Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by Amélie Wen Zhao

5 reviews

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This was a good xianxia with a tragic romance that’s accessible to a western YA audience. 

I thought that the magic system was well thought out. the characters of Lan and Zen were so bright and pop off the page, so different in how they approached the same goal, and their romance that is doomed from the start is still very engaging even though the writing is on the wall. 
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abby_can_read's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad tense 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

4.0

📖
This was wonderful book. I enjoyed reading it. There were tears of sadness and tears of happiness. 
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taroroot's review

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-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

5.0

The breathtaking conclusion to Amélie Wen Zhao’s Xianxia- based, fantasy duology was an exquisitely detailed, emotional rollercoaster of a read that had me utterly hooked! 

The prose was masterfully wrought with emotion that had me in a chokehold the entire time! And, the world-building, multifaceted characters and Qi-based magic system was all gloriously rich in detail too— allowing us to delve ever deeper into the history of The Last Kingdom; including the gods, demons and many generations of magic practitioners who fought not only to free their homeland from oppressors, but also save their cultural heritage from total eradication. 

Given the shocking turn of events at the end of Book 1, neither Lan nor Zen are in the best place emotionally as their opposing views, (Lan’s to destroy the Demon Gods and Zen’s to use their power for vengeance) lead them in very different directions. I was particularly intrigued in how they navigated this newfound dynamic and it’s affect on the swoon-worthy, slow-burn romance that’s been simmering between them for some time. 

The pacing was quicker than I anticipated too, but did help in conveying the panicked sense of urgency that spurred Lan and Zen into action. I was a little surprised at the brand new villain we are introduced to, though their presence does make a lot of sense plot-wise and closes up a few loose ends that I’ve been wondering about since the first book. 
 
I can’t really say anything more without spoiling the plot, but I will say I did NOT see that ending coming. 

Overall, a marvellously immersive and action packed read that lovers of epic fantasy (or poignant tales of triumph and resistance) will definitely want to add their TBRs ASAP.

Also, a thanks to Insta Book Tours & Harper Voyager Uk  for the finished copy & my spot on the blog tour.


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flavi's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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