Reviews

Strike the Zither by Joan He

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sashapasha's review against another edition

5.0

4.5 stars.

Contains an epic plot twist (or several, but one in particular that tilts the whole axis of the book). Brace yourself for the cliffhanger though.

I think this is a definite improvement on Descendant of the Crane, which I enjoyed but ultimately didn’t find particularly memorable. In contrast I’ll be thinking about Strike The Zither for awhile. It doesn’t fall into the comfort read category for me, but it was certainly engaging.

michelle_reads_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

mylovelordlorcanlochan's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tenshifae's review against another edition

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4.0

Strike the Zither was exciting, gripping, and had twists and turns that I was not expecting. There were several moments throughout the book that I was like 'wait what?!' The book is not predictable in any way, which in itself is refreshing.

The beginning on the novel felt like you were thrown head first into the action, it put me off a bit at the beginning, but if you give it a couple of chapters it will slowly engulf you and you will be dying to find out what will happen next. The ending of the book is the perfect set up for book 2, with enough to make you feel content to wait, but eager for the release of the next book.

I listened to the audiobook and it was a good experience, the narrator had a distinct voice for multiple characters, and a relaxing standing voice that was enjoyable to listen to for hours.

Zephyr is a bit abrasive of an MC, and her thought process and aspirations are kind of unclear the entire time especially regarding the mutual adoration with Ren. It feels like we are missing a huge plot hole within her, which I will assume will come through the second book and one of the twists and turns in there. But for now, there are so many mysteries with the characters that it makes me worried that the sequel will not be able to answer all of them.