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puttingwingsonwords's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
overbooked207's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
📖 When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo Book Review 📖
2nd book of January 2022 and 2nd of the year:
I loved the first book in this series, so I had to pick this up! Once again, I loved the beautiful, lush, and poetic writing and descriptions, the queerness in it, and the importance put on stories and storytelling. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first one, but I still really enjoyed it and find myself liking it more the more I think about it, and I recommend picking it up! TW for death, blood and gore, animal attacks, animal cruelty, animal deaths, murder, cannibalism, cheating, confinement, sexual content, and violence🎧🐅🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
2nd book of January 2022 and 2nd of the year:
I loved the first book in this series, so I had to pick this up! Once again, I loved the beautiful, lush, and poetic writing and descriptions, the queerness in it, and the importance put on stories and storytelling. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first one, but I still really enjoyed it and find myself liking it more the more I think about it, and I recommend picking it up! TW for death, blood and gore, animal attacks, animal cruelty, animal deaths, murder, cannibalism, cheating, confinement, sexual content, and violence🎧🐅🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
booksthatburn's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is great. Clih was the only returning character, and they had a more active role this time, both telling and receiving the story in a high-stakes cultural exchange/hostage scenario as they and they companions try to please three tigers until help can arrive.
The tigers’ version of events was interjected at moments where it complemented (or occasionally contradicted) the version Clih knew. These moments are well-chosen, and serve to tell much about the tigers conveying them. The actual story is exciting, romantic, and poignant by turns, the pacing works well (even when interrupted by the tigers).
It as much to say about stories, who tells them, and whether telling them imperfectly is a price worth paying to preserve them. Clih begins with a story recorded, but recorded imperfectly, set against the tigers’ corrections and their demand for a perfectly told tale that will be Clih’s last.
This is technically a sequel but can function as a stand-alone book. The main difference for anyone who reads them in order is that they'd already be familiar with the main character and their vocation, but these details are briefly conveyed early on without needing to reference any other text.
The tigers’ version of events was interjected at moments where it complemented (or occasionally contradicted) the version Clih knew. These moments are well-chosen, and serve to tell much about the tigers conveying them. The actual story is exciting, romantic, and poignant by turns, the pacing works well (even when interrupted by the tigers).
It as much to say about stories, who tells them, and whether telling them imperfectly is a price worth paying to preserve them. Clih begins with a story recorded, but recorded imperfectly, set against the tigers’ corrections and their demand for a perfectly told tale that will be Clih’s last.
This is technically a sequel but can function as a stand-alone book. The main difference for anyone who reads them in order is that they'd already be familiar with the main character and their vocation, but these details are briefly conveyed early on without needing to reference any other text.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Self harm, Blood, and Death of parent
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Sexual content, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
Attacks and pursuit by animals. Brief forced marriage/relationship. Drugging/poisoning.ehmannky's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
This is such a fun book, especially since I went into it without really knowing what it was going to be about. But the play of storytelling and the talking tigers and the seamless and uncommented on queerness was delightful. I loved the idea of being sucked into a story despite oneself, and just kind of grudgingly giving in to wanting to hear what happened next, even if it could hurt you. Also, it's got such a fun sense of humor undercutting the danger of the situation. Very good, I was delighted.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death, Blood, and Murder
plantbasedbride's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
While the sequel to the stunning first installment of The Singing Hills Cycle is just as exquisitely written as its predecessor, I felt something was missing.
The world-building was incredible, as I have come to expect from Nghi Vo, but the two storylines didn't connect as seamlessly, nor was this story as gripping as expected.
I missed Almost Brilliant's presence and hope they return in the next novella, though I was happy to spend more time with Chih. I also felt a certain disconnect from the new characters introduced and didn't feel as swept up and emotionally moved as I did with The Empress of Salt and Fortune.
The world-building was incredible, as I have come to expect from Nghi Vo, but the two storylines didn't connect as seamlessly, nor was this story as gripping as expected.
I missed Almost Brilliant's presence and hope they return in the next novella, though I was happy to spend more time with Chih. I also felt a certain disconnect from the new characters introduced and didn't feel as swept up and emotionally moved as I did with The Empress of Salt and Fortune.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Violence
szuum's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
jayisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Nghi Vo delivers with another magical story within a story. It’s impressive how well she handles so many moving parts with such grace to craft a rich world and narrative to draw the reader in.
I actually enjoyed this particular installment more than the first. The story felt tighter with a slow but steady development of a curious courtship between a tiger and a scholar. For a novella, there was so much emotion packed into the story through love and tension.
I’m really looking forward to the next installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
monilib's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Stalking
ofbooksandechos's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Stalking