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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
**Originally posted on The Fandom**
Princess Lu was supposed to be the Empire of the First Flame’s first empress. Her sister Princess Minyi was meant to live out her days as a loyal member of the royal palace. Instead, their father chooses their horrid cousin Set as his heir and decrees that Lu shall be his bride. When Lu challenges Set, she finds herself running for her life instead. Along the way she meets Nokhai, the last of an ancient shapeshifter race that was decimated during Lu’s grandfather’s reign. Though Nok hates the royal family and all they’ve done to his people, the two are soon entangled in a life-or-death race to save the kingdom from Set’s dark plans.
Meanwhile, Min has been left abandoned within the influence of Set and the girls’ vicious mother. She wants to trust their plans to reform the empire, but still feels connected to Lu. At the same time, her reeling emotions lead her to discover a new power (or perhaps curse) hidden within her very soul– One that could change the world. Now Set’s dreams rest on her shoulders as Lu and Set race to find a hidden land of gods and strange magic suspended in time and between worlds.
The Girl King is a little lengthier than your average YA book, but this story moves. After a few chapters introduction and worldbuilding, the obstacles and missions begin. Though Lu and Nok follow a much more action-oriented path than Min, the intrigue rarely stalls out because the younger sister is waist-deep in unexpected powers and royal politics.
An unapologetic warrior realizing the errors of her family’s ways as she moves across their empire, Lu is a worthy character who will do what she must to change the world. While her trajectory (a girl who is doubted, scorned, and forced to prove her worth) isn’t necessarily fresh, she’s fun to follow. With conflicting allegiances, a wild power all his own, and a much softer heart than Lu, Nohkai is pretty fascinating. Together, Lu and Nok have a less intense Katniss and Peeta vibe that I appreciated. Minyi is a little harder to swallow because she’s younger and much more naive, but her character is very realistic in that sense. You want to simultaneously strangle her and protect her (until maybe you don’t).
The best facet of the novel is the worldbuilding, which is rich and in-depth from the get-go, but also builds as the story builds. The characters’ dispositions are in large part because of the rich world built around them– its history, traditions, and unique eccentricities. Every character has a backstory caught up in the circumstances of the world, whether or be a power or a connection to an ancient magic, and it really brings them to life. The settings are drenched in detail, painting a gorgeous picture as we go.
My major hangup with this novel had to do with pacing. By the end of the novel, I felt like I had read a book and a half. Lu, Min, and Nok’s journey felt like it could have been told in one novel with maybe 100 more pages and some existing scenes trimmed down. Instead, this is the first in a two-book series… but the main antagonist and the mythical universe that the entire first book revolved around are already largely out of play. It feels like an unnecessary leap to meet duology hype.
Still, if more story is going to be told, we’re interested in seeing what goes after witnessing the intense transformation of these two sisters as they both set to do what they think best for their empire. We just wish we could have read it all in one go and hope book 2 can offer the same richness with seemingly so little plot left.
Princess Lu was supposed to be the Empire of the First Flame’s first empress. Her sister Princess Minyi was meant to live out her days as a loyal member of the royal palace. Instead, their father chooses their horrid cousin Set as his heir and decrees that Lu shall be his bride. When Lu challenges Set, she finds herself running for her life instead. Along the way she meets Nokhai, the last of an ancient shapeshifter race that was decimated during Lu’s grandfather’s reign. Though Nok hates the royal family and all they’ve done to his people, the two are soon entangled in a life-or-death race to save the kingdom from Set’s dark plans.
Meanwhile, Min has been left abandoned within the influence of Set and the girls’ vicious mother. She wants to trust their plans to reform the empire, but still feels connected to Lu. At the same time, her reeling emotions lead her to discover a new power (or perhaps curse) hidden within her very soul– One that could change the world. Now Set’s dreams rest on her shoulders as Lu and Set race to find a hidden land of gods and strange magic suspended in time and between worlds.
The Girl King is a little lengthier than your average YA book, but this story moves. After a few chapters introduction and worldbuilding, the obstacles and missions begin. Though Lu and Nok follow a much more action-oriented path than Min, the intrigue rarely stalls out because the younger sister is waist-deep in unexpected powers and royal politics.
An unapologetic warrior realizing the errors of her family’s ways as she moves across their empire, Lu is a worthy character who will do what she must to change the world. While her trajectory (a girl who is doubted, scorned, and forced to prove her worth) isn’t necessarily fresh, she’s fun to follow. With conflicting allegiances, a wild power all his own, and a much softer heart than Lu, Nohkai is pretty fascinating. Together, Lu and Nok have a less intense Katniss and Peeta vibe that I appreciated. Minyi is a little harder to swallow because she’s younger and much more naive, but her character is very realistic in that sense. You want to simultaneously strangle her and protect her (until maybe you don’t).
The best facet of the novel is the worldbuilding, which is rich and in-depth from the get-go, but also builds as the story builds. The characters’ dispositions are in large part because of the rich world built around them– its history, traditions, and unique eccentricities. Every character has a backstory caught up in the circumstances of the world, whether or be a power or a connection to an ancient magic, and it really brings them to life. The settings are drenched in detail, painting a gorgeous picture as we go.
My major hangup with this novel had to do with pacing. By the end of the novel, I felt like I had read a book and a half. Lu, Min, and Nok’s journey felt like it could have been told in one novel with maybe 100 more pages and some existing scenes trimmed down. Instead, this is the first in a two-book series… but the main antagonist and the mythical universe that the entire first book revolved around are already largely out of play. It feels like an unnecessary leap to meet duology hype.
Still, if more story is going to be told, we’re interested in seeing what goes after witnessing the intense transformation of these two sisters as they both set to do what they think best for their empire. We just wish we could have read it all in one go and hope book 2 can offer the same richness with seemingly so little plot left.
TW: Sexual assault
The Girl King is the start of a new YA epic fantasy series where two sisters are rivals for the throne of an empire.
Lu has spent her entire life preparing to become the first female emperor, the Girl King. Her sister Min lives a quieter life, bullied by their mother and disregarded by everyone. But then their father doesn’t name Lu has his heir — he names male cousin Set, and announces that Set and Lu will be married. Lu isn’t going to just set back and let Set take what’s her’s without a fight. She refuses to marry him, and barely escapes an assassination attempt. Now she’s on the run, searching for an army she can use to regain her empire. Meanwhile, Min has taken Lu’s place as Set’s bride, but she’s also discovering that she has previously-unknown, powerful magical abilities.
The Girl King is told through three POV characters: Lu, Min, and Nokhai, one of the last shapeshifters to remain free. Most of his people have been killed by the empire’s armies, and the survivors rounded up into labor camps. He has a history with Lu and never expected to see her again… but he finds himself drawn into her quest for the throne and her promises that she will right her father’s wrongs towards his people.
I’m not in love with any of the characters. Lu and Nokhai have that sort of friends to enemies to lovers arc that will probably appeal to many, but their romance wasn’t anything surprising. Of course, Lu and Nokhai will wind up together, and I was never invested in either character enough to care about their romance. I was initially more interested in Min, who is clearly emotionally abused by her mother. I wanted Min to find her own power and self-confidence. Well, Min does, but her character ends up going some other places as well, and it all feels very sudden. I’m not sure I completely buy it.
I would also have liked stronger relationships between the female characters. In the second half of the book, Lu does find another ally who is a woman (and there was a handmaid she was initially friends with), but otherwise, all the relationships between women are characterized by antagonism. I guess that was in the description of the book what with Lu versus Min, but I was still hoping for some solid female friendships.
If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll probably know that I now keep track whether or not the books I read make any indication that queer people exist within their world (I should probably just make a post on this and link to it so I can stop explaining in every single review). Anyway, The Girl King does something I’ve encountered before and really hate. It is throughly heteronormative, never acknowledging trans people, intersex people, or people who aren’t heterosexual… And then it includes a completely egregious scene where a male soldier attempts to rape Nokhai. This scene was completely unnecessary and a blatant plot device to have Lu kill the solider and force Nokhai and Lu to get back on the run. That alone would put me off the book, but I there’s also something really problematic about it in relation to the overall heteronormativity of the novel and many harmful stereotypes about queer people as predatory.
I walked away from The Girl King for a while after that scene, but I am glad that I ended up finishing it. If for no other reason, I’m glad that I can review it. I do think that The Girl King is in the better half of young adult fantasy novels, but it’s not a book that I will ever be enthusiastic about. I will not be continuing with this series any further.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.
The Girl King is the start of a new YA epic fantasy series where two sisters are rivals for the throne of an empire.
Lu has spent her entire life preparing to become the first female emperor, the Girl King. Her sister Min lives a quieter life, bullied by their mother and disregarded by everyone. But then their father doesn’t name Lu has his heir — he names male cousin Set, and announces that Set and Lu will be married. Lu isn’t going to just set back and let Set take what’s her’s without a fight. She refuses to marry him, and barely escapes an assassination attempt. Now she’s on the run, searching for an army she can use to regain her empire. Meanwhile, Min has taken Lu’s place as Set’s bride, but she’s also discovering that she has previously-unknown, powerful magical abilities.
The Girl King is told through three POV characters: Lu, Min, and Nokhai, one of the last shapeshifters to remain free. Most of his people have been killed by the empire’s armies, and the survivors rounded up into labor camps. He has a history with Lu and never expected to see her again… but he finds himself drawn into her quest for the throne and her promises that she will right her father’s wrongs towards his people.
I’m not in love with any of the characters. Lu and Nokhai have that sort of friends to enemies to lovers arc that will probably appeal to many, but their romance wasn’t anything surprising. Of course, Lu and Nokhai will wind up together, and I was never invested in either character enough to care about their romance. I was initially more interested in Min, who is clearly emotionally abused by her mother. I wanted Min to find her own power and self-confidence. Well, Min does, but her character ends up going some other places as well, and it all feels very sudden. I’m not sure I completely buy it.
I would also have liked stronger relationships between the female characters. In the second half of the book, Lu does find another ally who is a woman (and there was a handmaid she was initially friends with), but otherwise, all the relationships between women are characterized by antagonism. I guess that was in the description of the book what with Lu versus Min, but I was still hoping for some solid female friendships.
If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll probably know that I now keep track whether or not the books I read make any indication that queer people exist within their world (I should probably just make a post on this and link to it so I can stop explaining in every single review). Anyway, The Girl King does something I’ve encountered before and really hate. It is throughly heteronormative, never acknowledging trans people, intersex people, or people who aren’t heterosexual… And then it includes a completely egregious scene where a male soldier attempts to rape Nokhai. This scene was completely unnecessary and a blatant plot device to have Lu kill the solider and force Nokhai and Lu to get back on the run. That alone would put me off the book, but I there’s also something really problematic about it in relation to the overall heteronormativity of the novel and many harmful stereotypes about queer people as predatory.
I walked away from The Girl King for a while after that scene, but I am glad that I ended up finishing it. If for no other reason, I’m glad that I can review it. I do think that The Girl King is in the better half of young adult fantasy novels, but it’s not a book that I will ever be enthusiastic about. I will not be continuing with this series any further.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.
Thank you to Net galley and Bloomsbury for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of my most anticipated books for 2019 but unfortunately, it just fell flat for me.
The Girl King is the first book in a young adult fantasy series which is marketed as an Asian fantasy.
It started off fairly well but I quickly got bored - the characters and world lacked depth for me and there are so many YA tropes in this book. Also, other than the character names and the clothing style, I personally couldn't see anything Asian about this fantasy - if you'd replaced Lu and Min with Kate and Emma then it would have read like most other fantasies.
The writing style also just didn't engage me - I read continued reading this only because all my physical books are packed and I think that if I wasn't moving and had other options, then I would have put this down and picked up something else.
The series has potential to improve in the next book but I probably won't be picking it up as there are so many other books that I would like to read first.
This was one of my most anticipated books for 2019 but unfortunately, it just fell flat for me.
The Girl King is the first book in a young adult fantasy series which is marketed as an Asian fantasy.
It started off fairly well but I quickly got bored - the characters and world lacked depth for me and there are so many YA tropes in this book. Also, other than the character names and the clothing style, I personally couldn't see anything Asian about this fantasy - if you'd replaced Lu and Min with Kate and Emma then it would have read like most other fantasies.
The writing style also just didn't engage me - I read continued reading this only because all my physical books are packed and I think that if I wasn't moving and had other options, then I would have put this down and picked up something else.
The series has potential to improve in the next book but I probably won't be picking it up as there are so many other books that I would like to read first.
I actually think that this is a very good debut novel. Asian inspired with a set of three main characters who have each their own story line written through this book and beyond.
The magic and the world that are revealed in this book are exciting, the many layers this world holds are superbly done.
Each of the main characters undergoes substantial character growth over the length of this first book and nobody is the same at the end of it and a whole new world has opened up with new possibilities. I am curious to see where Mimi Yu takes us in the second book of The Girl King.
The magic and the world that are revealed in this book are exciting, the many layers this world holds are superbly done.
Each of the main characters undergoes substantial character growth over the length of this first book and nobody is the same at the end of it and a whole new world has opened up with new possibilities. I am curious to see where Mimi Yu takes us in the second book of The Girl King.
This was a bit up and down for me.
The good:
Chinese myths and culture influences.
Powerful female characters (all in different ways)
Shapeshifter who turns into a WOLF!
The philosophical talks (but I can imagine some people would find it a bit to much)
The bad:
Writing is a bit woobly, don't know if that is intentional.
I don't get how the magic works? Just seems like a lot of feeling with no system or idea behind it.
The good:
Chinese myths and culture influences.
Powerful female characters (all in different ways)
Shapeshifter who turns into a WOLF!
The philosophical talks (but I can imagine some people would find it a bit to much)
The bad:
Writing is a bit woobly, don't know if that is intentional.
I don't get how the magic works? Just seems like a lot of feeling with no system or idea behind it.
Solid storyline and a few really engaging characters but the writing felt a bit stilted at times and not quite got the finesse I like from fantasy authors. I imagine this will be remedied with a little more experience so will read the second book when it comes out.