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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Bitter Medicine is a book, that for me, difficult to review. It's so rare nowadays with the surge of fantasy romance/romantasy (semantics) book, to find a paranormal slash urban fantasy romance that didn't happen in the lalala-land or unpronounceable land with many fancy characters name. Bitter Medicine happen in modern world, sets in Raleigh, North Carolina, Paris and Strasbourgh, France. Sadly, when starting read this book, I faced with an already established world building. There's no explanation or maybe some description. I have this feeling that Tsai maybe afraid to info-dumping the world building, but I wish she did. I don't mind with a long description about the world building if that mean I can understand what's going on.
I don't have a slightest idea what is the rules of the world that the characters lived in. Yes, our heroine, Elle Mei or Yiya Jiang is a descendant of Shennong, a Chinese god of medicine. She is a healer but also very powerful with her glyph-making ability and pyrokinetics. Luc Villois, the hero is half elf and also a French, an ace for the Bureau or agency called Roland and Riddle. The big question is, what is Roland and Riddle did actually? An agency for what? To avoid any supernatural disaster or to save human from supernatural alike? I don't even sure if human and supernatural in this book world live in harmony until page 200-ish in which Elle must avoid to attract human attention to herself, so basically the human didn't have any idea that these supernatural beings exist? What is the Fixer? Why the Wrecking Crew called Wrecking Crew and they all just act like asshole toward Luc, bordering envy and jealousy? Who is Oberon, aside than he's the leader of Roland and Riddle? I have so many questions and sadly some of them go unanswered.
While the lack of explanation of world building is the weakness, I think Tsai excels in writing the romance. I did like reading the romance between Luc and Elle. It's tropey af and all of them are my catnips, such as platonic friend to lover, he feel first and she feel harder, found family, etc etc. The romance aspect is the saving grace for Bitter Medicine. Remove the romance and I will DNF'd the book in the first place because a weak world building since this book is marketed first as xianxia-inspired fantasy. My physical copy of this book is filled with sticky notes marked the feeling from both characters. Especially Luc. I think Tsai write him best compared to Elle. Luc is the definition of torture hero but minus the "I'm really not worthy of you" hyperbole woes. Reading his feeling toward Elle is one of the highlight of this book and I often go "awww". Luc also a green flag man walking and Elle is a lucky woman to be loved by him. I liked that this book was written in omniscient 3rd PoV, switched between Luc and Elle, provide insights to both characters. This book is also not YA, since both Elle and Luc are immortal and already in their hundreds age give and take, so there's some sex scenes and it's so..steamy. Well written tho, without being gratuitous. Yeah, there are some purple prose, but in my defense, not that make-me-rolling-my-eyes kind of purple prose and successfully describe both Elle and Luc's feelings. I also like that it's consensual and they practice safe sex, lol.
I think one of the star of Bitter Medicine is Elle's brother, Tony. He's so unapologetic and often become a voice of reason, especially when Elle is stubborn because of familial duty. Sigh, I really want a brother like Tony, since I'm a firstborn myself. Elle herself is okay, although at first she can be a little bit infuriating to read by being middle child so she always try to play peacemaker and always blamed herself with what happen between her brothers. I also annoyed and angry with the way Elle's parents threat her. They are just your typical Asian (or in this case Chinese) parents that prefer the boys rather than the girl. So I'm happy that Elle finally stand up to herself and like Tony suggest, being selfish and pursue her own happiness.
I feel that Bitter Medicine is like a two books that compressed into one book and the publisher try to make it as a stand alone. The problem with Elle's murderous brother, Yiwu, are done in 65% mark or so, make the following chapter feel anti-climatic although focusing more to both Elle and Luc's relationship. Then, there's a problem between Luc and Oberon that pretty much have this "Devil Wears Prada" vibes. I think maybe Tsai try to incorporated about work-life balance with the way Oberon always pushed Luc to the limit with his outrageous demands and abuse of power. However, the end left me feel unsatisfied with how easy Oberon get away and didn't get his comeuppance after abusing Luc's true name for I don't know how many times. Oberon really is a boss from hell, manipulator expert and gaslighting aficionado that I really hope, he at least got his demise or maybe death is too merciful for the like of him. I'm curious if there's will be more story for Luc and Elle, despite they already got their HEA.
Bitter Medicine have a rough start, feels like a debut book that suffering from glaring weakness regarding the world building and unclear explanation about some of the characters. But the romance part is worth to read. It's also have some actions scene that I guess inspired by C-drama despite I never watch one myself, but I can clearly pictured the scene unfold with the way Tsai write it. It's also contain dialogue in Chinese and French and Tsai also explain why she write them at it is and I really don't mind since I can google the translation myself. If you like your paranormal romance cater more to romance rather than its fantasy/supernatural setting, try to read this one.
I don't have a slightest idea what is the rules of the world that the characters lived in. Yes, our heroine, Elle Mei or Yiya Jiang is a descendant of Shennong, a Chinese god of medicine. She is a healer but also very powerful with her glyph-making ability and pyrokinetics. Luc Villois, the hero is half elf and also a French, an ace for the Bureau or agency called Roland and Riddle. The big question is, what is Roland and Riddle did actually? An agency for what? To avoid any supernatural disaster or to save human from supernatural alike? I don't even sure if human and supernatural in this book world live in harmony until page 200-ish in which Elle must avoid to attract human attention to herself, so basically the human didn't have any idea that these supernatural beings exist? What is the Fixer? Why the Wrecking Crew called Wrecking Crew and they all just act like asshole toward Luc, bordering envy and jealousy? Who is Oberon, aside than he's the leader of Roland and Riddle? I have so many questions and sadly some of them go unanswered.
While the lack of explanation of world building is the weakness, I think Tsai excels in writing the romance. I did like reading the romance between Luc and Elle. It's tropey af and all of them are my catnips, such as platonic friend to lover, he feel first and she feel harder, found family, etc etc. The romance aspect is the saving grace for Bitter Medicine. Remove the romance and I will DNF'd the book in the first place because a weak world building since this book is marketed first as xianxia-inspired fantasy. My physical copy of this book is filled with sticky notes marked the feeling from both characters. Especially Luc. I think Tsai write him best compared to Elle. Luc is the definition of torture hero but minus the "I'm really not worthy of you" hyperbole woes. Reading his feeling toward Elle is one of the highlight of this book and I often go "awww". Luc also a green flag man walking and Elle is a lucky woman to be loved by him. I liked that this book was written in omniscient 3rd PoV, switched between Luc and Elle, provide insights to both characters. This book is also not YA, since both Elle and Luc are immortal and already in their hundreds age give and take, so there's some sex scenes and it's so..steamy. Well written tho, without being gratuitous. Yeah, there are some purple prose, but in my defense, not that make-me-rolling-my-eyes kind of purple prose and successfully describe both Elle and Luc's feelings. I also like that it's consensual and they practice safe sex, lol.
I think one of the star of Bitter Medicine is Elle's brother, Tony. He's so unapologetic and often become a voice of reason, especially when Elle is stubborn because of familial duty. Sigh, I really want a brother like Tony, since I'm a firstborn myself. Elle herself is okay, although at first she can be a little bit infuriating to read by being middle child so she always try to play peacemaker and always blamed herself with what happen between her brothers. I also annoyed and angry with the way Elle's parents threat her. They are just your typical Asian (or in this case Chinese) parents that prefer the boys rather than the girl. So I'm happy that Elle finally stand up to herself and like Tony suggest, being selfish and pursue her own happiness.
I feel that Bitter Medicine is like a two books that compressed into one book and the publisher try to make it as a stand alone. The problem with Elle's murderous brother, Yiwu, are done in 65% mark or so, make the following chapter feel anti-climatic although focusing more to both Elle and Luc's relationship. Then, there's a problem between Luc and Oberon that pretty much have this "Devil Wears Prada" vibes. I think maybe Tsai try to incorporated about work-life balance with the way Oberon always pushed Luc to the limit with his outrageous demands and abuse of power. However, the end left me feel unsatisfied with
Bitter Medicine have a rough start, feels like a debut book that suffering from glaring weakness regarding the world building and unclear explanation about some of the characters. But the romance part is worth to read. It's also have some actions scene that I guess inspired by C-drama despite I never watch one myself, but I can clearly pictured the scene unfold with the way Tsai write it. It's also contain dialogue in Chinese and French and Tsai also explain why she write them at it is and I really don't mind since I can google the translation myself. If you like your paranormal romance cater more to romance rather than its fantasy/supernatural setting, try to read this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Racism, Transphobia
Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai was a bit of a mixed bag. The story follows Elle, the middle child and only daughter in a family descendant from the Chinese god of medicine, and Luc, the half-elven French “fixer” of the “agency”. Elle works as a magical calligrapher at one of the agency’s glyph shops, where her best customer just happens to be her biggest crush, Luc. Unbeknownst to Luc, Elle has been preparing his glyphs with a little extra “something” which saves his life when a mission goes badly wrong. Luc visits the shop, bearing a gift for Elle, and a request that she create powerful magic for his next mission. It doesn’t take much for Elle to say “yes” and, of course, things go pear-shaped
Elle and Luc as the main characters were fine, even if they weren’t especially well developed. The author dropped several hints about their past that were never fully explored, that felt like a missed opportunity to show some character growth. The side characters were little more than caricatures or plot devices.
For a book that is being marketed as a paranormal romance, there was plenty of paranormal and very little romance. While I didn’t think the romance aspect was especially well executed, I did appreciate that the author had Elle and Luc talk about their feelings, fears, and relationship thus avoiding the “miscommunication” trope.
There are magic and various paranormal beings inhabiting Ms. Tsai’s world, and what little magic we were shown was interesting. It was nice to see the more mundane aspects of a magical world (i.e., train/portal conductors, ticket takers, secretaries). I like a magic system that uses language as its basis, and I appreciate the nods to Chinese culture. However, the rest of the world building was nebulous at best. While it isn’t clearly stated, I believe that humans are unaware of magic and paranormal beings (hence the need for glamours when “working with the humans”). If that is the case, how does the agency explain things like harpy or redcap attacks? Or the fact that some individuals (like half elven agents or medicine god descendants) don’t appear to age? Also, what is the agency and what does it do?
The pacing was odd, with the middle section feeling like it should be the ending and the last act being especially draggy. A lot of the potential conflicts (i.e., Luc hunting Elle’s brother, Elle hiding from her family, Elle and Luc both keeping secrets) were never fully realized and were resolved rather quickly with little consequences. However, I did appreciate Ms. Tsai taking the time to explore the aftermath of Too often authors will included a traumatic event in the plot, but take little time to explore its impact on characters.
Bitter Medicine had an interesting premise and some unique elements. The book was fine, it wasn’t great, nor was it awful. Unfortunately pacing and plot resolution issues prevented this from being an amazing book.
Elle and Luc as the main characters were fine, even if they weren’t especially well developed. The author dropped several hints about their past that were never fully explored, that felt like a missed opportunity to show some character growth. The side characters were little more than caricatures or plot devices.
For a book that is being marketed as a paranormal romance, there was plenty of paranormal and very little romance.
Spoiler
The story starts with Elle and Luc as friends with both secretly crushing on the other, going from flirting to sex rather quickly. There was no build-up or development of the relationship, so I wasn’t particularly invested in whether they stayed together or not.There are magic and various paranormal beings inhabiting Ms. Tsai’s world, and what little magic we were shown was interesting. It was nice to see the more mundane aspects of a magical world (i.e., train/portal conductors, ticket takers, secretaries). I like a magic system that uses language as its basis, and I appreciate the nods to Chinese culture. However, the rest of the world building was nebulous at best. While it isn’t clearly stated, I believe that humans are unaware of magic and paranormal beings (hence the need for glamours when “working with the humans”). If that is the case, how does the agency explain things like harpy or redcap attacks? Or the fact that some individuals (like half elven agents or medicine god descendants) don’t appear to age? Also, what is the agency and what does it do?
The pacing was odd, with the middle section feeling like it should be the ending and the last act being especially draggy. A lot of the potential conflicts (i.e., Luc hunting Elle’s brother, Elle hiding from her family, Elle and Luc both keeping secrets) were never fully realized and were resolved rather quickly with little consequences. However, I did appreciate Ms. Tsai taking the time to explore the aftermath of
Spoiler
Elle losing her magical ability, and her very realistic depression and feelings of hopelessness and loss.Bitter Medicine had an interesting premise and some unique elements. The book was fine, it wasn’t great, nor was it awful. Unfortunately pacing and plot resolution issues prevented this from being an amazing book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Absolutely loved this book. Great choices regarding language and character arc, and perhaps the most amazing feat is getting a fantasy storyline into a single volume! Nice exploration of familial ties, loyalty, boundaries, personal growth, etc., and the romance felt realistically paced. Really looking forward to the next book from Mia Tsai.
Needed a better editor. Big plot arcs just ended with no follow-up.
adventurous
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:
Complicated
This was fun read but you could definitely tell that it was a debut. The plot was a bit of a mess and some of the major characters weren't fleshed out. It felt more like a meandering tale that was free styled. Regardless, there was enough here to make me interested in seeing some more of her work.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
- chinese allocishet w x white french allocis queer man; elle is a magical healer, fire-wielder, and calligrapher; luc is half-elven
- queer SCs (gay man, gay woman, they/them pronoun user)
- “Luc no longer prays, instead finding holiness in the stark lines of the desert.” AHHHHHHH!!!!!
- two broken souls mending themselves and each other
- tbh, it’s kiiinda villains finding love? in the surface anyway, lol. what is villainy? who gets to define that?
- interesting that, like in ander & santi, the hea isn’t the quote-unquote “””right””” one, as per what people normally would expect — i like and appreciate this
- def some aspects that feel like a debut (so…the youngest brother???, interesting pacing, prose that could use a bit more consistency and confidence), but idc idc!
- what a lovely book with sparkling, warm memories
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced