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lusheeta_toel's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really enjoyed how strong, women were central to the story, and appreciated that the romance was not the primary focus. Great imagery and provoking characters and situations as well. A lot of twists and turns which was fun, but sometimes made the events less impactful. Overall, I enjoyed!
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Classism, Violence, Misogyny, and War
lastblossom's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Incredible adventure based in Chinese lore with a great heroine and a surprisingly sturdy love triangle.
About
When Chang'e was banished to the moon, no one knew that she brought her secret daughter with her. Xingyin has lived on the moon all her life, unaware that her very existence is an affront to the Celestial Emperor. When her magic flares and almost gives away her secret, she has no choice but to flee the moon and seek out a life hidden away in the Celestial Kingdom. But when an opportunity to study alongside the prince arises, she finds herself moving ever closer to being discovered. And ever closer to being in love.
What I Liked
I should probably open with the fact that I typically hate love triangles. They are not my vibe for SO many reasons that I won't bother to get into. So when I say that this love triangle was well-written, please note that I am saying it grudgingly, because I can't believe I actually liked this one. All three characters involved were well-rounded, fun to read, and the chemistry between the lead and both suitors was genuine. Time moves fast in this book. Months can pass between chapters, or in the span of a paragraph. That leaves the readers to imagine the relationships develop, but the scenes we do get are natural enough that it's easy to connect the dots, and none of it feels too rushed.
What Wasn't For Me
Honestly kind of disappointed that Xingyin our POV character kept referring to citizens of the opposing forces as "demons" after learning that it was all just propaganda. She knows full well that she's stuck between two warring factions - neither of which is particularly great. I don't know why she stuck with the lies of one over the other, and it felt like a poor reflection on her character.
Incredible adventure based in Chinese lore with a great heroine and a surprisingly sturdy love triangle.
About
When Chang'e was banished to the moon, no one knew that she brought her secret daughter with her. Xingyin has lived on the moon all her life, unaware that her very existence is an affront to the Celestial Emperor. When her magic flares and almost gives away her secret, she has no choice but to flee the moon and seek out a life hidden away in the Celestial Kingdom. But when an opportunity to study alongside the prince arises, she finds herself moving ever closer to being discovered. And ever closer to being in love.
What I Liked
I should probably open with the fact that I typically hate love triangles. They are not my vibe for SO many reasons that I won't bother to get into. So when I say that this love triangle was well-written, please note that I am saying it grudgingly, because I can't believe I actually liked this one. All three characters involved were well-rounded, fun to read, and the chemistry between the lead and both suitors was genuine. Time moves fast in this book. Months can pass between chapters, or in the span of a paragraph. That leaves the readers to imagine the relationships develop, but the scenes we do get are natural enough that it's easy to connect the dots, and none of it feels too rushed.
What Wasn't For Me
Honestly kind of disappointed that Xingyin our POV character kept referring to citizens of the opposing forces as "demons" after learning that it was all just propaganda. She knows full well that she's stuck between two warring factions - neither of which is particularly great. I don't know why she stuck with the lies of one over the other, and it felt like a poor reflection on her character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Blood, Racism, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Death of parent
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