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directorpurry's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
ellornaslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Self harm, Body horror, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
shaipanda's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Enjoyed this and it was a good conclusion to the series :) I did enjoy the first few books in the series more personally but glad I have the whole series and finished it up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Deadnaming
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In this installment in the Singing Hills Cycle, we explore grief, platonic love and devotion, and memory. Chih has returned to the abbey to discover their mentor has died, and that their warrior granddaughters have arrived with their mammoths (!) to claim the body. Chih and their fellow clerics learn more about memory and friendship from the neixin, and we learn more about Almost Brilliant and their lineage. This was such a moving reflection on grief, and is one of my favorites in the cycle so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Animal cruelty
anaheeta's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, and Grief
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse and Animal cruelty
fox_at_the_circus's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
it is amazing how many different ways Vo finds of telling stories withing stories.
this book uses remembrance speeches at a funeral to discuss grief and it is so well done. it talks about how to grief, who is allowed to grief and also what to grief. the grief of things ending, the grief of missing out on things, the grief of growing up, the grief of change. it felt very comforting and affirming to read about Chih returning to a home that had changed, struggling with and growing from that. from all books in this series, this was the most relatable for me.
and within this big theme of grief, so many other themes got discussed, home, friendship, living one's chosen life. overall a very thoughtful book.
this book uses remembrance speeches at a funeral to discuss grief and it is so well done. it talks about how to grief, who is allowed to grief and also what to grief. the grief of things ending, the grief of missing out on things, the grief of growing up, the grief of change. it felt very comforting and affirming to read about Chih returning to a home that had changed, struggling with and growing from that. from all books in this series, this was the most relatable for me.
and within this big theme of grief, so many other themes got discussed, home, friendship, living one's chosen life. overall a very thoughtful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence and Death
nekoshka's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse
softanimal's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
onthesamepage's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“Myriad Virtues, why have you done this?”
“For sorrow,” she said. “For grief, and for remembrance. Humans don’t understand grief, not like a neixin does.”
I think this is my favourite installment so far (I know, I've said this before, but new books means new insights okay).
This is compelling because it really zooms in on Chih as a character, in a way that the previous novellas haven't done. We're at their home, getting an in-depth look at their upbringing and the people they care for, all while tackling what it means to lose someone, and how a person can be different things to different people in different phases of their life.
The writing is absolutely stunning, as always. I've really grown to love this novella series in general, and highly recommend it.
Also, the mammoths! So cool.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Grief