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pillywiggin's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Just amazing. The characters are vibrant and alive. The story soars and breaks hearts in the same way "The Tales of the Otori" does.
goodnightmaryam's review against another edition
3.0
3.75.
Cannot believe a character that good is dead somehow.
Cannot believe a character that good is dead somehow.
pokotaekwoonie's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
soph2962's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
fanaticalreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
julieaimebienlire's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
moemikay's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mrpatperkins's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘Shikanoko, unable to sleep, racked by pain and fever, walked day and night through the Darkwood.’
‘Autumn Princess, Dragon Child’ is the second of four novels in Lian Hearn’s ‘The Tale of Shikanoko’ series. If you have not already read the first novel (‘Emperor of the Eight Islands’), stop now. ‘Emperor of the Eight Islands’ sets the scene for the entire series, and understanding the scene (or scenes) is critical.
If you are still reading, I’ll assume that you’ve read ‘Emperor of the Eight Islands and know who Shikanoko is. In the first novel, Shikanoko is reacting to events and circumstances. He is acquiring knowledge and power but is not in control. His world is changing rapidly. In ‘Autumn Princess, Dragon Child’ Shikanoko is beginning to understand (and sometimes to control) the power he has acquired. But there is much he cannot control, and the external world is full of betrayal, surprises and danger. The betrayals involve a number of different people and impact on many more.
Shikanoko’s journey is not an easy one, and his treatment of the Autumn Princess sets in train a number of consequences as does his failure to take some of the advice given to him.
In this book, Ms Hearn continues to add depth to Shikanoko’s world. The hidden child emperor may be safe for now, but the world is not. I finished this novel keen to pick up the third novel (‘Lord of the Darkwood’). As she did in ‘Tales of the Otori’, Ms Hearn has created a world which seems so complete that it becomes real. I want the world to be brought back into balance, I want Shikanoko to reach his potential, and the hidden child emperor to assume his rightful position. I want to keep reading, but I don’t want the story to end. Yet.
Note: My thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
‘Autumn Princess, Dragon Child’ is the second of four novels in Lian Hearn’s ‘The Tale of Shikanoko’ series. If you have not already read the first novel (‘Emperor of the Eight Islands’), stop now. ‘Emperor of the Eight Islands’ sets the scene for the entire series, and understanding the scene (or scenes) is critical.
If you are still reading, I’ll assume that you’ve read ‘Emperor of the Eight Islands and know who Shikanoko is. In the first novel, Shikanoko is reacting to events and circumstances. He is acquiring knowledge and power but is not in control. His world is changing rapidly. In ‘Autumn Princess, Dragon Child’ Shikanoko is beginning to understand (and sometimes to control) the power he has acquired. But there is much he cannot control, and the external world is full of betrayal, surprises and danger. The betrayals involve a number of different people and impact on many more.
Shikanoko’s journey is not an easy one, and his treatment of the Autumn Princess sets in train a number of consequences as does his failure to take some of the advice given to him.
In this book, Ms Hearn continues to add depth to Shikanoko’s world. The hidden child emperor may be safe for now, but the world is not. I finished this novel keen to pick up the third novel (‘Lord of the Darkwood’). As she did in ‘Tales of the Otori’, Ms Hearn has created a world which seems so complete that it becomes real. I want the world to be brought back into balance, I want Shikanoko to reach his potential, and the hidden child emperor to assume his rightful position. I want to keep reading, but I don’t want the story to end. Yet.
Note: My thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith