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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
Giant mythic robots, with a side of feminist rage at a patriarchal system? Sign me the fuck up.
challenging
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
adventurous
challenging
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
Picked this up at the library. Didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Good read!
Enjoyed the beginning, got a bit bored once the love triangle started to emerge. Will pick it up again another time.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
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
This book was written with full-on female rage and I am here for it. A genre-bending work that reminds me of Bungo Stray Dogs for its characters to reflect real-world figures, Neon Genesis Evangelion for its mecha and subconsciousness in piloting, and danmei novels for its thorough romantic relationships and in-depth Chinese culture. It critiques the patriarchal and misogynistic systems in everyday lives that span generation to generation—until the rage boiled up enough for someone to break it. This someone is the main character, Wu Zetian—who I am aware of—was inspired by the first Chinese emperor with the same name. Zetian challenged every step that it takes to be in a world that celebrates boys and sacrifices girls—and she did it with an unhinged sense of hatred and anger rarely seen in main characters. Truly morally gray. Her characterization in the entire book was so strong, and even having not one but two male leads swooning over her, it didn't diminish her spark of turning this patriarchal world upside down. About the two males—Gu Yizhi and Li Shimin, together they also challenged the expectations of love. A real love triangle, not where the two men fight for the woman, but where the three love and cherish each other all the same. Yes, even Shimin and Yizhi as a duo. This is the first time I have encountered a media that portrays polyamory as something that works and is beautiful. It is also notable how the setting of Huaxia, inspired by China and its culture, feels breathed in and real. The culture was imbued in every scene—from the characters that were inspired by real life emperor's and strategists, the Chrysalises that each of them represents a mythical Chinese being, the concept of qi and the five elements, the foot binding process girls has to undergo, the notion that family is more important than anything else, the references to ancient Chinese poetry, the food, and many other things really enriched me as a reader with a Chinese descent. However, the fast pacing of this book did throw me off—like how Zetian's first 'goal' was accomplished a lot faster than I thought it'd be—though as I went halfway, I started to not mind because of how hooked I am to the story. The ending and the climax were quite predictable to me too, along with some twists, but the execution was done so well that I looked past the predictability—and fortunately, a few twists still managed to leave my jaw hanging. Overall, I believe every girl should read this and feel Zetian's rage flow in their blood for no men could step on us.