Take a photo of a barcode or cover
rebeccazh's Reviews (2.89k)
That was good! Heavy spoilers near the end of my review.
The bad: this book had some pacing issues. The premise of the book is really strong - Essun just lost her son and is looking for her daughter - but the middle part was really slow, and then it suddenly gets really intense in the last part. The book is sort of light on plot, heavy on worldbuilding. I was also not a huge fan of the writing. It's evocative and descriptive, but sometimes it's too vague and I was confused about the sensory details of a scene. I couldn't picture what was happening.
The good: It's a fascinating world that Jemisin has created. This is a whole society built around the earth and it's reflected in the language. I was thankful there was a glossary, unlike Gideon the Ninth, where I had to fumble my way through and was still confused by the end of the book. Jemisin built a whole history, with lore (!), and different segments of society, in this book. Through the course of the book, we discover the dark secrets of this world - the society is built heavily on the exploitation of an underclass, the orogenes.
Two things that really stood out to me. I've read Jemisin's other series and really loved them, but this was the first series of hers that I felt like there was quite a bit of social commentary. The parallel between the exploitation and oppression of the orogenes, and real world events, felt very real. The lived experience of being born an orogene, hated and feared, less than human, was so sharply written.
The second thing I really liked was the characters, Damaya, Syenite and Essun. They are the same woman, at different points in her life. This is the biggest plot twist. I was totally blown away. The three of them are so different, but there is a thread of similarity. In hindsight, certain things make a lot of sense, and I loved that I could see this continuity - Damaya's adherence to the rules, excelling in the system; Syenite fully internalising the teachings of the Fulcrum, appearing to believe everything that was forced onto her; Essun hiding her identity and living a life built on lies, albeit a happy one, for the past few years. At the heart of it, as Essun reflects, she doesn't really know who she is. She camouflages to fit in, and did so in all three 'stages' of her life. It makes a lot of sense to me. Oftentimes with othering and exploitation, people internalise the harsh external gaze of society and lose their sense of self and don't really know who they are, what they're capable of, and how to accept and like themselves. I particularly loved how both Damaya and Syenite struggled with this - Damaya reminding herself that she is a weapon and she's fine being alone, and Syenite's subtle dislike and prejudice of other orogenes (who are exactly like her). It was so well written. I loved the chapter titles too.
The second person narration worked surprisingly well for Essun. There is really a sense of disorientation, like she's cut adrift.
The audio book was very good. It was thanks to this that I got through the rather slow middle part.
The bad: this book had some pacing issues. The premise of the book is really strong - Essun just lost her son and is looking for her daughter - but the middle part was really slow, and then it suddenly gets really intense in the last part. The book is sort of light on plot, heavy on worldbuilding. I was also not a huge fan of the writing. It's evocative and descriptive, but sometimes it's too vague and I was confused about the sensory details of a scene. I couldn't picture what was happening.
The good: It's a fascinating world that Jemisin has created. This is a whole society built around the earth and it's reflected in the language. I was thankful there was a glossary, unlike Gideon the Ninth, where I had to fumble my way through and was still confused by the end of the book. Jemisin built a whole history, with lore (!), and different segments of society, in this book. Through the course of the book, we discover the dark secrets of this world - the society is built heavily on the exploitation of an underclass, the orogenes.
Two things that really stood out to me. I've read Jemisin's other series and really loved them, but this was the first series of hers that I felt like there was quite a bit of social commentary. The parallel between the exploitation and oppression of the orogenes, and real world events, felt very real. The lived experience of being born an orogene, hated and feared, less than human, was so sharply written.
The second thing I really liked was the characters, Damaya, Syenite and Essun. They are the same woman, at different points in her life. This is the biggest plot twist. I was totally blown away. The three of them are so different, but there is a thread of similarity. In hindsight, certain things make a lot of sense, and I loved that I could see this continuity - Damaya's adherence to the rules, excelling in the system; Syenite fully internalising the teachings of the Fulcrum, appearing to believe everything that was forced onto her; Essun hiding her identity and living a life built on lies, albeit a happy one, for the past few years. At the heart of it, as Essun reflects, she doesn't really know who she is. She camouflages to fit in, and did so in all three 'stages' of her life. It makes a lot of sense to me. Oftentimes with othering and exploitation, people internalise the harsh external gaze of society and lose their sense of self and don't really know who they are, what they're capable of, and how to accept and like themselves. I particularly loved how both Damaya and Syenite struggled with this - Damaya reminding herself that she is a weapon and she's fine being alone, and Syenite's subtle dislike and prejudice of other orogenes (who are exactly like her). It was so well written. I loved the chapter titles too.
The second person narration worked surprisingly well for Essun. There is really a sense of disorientation, like she's cut adrift.
The audio book was very good. It was thanks to this that I got through the rather slow middle part.
Nostalgic reread. I picked it up because the audiobook was available on my library app and I really liked the narrator. Their Artemis is absolutely perfect. Anyway, docking a star for the portrayal of the Vietnamese character in the first chapter, but otherwise this was more fun than I remember. It's surprisingly funny. I read this series when I was, what, 10? And I had forgotten most of the details. All I remember was that Artemis was really cool. Now that I've reread it, I feel like I seriously missed out on Holly. She's a fantastic character. Watching Artemis duel wits with everyone was fun, yes, but watching Holly be her hot-headed and compassionate self really makes me root for her. She's awesome. I loved all the side characters too.
Picked this up coz I really liked the author's Hall of Blood and Mercy series and I'm officially a big fan of KM Shea. This was so fun! It's really lighthearted and funny in tone, and it was a fun romp reading about Morgan's adventures with magical beings. I loved all the characters - they were all really likeable and charming. More Devin!!!
fun retelling - i love km shea's books and wild swans is one of my favorite stories. unfortunately the two love interests were SO annoying, i was seriously wishing elise had run off with brida by the end.
Lovely writing style - felt like I was reading an old tale/myth. The setting of this book was really fascinating. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
I was today years old when I learnt that Sherry Thomas is actually Chinese. This explains the historical, cultural and linguistical accuracy in this book honestly. I was so confused because a lot of the English phrases used sounded like direct Chinese translations and I was wondering how the author knew the language so well.
Anyway, I almost DNF'ed this book because the first two chapters didn't hook me but I'm glad I persevered. This is a fun retelling, culturally very accurate, reminding me a little of the 2009 Mulan film with Zhao Wei. It's fast-paced and the main character is likeable and realistic (I liked that she froze up in battle). Also, the prince is really compelling.
I had a few slight quibbles. While I appreciate and fully agree with the author critiquing how China Others the nomadic tribes and ethnic minorities and the problems of Sinicization, it felt almost like a young modern liberal speaking whenever she was questioning history, race, and Confucian thought. Also, the romance subplot was really overshadowed by the plot I feel? And the ending felt kind of weak...
Overall, I really enjoyed it - it's a culturally accurate take on a wuxia Mulan story.
Anyway, I almost DNF'ed this book because the first two chapters didn't hook me but I'm glad I persevered. This is a fun retelling, culturally very accurate, reminding me a little of the 2009 Mulan film with Zhao Wei. It's fast-paced and the main character is likeable and realistic (I liked that she froze up in battle). Also, the prince is really compelling.
I had a few slight quibbles. While I appreciate and fully agree with the author critiquing how China Others the nomadic tribes and ethnic minorities and the problems of Sinicization, it felt almost like a young modern liberal speaking whenever she was questioning history, race, and Confucian thought. Also, the romance subplot was really overshadowed by the plot I feel? And the ending felt kind of weak...
Overall, I really enjoyed it - it's a culturally accurate take on a wuxia Mulan story.
Mar 2021: reread in preparation of [b:The Theft of Sunlight|17317376|The Theft of Sunlight (Dauntless Path, #2)|Intisar Khanani|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592799670l/17317376._SY75_.jpg|23985987]. i really liked this unique retelling of the goose girl fairytale and the themes of silence, strength and courage, and the dangers of being a woman in a patriarchal/misogynistic world. i'm always so sad when falada dies in these retellings
Quick and fun read. This story is about a guy called You Huo who gets pulled into a weird 'global entrance exam' run by a strange 'system', except you pay with your life if you fail the questions. He meets an invigilator, Invigilator 001, and it seems that they have history between them. Over the course of various exams, he realizes that he used to be an invigilator (one of the first invigilators) and he and 001, whose real name is Qin Jiu, knew each other but got their memory wiped.
The story then turns a bit apocalyptic as the two of them work together to take down the system together with the help of various side characters. A lot of past secrets get uncovered as they figure out how to take down the system - they have to unravel something that happened (the origin of the system) almost twenty years ago.
This book is like a mix of horror, sci-fi, contemporary, mystery, and apocalypse genres. The 'system' is somewhat similar to rogue systems in transmigration novels.
The exam questions were super creepy and very creative - really enjoyed reading about how the two main characters bested each exam. The two main characters are really fun. They remind me a little bit of the main pairings from [b:默读|39722659|默读 (默读, #1)|Priest|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589755669l/39722659._SX50_.jpg|61401692] and [b:Breaking Through the Clouds 破云|42955695|Breaking Through the Clouds 破云|淮上|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543202377l/42955695._SX50_.jpg|66764793]. They had such a fun dynamic together and I love how much they cared for each other, it was so sweet.
Some parts were a bit far-fetched and the two main characters generally kind of have protagonist plot protection - they best every challenge that comes their way and is always one step ahead of the enemy.
The writing style is soo pleasant to read, especially since I came from the author of Empress Fuyao. No more purple prose! Thank god! Anyway, really enjoyed this book. It's quite short (for a Chinese webnovel) too.
Side note that the portrayal of the Romanian lady was a caricature.
The story then turns a bit apocalyptic as the two of them work together to take down the system together with the help of various side characters. A lot of past secrets get uncovered as they figure out how to take down the system - they have to unravel something that happened (the origin of the system) almost twenty years ago.
This book is like a mix of horror, sci-fi, contemporary, mystery, and apocalypse genres. The 'system' is somewhat similar to rogue systems in transmigration novels.
The exam questions were super creepy and very creative - really enjoyed reading about how the two main characters bested each exam. The two main characters are really fun. They remind me a little bit of the main pairings from [b:默读|39722659|默读 (默读, #1)|Priest|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589755669l/39722659._SX50_.jpg|61401692] and [b:Breaking Through the Clouds 破云|42955695|Breaking Through the Clouds 破云|淮上|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543202377l/42955695._SX50_.jpg|66764793]. They had such a fun dynamic together and I love how much they cared for each other, it was so sweet.
Some parts were a bit far-fetched and the two main characters generally kind of have protagonist plot protection - they best every challenge that comes their way and is always one step ahead of the enemy.
The writing style is soo pleasant to read, especially since I came from the author of Empress Fuyao. No more purple prose! Thank god! Anyway, really enjoyed this book. It's quite short (for a Chinese webnovel) too.
Side note that the portrayal of the Romanian lady was a caricature.
Wow, what a book. The writing has improved tremendously from Thorn, and I really liked Thorn. This book is also a whole different beast from its predecessor. Thorn was a retelling of The Goose Girl and a much more 'personal' narrative - Alyrra had to come to terms with the power she wields and she had to accept her responsibilities instead of running away from them.
This book on the other hand was very much a social commentary on human trafficking, slavery, ableism and discrimination, misogyny and power and corruption. It's much more action-packed and faster paced. The plot twists were thrilling, and honestly that ending! I hope the wait for the next book isn't too long.
- I loved Rae. She's fearless, very smart and very determined and focused. I loved her perseverance. I also loved that she had a family she loves, who loves her. It's rare in US fiction to see loving families and protagonists with communal and familial ties. American fiction often has lone wolf protagonists.
- Rae's disability and the way it was written. As one reviewer mentioned, she tried to work with her limitations and found a way around things she couldn't do, which I love. It also hurts to see the microaggressions and prejudices Rae constantly endured and the internalized scorn she developed for herself. The author did a great job capturing her experiences in an ableist society
- female friendships! I loved the sisterhood she had with many of the other female characters
- omg it was great to see Alyrra and Kestrin again. Seeing them through another's eyes is fascinating
- I really appreciated and loved how complex all the characters are. Many of them hurt others or were carelessly unkind and they had their reasons for doing so. I might not agree with what they did but I can understand where they're coming from
- the social commentary: the powerful live comfortable and cushy lives off of the labor, dignity and comfort of the least privileged; the corrupt social system, where vigilante justice (Red Hawk) or community movements are more trustworthy than institutional justice (the palace). Power corrupts - even the good characters do questionable things because the environment forces these choices for survival (Alyrrra's test of Rae in the beginning, many of Kestrin and Rae's interactions)
- and I also really appreciated how well the book conveyed the lived experience of being a woman in a patriarchal and misogynistic society where women aren't valued - there was a constant sense of Rae being put into traumatising situations, being made powerless, and there were just countless incidents of violence against her, people threatening and intimidating her, using her, harming her. Despite that, Rae herself never seemed powerless to me. She was always so brave and so smart. I loved that
This book on the other hand was very much a social commentary on human trafficking, slavery, ableism and discrimination, misogyny and power and corruption. It's much more action-packed and faster paced. The plot twists were thrilling, and honestly that ending! I hope the wait for the next book isn't too long.
- I loved Rae. She's fearless, very smart and very determined and focused. I loved her perseverance. I also loved that she had a family she loves, who loves her. It's rare in US fiction to see loving families and protagonists with communal and familial ties. American fiction often has lone wolf protagonists.
- Rae's disability and the way it was written. As one reviewer mentioned, she tried to work with her limitations and found a way around things she couldn't do, which I love. It also hurts to see the microaggressions and prejudices Rae constantly endured and the internalized scorn she developed for herself. The author did a great job capturing her experiences in an ableist society
- female friendships! I loved the sisterhood she had with many of the other female characters
- omg it was great to see Alyrra and Kestrin again. Seeing them through another's eyes is fascinating
- I really appreciated and loved how complex all the characters are. Many of them hurt others or were carelessly unkind and they had their reasons for doing so. I might not agree with what they did but I can understand where they're coming from
- the social commentary: the powerful live comfortable and cushy lives off of the labor, dignity and comfort of the least privileged; the corrupt social system, where vigilante justice (Red Hawk) or community movements are more trustworthy than institutional justice (the palace). Power corrupts - even the good characters do questionable things because the environment forces these choices for survival (Alyrrra's test of Rae in the beginning, many of Kestrin and Rae's interactions)
- and I also really appreciated how well the book conveyed the lived experience of being a woman in a patriarchal and misogynistic society where women aren't valued - there was a constant sense of Rae being put into traumatising situations, being made powerless, and there were just countless incidents of violence against her, people threatening and intimidating her, using her, harming her. Despite that, Rae herself never seemed powerless to me. She was always so brave and so smart. I loved that
3.5 stars. if only the first half of this book had been written like the second half!
other reviews have also mentioned the issues with this book: the first half is VERY slow and pretty much nothing happens for the entire first 50%. the second half is a bunch of plot twists and action that goes by in a blur.
i really appreciate that this horror is based off themes of postcolonialism, eugenics, race and patriarchy. the author's kindle notes for this book are really fascinating, bumping the overall rating to a 4 for that
after reading both this and [b:Gods of Jade and Shadow|36510722|Gods of Jade and Shadow|Silvia Moreno-Garcia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543268579l/36510722._SY75_.jpg|58230232], i've noticed some things about this author's style: the style is heavily descriptive, which works sometimes (atmospheric and beautiful) and sometimes doesn't (nothing much happens). it also makes the characters quite 'muted'.
still will try her other books - i love how creative these books are and it's refreshing that they're set in mexico and the protagonists are latinx
other reviews have also mentioned the issues with this book: the first half is VERY slow and pretty much nothing happens for the entire first 50%. the second half is a bunch of plot twists and action that goes by in a blur.
i really appreciate that this horror is based off themes of postcolonialism, eugenics, race and patriarchy. the author's kindle notes for this book are really fascinating, bumping the overall rating to a 4 for that
after reading both this and [b:Gods of Jade and Shadow|36510722|Gods of Jade and Shadow|Silvia Moreno-Garcia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543268579l/36510722._SY75_.jpg|58230232], i've noticed some things about this author's style: the style is heavily descriptive, which works sometimes (atmospheric and beautiful) and sometimes doesn't (nothing much happens). it also makes the characters quite 'muted'.
still will try her other books - i love how creative these books are and it's refreshing that they're set in mexico and the protagonists are latinx