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lastblossom's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Court drama and romance with a touch of magic in a tasty revenge plot.
Thoughts
I love a good "I was wronged and murdered and have been sent back in time to get my revenge before I'm wronged again" plot. A prevenge plot? Sure! I love a good prevenge plot. And this certainly is a fun one. The story wastes no time dropping us into the plot, and Mingshin wastes no time making different choices. She also stays pretty firmly locked into her goal, even with the distractions of romance and a sudden alteration in the timeline. That's not to say she ignores romance entirely. Jieh is a pretty big part of the storyline, and he checks all the boxes as far as love interests go: hot, strong, totally arrogant, and eventually incredibly soft. I confess, I prefer his sister, though. She's probably my favorite character in the whole thing, and would make a great lead character in her own drama. The political maneuvering is top notch, with the MC and her opponents all cleverly matched against each other. Anyone looking for machinations and plot twists will find lots of tasty moments here. The ending ties up several threads in a satisfying manner, but revenge is a long process, and there are definitely more questions that need answers. I hope we get future installments!
Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Court drama and romance with a touch of magic in a tasty revenge plot.
Thoughts
I love a good "I was wronged and murdered and have been sent back in time to get my revenge before I'm wronged again" plot. A prevenge plot? Sure! I love a good prevenge plot. And this certainly is a fun one. The story wastes no time dropping us into the plot, and Mingshin wastes no time making different choices. She also stays pretty firmly locked into her goal, even with the distractions of romance and a sudden alteration in the timeline. That's not to say she ignores romance entirely. Jieh is a pretty big part of the storyline, and he checks all the boxes as far as love interests go: hot, strong, totally arrogant, and eventually incredibly soft. I confess, I prefer his sister, though. She's probably my favorite character in the whole thing, and would make a great lead character in her own drama. The political maneuvering is top notch, with the MC and her opponents all cleverly matched against each other. Anyone looking for machinations and plot twists will find lots of tasty moments here. The ending ties up several threads in a satisfying manner, but revenge is a long process, and there are definitely more questions that need answers. I hope we get future installments!
Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Classism, Murder, Torture, Death of parent, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Suicide and Infidelity
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