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annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's split in focus between 1) discussing the morality and violence of the greater societies/competing empires (An O and Dai Viet) vs. that of the pirate society, and 2) the burgeoning sapphic romance between Xích Si (human scavenger turned pirate wife) and Rice Fish (a Mindship - aka sentient spaceship - and soon to be head of the Red Banner pirate ships).
The worldbuilding was so interesting - it's an alternate scifi history based on Vietnamese and Chinese societies rising to dominance. de Bodard's world used a lot of technology to integrate the virtual world (overlays) into the physical world (and everyone has bots too). Given the relatively short length of 291 pages, there wasn't enough world-building to satisfy me, personally. Recognizing this is one entry into the Xuya Universe series, there's more development overall across the series, but I felt this novel lacked some.
Similarly, the romance. Because the whole novel takes place in less than month (really a handful of days when it comes to actual events), our two main characters barely know each other by the time shit really goes down. And that's to their detriment. They claim to love each other, but they don't know the other, don't fully trust the other (especially Rice Fish), and easily miscommunicate. It very much read as insta-love and/or confusion of lust for love. I think we could've benefitted extra pages to facilitate a longer period overall for Xích Si and Rice Fish to really fall in love, or adjust their behaviour and emotions to better reflect reality (wild thing to say with scifi, I know).
In contrast, I really liked the exploration of parent-child relationships with Xích Si and Rice Fish's young and grown children, respectively.
Overall, it's a fun read and I would pick up another book in the series because it's an interesting universe and themes. But I wouldn't go into this expecting an actual scifi romance (unless insta-love is your jam).
Content warnings: grief, indentured servitude, violence, references to child indenturing and general concept that some people would sexually abuse children, death of spouse (offpage/pre-novel), references to rape of bondspeople
Graphic: Slavery, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Torture, Rape, Death, and Death of parent
lportilla's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: War, Violence, Slavery, Confinement, Sexual content, Trafficking, Death, and Abandonment
nexelle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
persephonefoxx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Trafficking and Slavery
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
eh1736's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Slavery and Child abuse
Moderate: Murder
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death
Minor: Slavery and Rape
colloreda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
remaininlullaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Slavery
jessie_h's review
5.0
I was so excited to see the announcement at the end of the book that there is going to be a sequel/companion novel for this book and its going to be another romance set in the Xuya Universe! I hope it comes out this next year because my hands are itching to get a hold of it!
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley and original review was posted on Goldilox and the Three Weres blog.
Graphic: Classism, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Violence, Grief, and Child abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Murder, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Death, and Death of parent