Scan barcode
brookenoelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
gemspy7's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
alexan13's review against another edition
4.0
Well, despite the fact that this book took me an entire three months to actually read (which essentially never happens for me), it's turned out to be one of my favorites of the year! It's a twisty, emotionally gripping and heart-wrenching novel about power, how to navigate it, and what happens when you can't.
My main issue with this book -- and the reason it doesn't get a full five stars -- is how slow the beginning is. And by the beginning, I mean the entire first half of the book. For the first half of the book the stakes feel low and uninteresting, the characters are interesting, but not necessarily enough to drive me to keep reading as we get to know them very slowly, and while the world is richly drawn and interesting from the beginning, it also didn't grip me. Frankly, I put this book down at the halfway after taking three weeks to get there, and struggled to motivate myself to pick it up again until this morning. And then couldn't put it down.
The second half of the book, if the reader makes it that far, is completely worthwhile and the payoff is immense. The first half of the novel builds up a world, builds up a plot, builds up stakes that our main character, the kingdom's new queen Hesina, thinks she understands. And then the second half of the novel, twist by twist by twist, undoes and questions everything the first half built up, revealing a depth to world, to stakes, to characters previously hidden by Hesina's own ignorance about the court, about her kingdom, and about where she stands in it all.
I recommend this -- and recommend pushing through it -- without reserve and really really hope that (although the author has said this is at this point a stand alone book) we get a sequel because, despite the certain kind of poetry of this novel ending where it did, I am dying to see what happens next.
My main issue with this book -- and the reason it doesn't get a full five stars -- is how slow the beginning is. And by the beginning, I mean the entire first half of the book. For the first half of the book the stakes feel low and uninteresting, the characters are interesting, but not necessarily enough to drive me to keep reading as we get to know them very slowly, and while the world is richly drawn and interesting from the beginning, it also didn't grip me. Frankly, I put this book down at the halfway after taking three weeks to get there, and struggled to motivate myself to pick it up again until this morning. And then couldn't put it down.
The second half of the book, if the reader makes it that far, is completely worthwhile and the payoff is immense. The first half of the novel builds up a world, builds up a plot, builds up stakes that our main character, the kingdom's new queen Hesina, thinks she understands. And then the second half of the novel, twist by twist by twist, undoes and questions everything the first half built up, revealing a depth to world, to stakes, to characters previously hidden by Hesina's own ignorance about the court, about her kingdom, and about where she stands in it all.
I recommend this -- and recommend pushing through it -- without reserve and really really hope that (although the author has said this is at this point a stand alone book) we get a sequel because, despite the certain kind of poetry of this novel ending where it did, I am dying to see what happens next.
maritzelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Wow, qué aventura me eché en unos días. No voy a mentIr, al principio parecía cualquier otra historia de la elegida salva al reino, pero fue plot twist tras plot twist. Me gustó que la trama de romance no haya opacado la historia porque de verdad esa prota no paraba de meter la pata. Me encantó, me la pasé súper entretenida👍🏽
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
kaulhilo's review against another edition
3.0
giving this a very hesitant, tentative 3 stars. i feel like i need to go back and reread to appreciate this book for what it is, and i know i did a massive disservice to it by reading it after sound the gong, especially when it’s a considerably well-written, well-planned debut, but oh. can’t go back in time and fix that, so a reread later will have to do.
moonlit_dewdrops's review against another edition
3.0
I had a good time with this one. All the plot twists really keeps you glued to the book and flipping the pages. Hesina was a pretty interesting character, but I wish I had seen a little more development. Being crowned queen at 17 is not easy and I wish I could have seen her grow into the queen she needed to be for her nation. I also wished we got to know more about Akira. He was just kind of there and there really wasn't much background about him.
The plot and worldbuilding were all great, but the characters felt dull so it was a bit of a miss for me.
The plot and worldbuilding were all great, but the characters felt dull so it was a bit of a miss for me.
enterprisingyoungman's review against another edition
5.0
Chinese-influenced worldbuilding and plain old backstabbing make for an excellent read!
You will fall in love with Joan's unique characters and their realistically sibling/frenemy/ tastefully romantic dynamics.
The hamster wheels in your brain will go into hyperspeed as you try to predict the next twist in the road.
You will be immersed in an accessibly Chinese-inspired setting, with beautiful details and an interesting system of magic.
Pre-order this book, like I have! It will be well worth it.
You will fall in love with Joan's unique characters and their realistically sibling/frenemy/ tastefully romantic dynamics.
The hamster wheels in your brain will go into hyperspeed as you try to predict the next twist in the road.
You will be immersed in an accessibly Chinese-inspired setting, with beautiful details and an interesting system of magic.
Pre-order this book, like I have! It will be well worth it.