A review by delandbeforetime
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Vo’s prose is so beautiful but I felt like the magical element was slapped onto this premise, to the extent that when something magic happened it was really jarring and distracting. If it had been better integrated I would have been all for a magical realism element, but it felt haphazard to me.