuffy imperial-admin meets mild-mannered helpless monks, but it quickly becomes apparent that this story is about something else entirely.
Little details emerge, and we go "hmmm" and note that one for future reference. Repeat a few times, and we come to a bit of a set piece. People from different cultures and backgrounds tell their stories of the same person, and one by one all those little pieces slot together and we finally see the whole picture.
I'm left with the thought that this was meticulously crafted like an Agatha Christie, but the FEELING that Vo just put some ideas together, a story appeared, and she wrote it down.
It's a tiny perfect jewel.
This is that in a book. As usual, the story is exactly the right length. We have to wade around in a LOT of they/them for a while (although the birds get she/her, hmm) but we get used to it.
At first this seems to be a simple story of stuffy imperial-admin meets mild-mannered helpless monks, but it quickly becomes apparent that this story is about something else entirely.
Little details emerge, and we go "hmmm" and note that one for future reference. Repeat a few times, and we come to a bit of a set piece. People from different cultures and backgrounds tell their stories of the same person, and one by one all those little pieces slot together and we finally see the whole picture.
I'm left with the thought that this was meticulously crafted like an Agatha Christie, but the FEELING that Vo just put some ideas together, a story appeared, and she wrote it down.
It's a tiny perfect jewel.
yathol's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0