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onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/strike-the-zither
Graphic: Murder, Violence, War, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Gore, Death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
leweylibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Reading this immediately after finishing Fire Becomes Her was rough lol the pace is much slower and the writing is much more staccato, sharp, and intense. The characters are more intense too, especially Zephyr. It's also obvious that this is meant to be a series because there was a lot of setting things up for the next book. Including what seems like it'll be an enemies to lovers romance, but all we get is one [manipulative] kiss, and I was okay with that lol. After reading a book with so many queer relationships, especially ace and aro ones, I was hoping for something not hetero but hey lol.
My favorite thing about this book was the shift when Zephyr dies and realizes she's actually a god and then ends up in Lotus's body . That really took the story to a whole new level for me and helped keep my interest when the battle stuff was making me nod off a bit.
The thing I like the most about this book is how many freaking female characters there are, especially badass ones! There are honestly very few male characters, and none of them are in positions of power really (except Xin Ten's uncle and well 😂). I love that they're all strong and badasses in different ways. Like Zephyr of literally a god but she's not a physical warrior but super smart and intuitive. Xin Ren is a great leader and compassionate towards her people. Lotus and Cloud are warriors. And the list goes on and on.
Overall, I do think it was good enough that I'll read the next book!
My favorite thing about this book was the shift when Zephyr
The thing I like the most about this book is how many freaking female characters there are, especially badass ones! There are honestly very few male characters, and none of them are in positions of power really (except Xin Ten's uncle and well 😂). I love that they're all strong and badasses in different ways. Like Zephyr of literally a god but she's not a physical warrior but super smart and intuitive. Xin Ren is a great leader and compassionate towards her people. Lotus and Cloud are warriors. And the list goes on and on.
Overall, I do think it was good enough that I'll read the next book!
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Torture, War, Murder, and Blood
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
This book is chock-full of some of the most badass female characters you’ve ever met. A feminist retelling of an ancient Chinese classic, this women-led epic is a wartime story of loyalty, trust, honor, and betrayal—it’s absolutely brutal, at times. The narrator, Zephyr, is a brilliant young strategist who is always three steps ahead, predicting and orchestrating events with pinpoint accuracy, until something unforeseen changes everything. Be prepared to get hooked on this series!
Graphic: Grief, Violence, War, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gore, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Torture, Stalking, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
ezwolf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
Strike the Zither is the story of Zephyr, a young strategist for the lordess Xin Ren. Taken in as an orphan by Xin Ren, Zephyr follows her out of honor and thinks she has all of the pieces set perfectly in line to help Xin Ren gain back what is rightfully hers. But even Zephyr doesn't know all of the pieces in play.
I flew through this book and will probably read it again and again as I await its sequel.
Having all of these women in powerful positions and using the title of "lordess" instead of lady was so much fun and a detail I highly enjoyed. Having a sworn sisterhood made me so excited and immediately added so much to their relationships and to the way that Zephyr was there, as Xin Ren's strategist and right hand, but still an outsider to the ones closest to Xin Ren.
When I read the table of contents and saw it ended on an Intermezzo I was so excited to find out why and the closer I got to the end, the more I wanted to know how it would go. I absolutely loved this book and I am already eagerly awaiting the next in the series. Zephyr is such an interesting character, the way she is willing to do anything to further her cause, and the changes she goes through as she learns more of the truth of who she was and is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for making this book available in exchange for an honest review.
I flew through this book and will probably read it again and again as I await its sequel.
Having all of these women in powerful positions and using the title of "lordess" instead of lady was so much fun and a detail I highly enjoyed. Having a sworn sisterhood made me so excited and immediately added so much to their relationships and to the way that Zephyr was there, as Xin Ren's strategist and right hand, but still an outsider to the ones closest to Xin Ren.
When I read the table of contents and saw it ended on an Intermezzo I was so excited to find out why and the closer I got to the end, the more I wanted to know how it would go. I absolutely loved this book and I am already eagerly awaiting the next in the series. Zephyr is such an interesting character, the way she is willing to do anything to further her cause, and the changes she goes through as she learns more of the truth of who she was and is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for making this book available in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and Child death
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