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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Personally, I never write reviews (simply because other people say what I would say more eloquently anyway!), but because this book got me out of a particularly bad reading slump, I might start writing reviews here and there! But before I really begin, please pardon my discombobulated thoughts!
Anyway, I’d like to start off by saying that I’m so sad yet happy to see the end of this duology as this and the Six Crimson Cranes duology by Elizabeth Lim have been by far my absolute favorite duologies I’ve read, not that I’ve read that many duologies, but these two left a bit of a lasting impression on me. (Not really related but had to mention!)
Spoilers for the middle and very end of the book below:
Around the middle of the book, Lan absolutely had me fooled when she was scheming and saying to Hóng’yi that she would be his empress. I audibly said “omg what about Zen?!” But just seeing her development throughout the books has really made me so happy. I found her to be a really lovable and enjoyable main character, and she was honestly so interesting to me.
The side characters were as well, to the point where they felt like second main characters and ones you’re likely to remember, and not just go “oh that was that one character who was relevant for 1 page/chapter/whatever and then never again.” Like, they had personality and they were extremely helpful to the main characters, in my opinion. They felt almost real to me, and honestly, it was one of my favorite aspects of the book.
And don’t even get me started on Zen; by the end of the book, he had me crying. His character development was great, he was flawed but god, was he a great character. When he was talking with Lan about the Demon Gods and asking to save Lan’s life instead of his, it got me really emotional. Him bargaining with her and saying “please say yes. You typically have so much to say” made me tear up and almost cry. In his final scene with Lan, he says “Lan, will you tell me a story?” Lan proceeds to play her ocarina and hold Zen until he passes, and when I tell you, I was heartbroken. I was crying. The scenes between them were so beautifully written, and I loved every moment between them.
Despite the bittersweet ending and them not getting the ending I was hoping for, I truly am so happy I got to read this book.
I would definitely recommend this particular duology if you like a fast-paced reading experience (the book really flew by for me as I read one half in one sitting), with Asian mythology mixed with fantasy and romance. The author did a fantastic job with these books.
Overall, a 4.5/5 ⭐️ experience for me, but I’m rounding up and giving it 5 ⭐️ because I have a feeling this book might stick with me for a while.
Anyway, I’d like to start off by saying that I’m so sad yet happy to see the end of this duology as this and the Six Crimson Cranes duology by Elizabeth Lim have been by far my absolute favorite duologies I’ve read, not that I’ve read that many duologies, but these two left a bit of a lasting impression on me. (Not really related but had to mention!)
Spoilers for the middle and very end of the book below:
Around the middle of the book, Lan absolutely had me fooled when she was scheming and saying to Hóng’yi that she would be his empress. I audibly said “omg what about Zen?!” But just seeing her development throughout the books has really made me so happy. I found her to be a really lovable and enjoyable main character, and she was honestly so interesting to me.
The side characters were as well, to the point where they felt like second main characters and ones you’re likely to remember, and not just go “oh that was that one character who was relevant for 1 page/chapter/whatever and then never again.” Like, they had personality and they were extremely helpful to the main characters, in my opinion. They felt almost real to me, and honestly, it was one of my favorite aspects of the book.
And don’t even get me started on Zen; by the end of the book, he had me crying. His character development was great, he was flawed but god, was he a great character. When he was talking with Lan about the Demon Gods and asking to save Lan’s life instead of his, it got me really emotional. Him bargaining with her and saying “please say yes. You typically have so much to say” made me tear up and almost cry. In his final scene with Lan, he says “Lan, will you tell me a story?” Lan proceeds to play her ocarina and hold Zen until he passes, and when I tell you, I was heartbroken. I was crying. The scenes between them were so beautifully written, and I loved every moment between them.
Despite the bittersweet ending and them not getting the ending I was hoping for, I truly am so happy I got to read this book.
I would definitely recommend this particular duology if you like a fast-paced reading experience (the book really flew by for me as I read one half in one sitting), with Asian mythology mixed with fantasy and romance. The author did a fantastic job with these books.
Overall, a 4.5/5 ⭐️ experience for me, but I’m rounding up and giving it 5 ⭐️ because I have a feeling this book might stick with me for a while.
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Needed to find out how this story ends despite having a lot of issues with the first book.
Lan is still such an annoying brat and I can't believe that the story ended the way that it did. I wish she got Zen's fate honestly.
The only part I enjoyed was the commentary on colonization and cultural assimilation. Atleast the ending did something right with the whole idea of imperialism even in a liberated country.
Also the knife to the throat scene in the first bit of the book might be one of the best iterations of that trope I've read so far. The rest of their interactions were super cringe though.
Liked that we got a bit of a Dunhuang inspired setting though I assumed from the first book we were heading to a Tibetan inspired place instead. Speaking of Tibet though, it was so not cool on the author's part to include a real historical figure like Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje, literally the most famous physician in Tibetan history, in some of the chapter epigraphs quoting stuff that he never actually said to tie in with the events of the chapter. Cause none of the other people within the lore of this world have their names literally copied from their real world historical counterparts. That was just so disrespectful and annoying. Especially cause she used the Wylie transliteration of his name making it practically illegible! She could have used literally any other random Tibetan name instead. Why have him be the only historical figure name drop in this fantasy novel?!!
Also calling outfits the characters are wearing just hanfu!! Like WTH!! Hanfu refers to over 2500 years of Han clothing consisting of hundreds of different kinds of outfits of widely different cuts and patterns. It's not the same as just referring to a piece of clothing as a gown or trousers. The character could have been wearing a Ming Dynasty ma mian qun or a Tang Dynasty yuanling shan for all we know. I hate it when authors do this weird generalization especially when they are of Chinese descent. Proof that even people from a particular culture sometimes need a cultural sensitivity reader if they're gonna write nonsense like this.
That's it for my history lesson + cultural rant folks.
Lan is still such an annoying brat and I can't believe that the story ended the way that it did. I wish she got Zen's fate honestly.
The only part I enjoyed was the commentary on colonization and cultural assimilation. Atleast the ending did something right with the whole idea of imperialism even in a liberated country.
Also the knife to the throat scene in the first bit of the book might be one of the best iterations of that trope I've read so far. The rest of their interactions were super cringe though.
Liked that we got a bit of a Dunhuang inspired setting though I assumed from the first book we were heading to a Tibetan inspired place instead. Speaking of Tibet though, it was so not cool on the author's part to include a real historical figure like Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje, literally the most famous physician in Tibetan history, in some of the chapter epigraphs quoting stuff that he never actually said to tie in with the events of the chapter. Cause none of the other people within the lore of this world have their names literally copied from their real world historical counterparts. That was just so disrespectful and annoying. Especially cause she used the Wylie transliteration of his name making it practically illegible! She could have used literally any other random Tibetan name instead. Why have him be the only historical figure name drop in this fantasy novel?!!
Also calling outfits the characters are wearing just hanfu!! Like WTH!! Hanfu refers to over 2500 years of Han clothing consisting of hundreds of different kinds of outfits of widely different cuts and patterns. It's not the same as just referring to a piece of clothing as a gown or trousers. The character could have been wearing a Ming Dynasty ma mian qun or a Tang Dynasty yuanling shan for all we know. I hate it when authors do this weird generalization especially when they are of Chinese descent. Proof that even people from a particular culture sometimes need a cultural sensitivity reader if they're gonna write nonsense like this.
That's it for my history lesson + cultural rant folks.
Just couldn’t get into the story. Felt like I was forcing myself the whole way through and just let it go finally
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes