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adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a quick and fun (sort of devastating) read. The main characters all have these layers that the reader keeps discovering as you go on. Makes for very interesting small twists. And there are two big sort of reveals in the last 1/4th of the book. One sort of expected the second was wild (to me) really gets the reader exceptionally for a sequel though!
Zetian I personally enjoyed as a MC. A lot of people called her cringy and a “man hater” but for one she’s 18 there’s bound to be some cringe at that age. And I don’t see the man hater part. She’s a character with a lot of generational trauma. Which may not make her a perfect “hero” but she’s amazing anti hero to me.
This book wasn’t perfect but it’s a really great story and I know the author can only get better as their career progresses!
Zetian I personally enjoyed as a MC. A lot of people called her cringy and a “man hater” but for one she’s 18 there’s bound to be some cringe at that age. And I don’t see the man hater part. She’s a character with a lot of generational trauma. Which may not make her a perfect “hero” but she’s amazing anti hero to me.
This book wasn’t perfect but it’s a really great story and I know the author can only get better as their career progresses!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Misogyny
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. Just wow.
They weren’t kidding about Pacific Rim x Handmaid’s Tale (x Hunger Games, imo), and I love it. Such an inventive spin, and I appreciate the fusion of futuristic/dystopian elements with both the past (chinese history) and the present (issues of oppression, colonization, and mental health). On top of that, the practical and philosophical implications of having a trio in a yin-and-yang based society is so interesting, and I like that the author also touched on natural creations that are neither yin nor yang, which if I understood correctly, are meant to be allusions to non-binary/intersex people. The polyamorous relationship didn’t feel contrived or forced, it felt more like a natural unfolding that contributed to the story in a meaningful way, which I appreciated. I also like the way that Zetian’s character development unfolded- she says callous things/reacts to things in a certain way because she is a literal teenager who doesn’t know any better. But throughout the book, she learns how to have empathy and compassion, and that not everything in life is black and white. Except it may have all been reversed in the end…
I do think there were aspects of the battle scenes/world building that could have been written more clearly- there were times when I felt a little confused about how the Chrysalises or spirit metal functioned, but overall it didn’t take away from the story so much that I lost interest or got frustrated. I also kind of wish the author had made this New Adult- not because I wish it was more graphic (it was plenty graphic for me), but because some of the dialogue was a bit childish or bro-y, which didn’t feel like it fit the story or the tone of the rest of the book.
I’m super intrigued by the ending and waiting with bated breath to see where the author takes us in the next book!!
They weren’t kidding about Pacific Rim x Handmaid’s Tale (x Hunger Games, imo), and I love it. Such an inventive spin, and I appreciate the fusion of futuristic/dystopian elements with both the past (chinese history) and the present (issues of oppression, colonization, and mental health). On top of that, the practical and philosophical implications of having a trio in a yin-and-yang based society is so interesting, and I like that the author also touched on natural creations that are neither yin nor yang, which if I understood correctly, are meant to be allusions to non-binary/intersex people. The polyamorous relationship didn’t feel contrived or forced, it felt more like a natural unfolding that contributed to the story in a meaningful way, which I appreciated. I also like the way that Zetian’s character development unfolded- she says callous things/reacts to things in a certain way because she is a literal teenager who doesn’t know any better. But throughout the book, she learns how to have empathy and compassion, and that not everything in life is black and white.
I do think there were aspects of the battle scenes/world building that could have been written more clearly- there were times when I felt a little confused about how the Chrysalises or spirit metal functioned, but overall it didn’t take away from the story so much that I lost interest or got frustrated. I also kind of wish the author had made this New Adult- not because I wish it was more graphic (it was plenty graphic for me), but because some of the dialogue was a bit childish or bro-y, which didn’t feel like it fit the story or the tone of the rest of the book.
I’m super intrigued by the ending and waiting with bated breath to see where the author takes us in the next book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Fuck my love for this book is like a hundun, a what the fuck.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Injury/Injury detail
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In the interest of transparency - yes, I had consumed the author's non-book content before. No, I don't really associate them with their book (whether this is good or bad is purely up to you) so my enjoyment of the book is not dependent how I like their online presence.
Anyway this made my way onto my TBR because I had remembered this described as a take on Pacific Rim - for better or worse, one of my favorite movies at the time of it's release. On that front it definitely delivers - it had the mind-controlled huge mecha I was expecting (probably could have given me more of that, thanks for the diagrams on the website btw). But there was something that came to understand as I read through this, and it is that Zetian is not as "morally gray" as most characters normally advertised using that phrase. Actually...her shade of gray is closer to black, closer to Rachel from the last book i read ("Prison Life Is Easy For A Villainess") - the things she does do not make sense to us as readers, but from her POV she will let you know that she makes sense to herself. The difference is that in comparison to Rachel who has a plan for anything, Zetian's mostly making this entire thing up as she goes.
All in all, pretty fast-paced, sometimes loses me along the breathless narration, but it is the story of a seething villainess and her giant mecha. so I guess that sounds like something I would expect myself to finish.
Originally posted to Instagram.
Anyway this made my way onto my TBR because I had remembered this described as a take on Pacific Rim - for better or worse, one of my favorite movies at the time of it's release. On that front it definitely delivers - it had the mind-controlled huge mecha I was expecting (probably could have given me more of that, thanks for the diagrams on the website btw). But there was something that came to understand as I read through this, and it is that Zetian is not as "morally gray" as most characters normally advertised using that phrase. Actually...her shade of gray is closer to black, closer to Rachel from the last book i read ("Prison Life Is Easy For A Villainess") - the things she does do not make sense to us as readers, but from her POV she will let you know that she makes sense to herself. The difference is that in comparison to Rachel who has a plan for anything, Zetian's mostly making this entire thing up as she goes.
All in all, pretty fast-paced, sometimes loses me along the breathless narration, but it is the story of a seething villainess and her giant mecha. so I guess that sounds like something I would expect myself to finish.
Originally posted to Instagram.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, War
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, War
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Colonisation, War
Minor: Body shaming, Rape
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Torture
Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality