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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
The story type is usually intriguing however it didn’t hook me in.
Daughter of rich family kills them all with poison, then you follow in the weeks leading up to it to find out she did it because everyone in the family was awful.
You’re supposed to get lost in the story of “why” because the book starts with the ending, but I got tired of reading about the terrible things these people did.
Daughter of rich family kills them all with poison, then you follow in the weeks leading up to it to find out she did it because everyone in the family was awful.
You’re supposed to get lost in the story of “why” because the book starts with the ending, but I got tired of reading about the terrible things these people did.
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao had such an intriguing premise. The first line was crazy , hooked me in from the start. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded, especially with that unexpected plot twist. It had a great mix of contemporary drama, mystery, and suspense, which kept me interested. But the pacing. . . It just felt way too slow for me, making it hard to stay fully engaged. I wanted to love it more, but the execution didn’t quite live up to the potential. Still, it was a thought-provoking read!
I think I described this to someone (when I was half-way through) as a depressing "Crazy Rich Asians." I think that still fits. I like it as it gave me a glimpse into a lifestyle I don't know anything about and I love it when books take me all around the world. I think I may be obtuse as I really didn't understand the ending (and therefore the entirety of the book in retrospect as a result), which diminished my overall enjoyment. But I do recommend it for readers smarter than I am! It's nice written.
Fantastic audiobook. Nancy Wu’s performance kept me hooked.
It is an almost-finished-in-one-seating book. Would definitely recommend the audiobook. The writing is beautiful. The emotions described are so on point and it felt real. The author got it right.
Did not expect the ending. In theory, that ending is a bit too cliche compared to how brilliant the rest of the book is. It's unexpected because the bond between the sisters was described so well. There's no hint at all. If I have to pick on something, I'd like the ending to be revealed in a better way. But what would make it better, I don't have any particular idea.
Did not expect the ending. In theory, that ending is a bit too cliche compared to how brilliant the rest of the book is. It's unexpected because the bond between the sisters was described so well. There's no hint at all. If I have to pick on something, I'd like the ending to be revealed in a better way. But what would make it better, I don't have any particular idea.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was sadly poorly marketed. It's not a thriller, per se -- it's more an examination a terrible family and the ways the members of said family embrace or deny their inherent terribleness.
I will admit I was surprised by the twist endings -- one of which was well-telegraphed, and the other slightly less soalthough, I was really annoyed for a long time at how painfully codependent Gwendolyn and Estella were. It could have been forshadowing but the constant reminder of how interdependent the family as a whole is made their situation make sense.
I ended up skimming large parts of the book because unfortunately, it's not that well-written.
I will admit I was surprised by the twist endings -- one of which was well-telegraphed, and the other slightly less so
I ended up skimming large parts of the book because unfortunately, it's not that well-written.
Gwendolyn, or Doll, shares with us her time in a coma after her sister Estella poisons her entire family and friends at a party for their Opa, or grandfather, who is suffering from Alzheimers. Gwendolyn is the only surviving member of this tragedy. While she is hospitalized, her body can’t function but her mind is active trying to retrace what possibly could have happened to cause her sister to commit such a crime.
The family is Indonesian, of Chinese descent, and extraordinarily wealthy by any standards. Gwendolyn and Estella have been raised wanting for nothing. They travel in first class, stay in the finest hotels, attend college abroad, and eventually work for the family business. Estella marries a man who is initially emotionally abusive, but eventually morphs into physical abuse, and then death. Gwendolyn is married to her business Bagatelle, creating unusual jewelry and adornments for women.
I was already a fan of Tiffany Tsao’s work before reading this, as I’ve read both books in her Oddfit series. This is a complete detour from The Oddfits, but it is a good departure. I loved how she carefully unraveled the story of Estella and Gwendolyn, how it was to be Chinese-Indonesian, the dynamics of running a business in rather corrupt Indonesia and the eventual toll it takes on everyone. There are surprises throughout this novel, and it was such a pleasure to read. Tsao is a magnificent writer.
4.5 stars
This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 7 Jan 2020 .
The family is Indonesian, of Chinese descent, and extraordinarily wealthy by any standards. Gwendolyn and Estella have been raised wanting for nothing. They travel in first class, stay in the finest hotels, attend college abroad, and eventually work for the family business. Estella marries a man who is initially emotionally abusive, but eventually morphs into physical abuse, and then death. Gwendolyn is married to her business Bagatelle, creating unusual jewelry and adornments for women.
I was already a fan of Tiffany Tsao’s work before reading this, as I’ve read both books in her Oddfit series. This is a complete detour from The Oddfits, but it is a good departure. I loved how she carefully unraveled the story of Estella and Gwendolyn, how it was to be Chinese-Indonesian, the dynamics of running a business in rather corrupt Indonesia and the eventual toll it takes on everyone. There are surprises throughout this novel, and it was such a pleasure to read. Tsao is a magnificent writer.
4.5 stars
This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 7 Jan 2020 .