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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
wow this was such a wild ride.. I haven’t figured out my rating so RTC, but I do know that Mimi Yu’s writing is one of my absolute favorites that I’ve ever read!! also I NEED book 2 asap
3 stars for the writing and the world building [and the cover art!], which was stunning; 2 for the plot/pacing/character development/characters
4 word review: Less Good Princess Mononoke
*Potential spoilers ahead*
PROS:
- Stunning world building/descriptions
- Beautiful writing
GRIPES:
- False advertising of intense sibling rivalry: They barely interacted for 90% of the book, and then suddenly Min does a 180 on her loyalty to her sister, purely because she's a half sister? Dude. I don't even have any siblings and I doubt that's how it would play out. They didn't even have that much friction between them beforehand?
- Random romance subplots?? Why... Why is this necessary? What does this add?
- No emotional connection to the characters at all
- Character motivations and intentions: So Lu wants the throne, yet is widely regarded as a prissy, entitled princess, it seems she wants to prove everyone wrong but why does she add in something about saving the people of the Northern lands? Why does she care so much about them? Am I missing something here?
- Slow/non-existent/predictable plot: (in which nothing happened for 90% of the book, till the climax in the last 40 pages or so)
- So much confusion: ... I'm not even sure what I don't know? Something about them knowing each other as children? The random Gods added in?? The lake?? wut
- Magic and Gods and magical people ... wut?
- Non existent character development?
- The ending ... wut
It started so strongly and I was so intrigued by this book, but the more I find myself reflecting on it, the more likely I am to downgrade it. Shame.
4 word review: Less Good Princess Mononoke
*Potential spoilers ahead*
PROS:
- Stunning world building/descriptions
- Beautiful writing
GRIPES:
- False advertising of intense sibling rivalry: They barely interacted for 90% of the book, and then suddenly Min does a 180 on her loyalty to her sister, purely because she's a half sister? Dude. I don't even have any siblings and I doubt that's how it would play out. They didn't even have that much friction between them beforehand?
- Random romance subplots?? Why... Why is this necessary? What does this add?
- No emotional connection to the characters at all
- Character motivations and intentions: So Lu wants the throne, yet is widely regarded as a prissy, entitled princess, it seems she wants to prove everyone wrong but why does she add in something about saving the people of the Northern lands? Why does she care so much about them? Am I missing something here?
- Slow/non-existent/predictable plot: (in which nothing happened for 90% of the book, till the climax in the last 40 pages or so)
- So much confusion: ... I'm not even sure what I don't know? Something about them knowing each other as children? The random Gods added in?? The lake?? wut
- Magic and Gods and magical people ... wut?
- Non existent character development?
- The ending ... wut
It started so strongly and I was so intrigued by this book, but the more I find myself reflecting on it, the more likely I am to downgrade it. Shame.
You can see my full review here!
*I received an eArc of this book from the Publishers through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
This was a struggle to get through. I mean, this had everything that would appeal to me and still managed to fall flat?
Because nothing really happens. Pacing wasn't an issue- I flew through it with ease, but not only is there no real sister conflict that I was promised, I'd have to wait until book two to actually get what I was looking for.
I will say the imagery was pretty nice. The descriptions were easy to visualize and even when the characters are running for their lives, the scenery wasn't lacking.
The information being revealed felt unfinished and not in the sense of come back on Tuesday to see what happens next episode. I ended up unsatisfied with the twist when they were revealed.
I could mention the characters, who were lack luster, the romance that I won't call a romance because bullshit, the villain who I guess I can get behind if I'm reaching. But again, nothing happens. I was just let down.
01/07-- I didn't *hate* this but... this was not fun.
*I received an eArc of this book from the Publishers through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
This was a struggle to get through. I mean, this had everything that would appeal to me and still managed to fall flat?
Because nothing really happens. Pacing wasn't an issue- I flew through it with ease, but not only is there no real sister conflict that I was promised, I'd have to wait until book two to actually get what I was looking for.
I will say the imagery was pretty nice. The descriptions were easy to visualize and even when the characters are running for their lives, the scenery wasn't lacking.
The information being revealed felt unfinished and not in the sense of come back on Tuesday to see what happens next episode. I ended up unsatisfied with the twist when they were revealed.
I could mention the characters, who were lack luster, the romance that I won't call a romance because bullshit, the villain who I guess I can get behind if I'm reaching. But again, nothing happens. I was just let down.
01/07-- I didn't *hate* this but... this was not fun.
I have to sit with this one for a bit, but I'll try to review this at some point.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Why did I want to read? Asian inspired fantasy, with two female protagonists? Sign me up.
The Girl King was a 2019 release I was super excited for, and I felt very privileged to receive an ARC of it. Perhaps because my expectations were so high, the reality was bound to fall a little short. Although there were some glimpses of things I really liked and found interesting – probably enough to induce me to continue the series beyond this point – this book was just ok. And not just ok, but problematic in places, in ways that I only began to really question after I’d finished reading.
This book marks another move from Euro-centric fantasy, and I did love not only the setting but also the way it focused almost entirely on the female characters within that world. One thing The Girl King cannot be accused of is not having enough women, even if they don't really like each other too much, which was another source of frustration.
However, the particularly lacklustre romances, problematic queer rep, and unnecessary sexual assault scenes are what really make me hesitant to recommend this to people.
TW: rape/sexual assault
Full review here!
Chalk another one up for the awesomely interesting Asian-culture-inspired high fantasies!
The pacing on the one was pretty rough, to be honest. It started out well, and then slowed down terribly, and then rushed ahead like a spooked horse. And that's true of almost every single plot line, but it's particular true of the romance line between the older sister and the skinslip boy. Not to mention the sort of romance line between older sister and the pseudo-deity dude... The second one in particular had this epic potential for awkward hilarity, but no... we only get to see the budding 'romance' from one PoV and only for like one day of development (a chapter, max) before the world literally ends.
The world building was delightful, though. It's centered around a rather odd amalgamation of Asian lore, but it reworks the legends for it's own purposes very well. And the world is a rich and vibrantly multicultural one, naturally diverse in a way that very few YA's are (though this is becoming less and less glaring of an issue with the category).
It's a fantastic adventure story, with an expert dash of political intrigue, plus a couple different ghost stories all independently rendered and brought to full fruition, and it has a truly marvelous diversity of character mentalities. They all react to both trauma and bombshell news drops in very distinct ways that are always consistent with the characters' uniquely established psychologies.
Read it for the setting, love it for the psych, and roll with the rest of it.
Appropriate for ages 15 & up, it's not a strong recommend, but it's a solid one. It wouldn't be my first choice to give to anyone seeking my staff recs at the bookstore, but it might be my fourth. And if I saw someone just carrying it around, I would definitely comment on how it is a good choice.
The pacing on the one was pretty rough, to be honest. It started out well, and then slowed down terribly, and then rushed ahead like a spooked horse. And that's true of almost every single plot line, but it's particular true of the romance line between the older sister and the skinslip boy. Not to mention the sort of romance line between older sister and the pseudo-deity dude... The second one in particular had this epic potential for awkward hilarity, but no... we only get to see the budding 'romance' from one PoV and only for like one day of development (a chapter, max) before the world literally ends.
The world building was delightful, though. It's centered around a rather odd amalgamation of Asian lore, but it reworks the legends for it's own purposes very well. And the world is a rich and vibrantly multicultural one, naturally diverse in a way that very few YA's are (though this is becoming less and less glaring of an issue with the category).
It's a fantastic adventure story, with an expert dash of political intrigue, plus a couple different ghost stories all independently rendered and brought to full fruition, and it has a truly marvelous diversity of character mentalities. They all react to both trauma and bombshell news drops in very distinct ways that are always consistent with the characters' uniquely established psychologies.
Read it for the setting, love it for the psych, and roll with the rest of it.
Appropriate for ages 15 & up, it's not a strong recommend, but it's a solid one. It wouldn't be my first choice to give to anyone seeking my staff recs at the bookstore, but it might be my fourth. And if I saw someone just carrying it around, I would definitely comment on how it is a good choice.
This is one of those books that I realized, far too late, wasn't a standalone novel. Far too few pages left for everything that still needs to be wrapped up, and yep. Only the first book. I'm not sure why I hadn't realized it wasn't a standalone. The second book, Empress of Flames, isn't due out until early 2020, which is far too long to wait! I need to know what happens to these characters!
The Girl King is mainly the story of Lu, eldest daughter of the Emperor of the First Flame. She is expecting to be named heir, and when she isn't and her cousin (and bully) Set is named instead, she decides not to placidly accept the injustice. She runs away from court, intending to find allies to help her retake the throne. Lu is single-minded and selfish. She doesn't really pay attention to how her actions affect other people - she doesn't think twice about leaving her younger, more timid sister to face the court, their mother, and Set on her own. I know that we're supposed to be cheering for Lu in this book, but in D&D terms, she's a paladin. She might be right. She's not very likable. I had far more sympathy for Min, her sister.
Actually, thinking back on it, almost none of these characters did much thinking about how their actions affect other people. The leader of the refugee Gifted did, she had her people to think about. And the triad of rulers of the mythical city were looking out for their people. But Lu really only thinks of herself. Set definitely only thinks about himself. Min is set up to be more sympathetic but is stuck inside her own head. Nok is too consumed with his own private pity party to think much about other people. I love Nok, don't get me wrong, he was probably my favorite character, but he doesn't think much about other people other than his mentor.
I feel like it's reasonable to have one or two self-obsessed characters, but when it's everyone, I think that might be a writing issue. The story was still great, and I will definitely be reading the second book, but I'm hoping for some character growth and learning about empathy as the story progresses.
You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.
The Girl King is mainly the story of Lu, eldest daughter of the Emperor of the First Flame. She is expecting to be named heir, and when she isn't and her cousin (and bully) Set is named instead, she decides not to placidly accept the injustice. She runs away from court, intending to find allies to help her retake the throne. Lu is single-minded and selfish. She doesn't really pay attention to how her actions affect other people - she doesn't think twice about leaving her younger, more timid sister to face the court, their mother, and Set on her own. I know that we're supposed to be cheering for Lu in this book, but in D&D terms, she's a paladin. She might be right. She's not very likable. I had far more sympathy for Min, her sister.
Actually, thinking back on it, almost none of these characters did much thinking about how their actions affect other people. The leader of the refugee Gifted did, she had her people to think about. And the triad of rulers of the mythical city were looking out for their people. But Lu really only thinks of herself. Set definitely only thinks about himself. Min is set up to be more sympathetic but is stuck inside her own head. Nok is too consumed with his own private pity party to think much about other people. I love Nok, don't get me wrong, he was probably my favorite character, but he doesn't think much about other people other than his mentor.
I feel like it's reasonable to have one or two self-obsessed characters, but when it's everyone, I think that might be a writing issue. The story was still great, and I will definitely be reading the second book, but I'm hoping for some character growth and learning about empathy as the story progresses.
You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley
The Girl King is about an empire thrown into mayhem when the oldest of two siblings decides that she will create her own fate no matter the cost, leaving the younger sister with the consequences of her older sister’s decisions.
Lu, the oldest sister is strong-headed and knows what she wants. Min, the youngest, is very quiet and does as she is told but with such restraint comes a breaking point. They are both relatable since we have all had to decide at one point if what we want has too high of a risk and if we are willing to keep going despite the damage it has on others. We also have had times of being in someones shadow and wanting to break through. The characters are well developed and you really connect with them through her writing as she adds a few PoV which adds another layer to her already in depth characters.
The sibling rivalry was something I enjoyed because they didn’t really start off as rivals per say. Over the course of the book it builds and we get to see another side of the characters when everything begins to fall apart. The writing is wonderfully detailed as it adds depth to the world she surrounds us in. The one small thing I didn’t care for was the relationship building between two of the characters. It felt a little pushed but it’s such a minor thing that it didn’t make me love the book any less.
Filled with mystical beings, sibling rivalry, and secrets this book is nothing short of incredible. If you are a fan of Three Dark Crowns, Shadow of the Fox or just love fantasy, I would recommend this book. I have already ordered the UK version and a US signed copy because I love this book so much! I will anxiously be waiting for the second book. Seriously, if it isn’t on your TBR, add it!
The Girl King is about an empire thrown into mayhem when the oldest of two siblings decides that she will create her own fate no matter the cost, leaving the younger sister with the consequences of her older sister’s decisions.
Lu, the oldest sister is strong-headed and knows what she wants. Min, the youngest, is very quiet and does as she is told but with such restraint comes a breaking point. They are both relatable since we have all had to decide at one point if what we want has too high of a risk and if we are willing to keep going despite the damage it has on others. We also have had times of being in someones shadow and wanting to break through. The characters are well developed and you really connect with them through her writing as she adds a few PoV which adds another layer to her already in depth characters.
The sibling rivalry was something I enjoyed because they didn’t really start off as rivals per say. Over the course of the book it builds and we get to see another side of the characters when everything begins to fall apart. The writing is wonderfully detailed as it adds depth to the world she surrounds us in. The one small thing I didn’t care for was the relationship building between two of the characters. It felt a little pushed but it’s such a minor thing that it didn’t make me love the book any less.
Filled with mystical beings, sibling rivalry, and secrets this book is nothing short of incredible. If you are a fan of Three Dark Crowns, Shadow of the Fox or just love fantasy, I would recommend this book. I have already ordered the UK version and a US signed copy because I love this book so much! I will anxiously be waiting for the second book. Seriously, if it isn’t on your TBR, add it!
adventurous
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes