Scan barcode
happyeverabigail's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There is an overarching air of mystery. One of the POVs is more fairytale than the others so switching back and forth I could tell there was going to be some kind of connection but I really just had to sit back and let this book happen to me.
Some things that may be helpful to know going in: this is on page intimacy but this is not a romance, and there is consensual intimacy but several SAs or implied SA. I never felt that they were gratuitously written and most fade to black but it can be hard to read when you really care for these characters and feel that continued tension throughout this story. I understand their purpose just wanted to share the CW.
I felt like the author had such a control over their writing. I’m looking forward to future works by them! I looked forward to what was going to happen next on this journey and felt truly immersed every time I picked this book up.
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Classism
sarahb919's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Violence, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Animal death, Self harm, Bullying, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Colonisation, Gore, and Stalking
Minor: Classism, Suicide, Eating disorder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
heather667's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Rape
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
- I found THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE to be a gorgeous and frustrating book. The concept is fantastic and romantic, but the execution left something to be desired.
- I loved this conception of fated mates, weaving in ancient mythology, welding this magic with the glitter of modern circuit parties.
- However, we jumped so quickly between timelines that the relationship didn’t actually have much space to grow beyond us just being told that they were drawn together. Any actual reasons or chemistry were absent.
- Some plot threads kind of disappeared, side characters reappeared or didn’t without much logic, and I’m honestly not sure what was happening in the final scenes.
- Side note: I see so many reviews hating on the euphemism “my influence,” but I thought it was funny, lol.
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Rape
booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
Huang knocked it out of the park with his debut novel.
For fans of Addie LaRue and Song of Achilles, this one is for you. A gorgeous look at betrayal, love through reincarnation, Asian history/culture, and queerness. This will be, without a doubt, one of my top reads this year.
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Blood, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism and Rape
Minor: Death of parent and Animal death
ezwolf's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
It was a fun surprise to realize this was based on the origin of the term “cut sleeve”. It isn’t mentioned in the synopsis but a scene about halfway through made me realize and subsequently Google it.
I loved how each incarnation of River and Joey were so different but also so similar. The whole idea of, I loved you (was betrayed by you) so much that we’re reborn over and over, repeating our story, trying to right a wrong. River's sister was a fantastic character and even though the focus of the story was on River and Joey, I would have loved to have seen more of her.
I think my biggest grievance was with the sex scenes. Sex scenes are not a problem on their own, but I felt like they were the worst written parts. Most of the scenes in the first half of the book seemed kind of unintentionally comical to me and continuously and abruptly brought me out of the story. There's a definite tone shift that happens about midway through and they lose the comical edge, but that only helped a little.
I highly recommend checking content warnings for this book. It just skirted the edge of what I am okay reading.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexual content, Classism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Body horror, Mental illness, and Animal death
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Medical content, Death of parent, Vomit, and Cancer