You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting fantasy debut!
The Girl King is an epic fantasy that centers on two sisters: Lu and Min. Lu is older and an extremely headstrong and dedication girl. She's known she'll be the first female emperor once her father steps down. Min doesn't really know what she wants, besides to step out of Lu's shadow. But when their father names their cousin, Set, the heir, the two are forced onto different paths.
I did generally enjoy this book. Lu was the archetype that I love: girls with swords who are assertive and know what they want. I was rooting for her through everything, I want to see Lu crowned Emperor and succeed where everything told her that she couldn't. We also alternate POVs with Nokhai, the last wolf shapeshifter left. His people were murdered by Lu's grandfather and he definitely carries a grudge. I loved the dynamic between these two. I was so fascinated by how their world views were so different. It was interesting to see how they reconciled these differences.
The main thing I struggled with was Min. Min discovers she has forbidden magic and then basically does everything she can to help Set become Emperor. She really grated on my nerves because if she wasn't trying to please her mother, she was trying to please Set and I just want her to develop a personality that separate from either of them. I want her to choose a path because it's what she WANTS, not what she thinks she should do bc of other people.
There was a lot of brutal colonisation in this book and at times it was hard to read. I know these things happen, but I definitely was not prepared for it to be such a huge topic in this book. I do want to know how this series concludes, so I will pick up the sequel eventually. It's not a priority though.
Rep: East Asian coded cast, cishet male MC with PTSD, two cishet female MCs.
CWs: Abandonment, blood, body shaming, colonisation, death, death of parent, drugging of MC without her consent, emotional abuse (mother to child), fatphobia, past mentions of genocide and work/slave camps, grief, homophobia/homomisia, injury/injury detail, misogyny, murder, sexism, toxic relationship (romantic and familial), violence, xenophobia. Moderate: Infertility of MC, kidnapping, medical content and experimentation without consent, mental illness (PTSD), police brutality, racism (towards shapeshifters), attempted rape by a soldier, torture, war.
The Girl King is an epic fantasy that centers on two sisters: Lu and Min. Lu is older and an extremely headstrong and dedication girl. She's known she'll be the first female emperor once her father steps down. Min doesn't really know what she wants, besides to step out of Lu's shadow. But when their father names their cousin, Set, the heir, the two are forced onto different paths.
I did generally enjoy this book. Lu was the archetype that I love: girls with swords who are assertive and know what they want. I was rooting for her through everything, I want to see Lu crowned Emperor and succeed where everything told her that she couldn't. We also alternate POVs with Nokhai, the last wolf shapeshifter left. His people were murdered by Lu's grandfather and he definitely carries a grudge. I loved the dynamic between these two. I was so fascinated by how their world views were so different. It was interesting to see how they reconciled these differences.
The main thing I struggled with was Min. Min discovers she has forbidden magic and then basically does everything she can to help Set become Emperor. She really grated on my nerves because if she wasn't trying to please her mother, she was trying to please Set and I just want her to develop a personality that separate from either of them. I want her to choose a path because it's what she WANTS, not what she thinks she should do bc of other people.
There was a lot of brutal colonisation in this book and at times it was hard to read. I know these things happen, but I definitely was not prepared for it to be such a huge topic in this book. I do want to know how this series concludes, so I will pick up the sequel eventually. It's not a priority though.
Rep: East Asian coded cast, cishet male MC with PTSD, two cishet female MCs.
CWs: Abandonment, blood, body shaming, colonisation, death, death of parent, drugging of MC without her consent, emotional abuse (mother to child), fatphobia, past mentions of genocide and work/slave camps, grief, homophobia/homomisia, injury/injury detail, misogyny, murder, sexism, toxic relationship (romantic and familial), violence, xenophobia. Moderate: Infertility of MC, kidnapping, medical content and experimentation without consent, mental illness (PTSD), police brutality, racism (towards shapeshifters), attempted rape by a soldier, torture, war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, War
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In fact, I wanted to love The Girl King. Sisters! Rivals! Betrayal! Family! War! Mimi Yu's debut smells of an action-packed adventure with sibling rivalry, magic and court politics that would be hard to put down. Bonus points for #OwnVoices.
Bookwyrms, much disappointment has indeed occurred. I spent loads of time deciding if I should continue trekking my way through The Girl King or calling it quits. Eventually, at 50% through, I decided to call it a day because we don't have time for books that aren't enjoyable.
"Slipskin" feels awfully weird for a shifter/werewolf influence, bookwyrms. Sure, it's "slipping" out of one's "skin" and into another "slipping" into another "skin." But is it just me, or do I think of something gross and slimy at the thought? 🤔
And let's not get started with "pink." I legit thought of newly born babies.
Vicky from Vicky Who Reads has this covered in more detail in her review. (I guarantee you her post is 100x more professional.)
Sure, I went to at least halfway through the book, but it was a whole lot of back and forth reading between this book and another one. I didn't care about the storyline or the world, even though I could relate to some of the cultural influences included. Despite enjoying Lu's fierceness, I ultimately didn't care about Lu or any of the other characters involved. I found myself interested in continuing the book at some points, but at the same time, I didn't really care.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
I wanted to like this book.
In fact, I wanted to love The Girl King. Sisters! Rivals! Betrayal! Family! War! Mimi Yu's debut smells of an action-packed adventure with sibling rivalry, magic and court politics that would be hard to put down. Bonus points for #OwnVoices.
But much disappointment has occurred.
Bookwyrms, much disappointment has indeed occurred. I spent loads of time deciding if I should continue trekking my way through The Girl King or calling it quits. Eventually, at 50% through, I decided to call it a day because we don't have time for books that aren't enjoyable.
We're not going to talk much about the problems involved.
"Slipskin" feels awfully weird for a shifter/werewolf influence, bookwyrms. Sure, it's "slipping" out of one's "skin" and into another "slipping" into another "skin." But is it just me, or do I think of something gross and slimy at the thought? 🤔
And let's not get started with "pink." I legit thought of newly born babies.
Vicky from Vicky Who Reads has this covered in more detail in her review. (I guarantee you her post is 100x more professional.)
I didn't connect with anything in The Girl King.
Sure, I went to at least halfway through the book, but it was a whole lot of back and forth reading between this book and another one. I didn't care about the storyline or the world, even though I could relate to some of the cultural influences included. Despite enjoying Lu's fierceness, I ultimately didn't care about Lu or any of the other characters involved. I found myself interested in continuing the book at some points, but at the same time, I didn't really care.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Probably a 3.5. Solid start to a series. Definitely picked up later in the book and I think that pacing fit the story better. Lu is a strong lead, and I look forward to where her story goes.
Mimi Yu’s The Girl King’s synopsis really intrigued me, following two sisters who soon become rivals over their father’s decision to cast their male cousin as their empire’s ruler. A YA high fantasy, I really liked The Girl King’s setting, having not read too many Asian-inspired fantasies. Before I dive into the characters more, I will say that I really liked Lu and thought she was a strong female character. I did enjoy side characters like Omair and Yuri, who I felt provided a lot of world building.
However, while I liked Nok as a character, I felt his perspective wasn’t necessary and really distracted from the sister-centric story. In addition, we definitely didn’t spend as much time with Min as we did Lu. I did find Min’s storyline to be intriguing, but considering the book’s synopsis, I felt like she really didn’t become a rival for Lu until the end. And that’s saying a lot, unfortunately, for a book that is almost 500 pages long. I also found myself struggling with the world’s terminology & the action. One minute Lu and Nok would be talking, the next they would be fighting for their lives. The romance also felt really forced.
Overall, while I appreciated The Girl King's setting and strong female lead, I struggled connecting with this world and action, often finding myself glossing over sections.
This review is based on an advance reading copy I received at Book Expo 2018. By no means did being provided this copy affect my thoughts or opinions.
However, while I liked Nok as a character, I felt his perspective wasn’t necessary and really distracted from the sister-centric story. In addition, we definitely didn’t spend as much time with Min as we did Lu. I did find Min’s storyline to be intriguing, but considering the book’s synopsis, I felt like she really didn’t become a rival for Lu until the end. And that’s saying a lot, unfortunately, for a book that is almost 500 pages long. I also found myself struggling with the world’s terminology & the action. One minute Lu and Nok would be talking, the next they would be fighting for their lives. The romance also felt really forced.
Overall, while I appreciated The Girl King's setting and strong female lead, I struggled connecting with this world and action, often finding myself glossing over sections.
This review is based on an advance reading copy I received at Book Expo 2018. By no means did being provided this copy affect my thoughts or opinions.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was the first YA Fantasy I had read in a worryingly long time and it was super refreshing - the worldbuilding was great (even if it could have been developed a bit more) and I loved all the characters, particularly Nasan and Lu. I also really liked how the author didn't shy away from the fact that empires in themselves aren't good things, no matter how good the person who runs them is, which isn't something that's too common in this genre. When the book was good, it was amazing: the dialogue was great, and I was sucked in both by the political intrigue and Lu and Nok's escapades elsewhere. However, the moments where it slipped - lack of development of certain ideas/plot points, issues with character motivation (which led to quiet a flat romance) and confusing description - were an issue for me, hence the lower rating.
TWs for attempted rape, domestic violence, emotional abuse/manipulation, violence, and on-page death.
This was the first book I finished in 2019 and I think my expectations were too high, because I ended up being disappointed. The plot wasn't as cohesive as it could have been and elements of the world-building seemed to be dropped in at random more than halfway through the story, rather than introduced in the beginning. Pacing was also an issue, and Nok was the only character I felt invested in toward the final chapters of the book. There's an attempted rape scene that I had issues with because it really didn't need to be there. At all. It added nothing to the plot, and was never mentioned again by any of the characters afterwards, or challenged in any way. It also paints the only potentially queer character in the novel as a predator and abuser.
Having said all that, the book did some things really well. The Asian-inspired folklore was rich and enjoyable, and I really liked the fact that there was an Asian-based naming system for all characters, as it served to deepen the world-building. The narrative itself had moments of excellence, particularly the descriptions of the palace and colours. On the whole, the concept for this book had a lot of potential, but the execution wasn't great.
This was the first book I finished in 2019 and I think my expectations were too high, because I ended up being disappointed. The plot wasn't as cohesive as it could have been and elements of the world-building seemed to be dropped in at random more than halfway through the story, rather than introduced in the beginning. Pacing was also an issue, and Nok was the only character I felt invested in toward the final chapters of the book. There's an attempted rape scene that I had issues with because it really didn't need to be there. At all. It added nothing to the plot, and was never mentioned again by any of the characters afterwards, or challenged in any way. It also paints the only potentially queer character in the novel as a predator and abuser.
Having said all that, the book did some things really well. The Asian-inspired folklore was rich and enjoyable, and I really liked the fact that there was an Asian-based naming system for all characters, as it served to deepen the world-building. The narrative itself had moments of excellence, particularly the descriptions of the palace and colours. On the whole, the concept for this book had a lot of potential, but the execution wasn't great.
3.5* I really liked this! The beginning was kind of slow, and it felt like we were going nowhere, but when you started getting to the end... it was like a punch to the face! RTC!
I wanted to like this book so much, but even though this has it marked as fast-paced, I didn’t find it particularly so.
Nothing was explained and it took a while to get to the point.
I also didn’t find this as Asian-inspired as I wanted or hoped, so I’m DNF-ing.
Nothing was explained and it took a while to get to the point.
I also didn’t find this as Asian-inspired as I wanted or hoped, so I’m DNF-ing.
FULL Review on the blog! https://literaryleisha.wordpress.com/2019/01/15/review-the-girl-king-by-mimi-yu-blog-tour/
*This was sent to me for free in exchange for a review.
The plot is definitely a slow one, especially at the beginning. At the start, I was intrigued and hopeful but the middle chunk of the book was just too slow. There’s a lot of build-up and background information going on. (I read the ARC – which is an uncorrected proof. How much of this ended up in the final copy, I don’t know) It did feel unnecessarily long in places, with editing down it could’ve been great. The last 150-200 pages were the best, they were gripping and interesting – I was really engrossed at this point. At almost 500 pages, it really needed to pick up before then. It was pretty long winded, I feel it would’ve been better condensed down.
The world-building; simplistic and minimal. There are hints and glimpses of the world but not enough, in my opinion. The parts of the world and magic we did see, were so interesting and cool – I just wish there was more to it! Hopefully, the sequel will enlighten us.
As with a lot of YA, it has its tropes. A lot of the plot twists and turns were pretty predictable. Nothing was particularly surprising, there was no ‘shock factor’ because you could see what was going to happen.
Nothing was overly original, it wasn’t bad at all. Just nothing new, really. It’s the same fantasy story of the royal claiming back their throne – just with a slightly different setting.
*This was sent to me for free in exchange for a review.
The plot is definitely a slow one, especially at the beginning. At the start, I was intrigued and hopeful but the middle chunk of the book was just too slow. There’s a lot of build-up and background information going on. (I read the ARC – which is an uncorrected proof. How much of this ended up in the final copy, I don’t know) It did feel unnecessarily long in places, with editing down it could’ve been great. The last 150-200 pages were the best, they were gripping and interesting – I was really engrossed at this point. At almost 500 pages, it really needed to pick up before then. It was pretty long winded, I feel it would’ve been better condensed down.
The world-building; simplistic and minimal. There are hints and glimpses of the world but not enough, in my opinion. The parts of the world and magic we did see, were so interesting and cool – I just wish there was more to it! Hopefully, the sequel will enlighten us.
As with a lot of YA, it has its tropes. A lot of the plot twists and turns were pretty predictable. Nothing was particularly surprising, there was no ‘shock factor’ because you could see what was going to happen.
Nothing was overly original, it wasn’t bad at all. Just nothing new, really. It’s the same fantasy story of the royal claiming back their throne – just with a slightly different setting.