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ka_schulze's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, and Terminal illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder, War, Violence, and Abandonment
wrenthebard's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is genuinely one of my very favorite series, and getting to learn more about the abbey and the neixin companions is just what I wanted. Here's to many more!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Animal death, War, Death, and Domestic abuse
jayisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Vo returns with beautiful prose for The Singing Hills Cycle, and I was really taken to the particular focus on the complexities of grief. Mammoths at the Gates felt a bit heavier and more serious than the previous installments, with Chih having to contend with grief and loss. Another key theme that I really appreciated was having to deal with the inevitability of change, which always is a struggle. I wish we could have sat longer with Chih's feelings and have time to reflect after they were away from home for years, but that would likely result in the book no longer being a novella. All things considered, though, I thought Vo did a great job exploring these deep themes without it being too shallow, while also still delivering a compelling story.
While these novellas can be read in any order, I personally think Mammoths at the Gates will be more impactful of a read if you read at least one the other novellas first.
While these novellas can be read in any order, I personally think Mammoths at the Gates will be more impactful of a read if you read at least one the other novellas first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, and Violence
Minor: War and Domestic abuse
librarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Like all the rest in this series, Mammoths at the Gates is an incredible story told in iterations. This story was more nuanced in how the story was shared and retold over again, in that it was told through the events of the book, rather than the events of the book being the telling of stories. I enjoyed the nuance of Myriad Virtues' story - both the ones she shares and the glimpse readers are given of her life. The reciprocal devotion between her and her cleric creates a whole new mode of shared existence between them. Similarly, I enjoyed the exploration of the nuance of a person's life, questioning the hero-worship and the avoidance of speaking ill of the dead, when there is always at least one bad act in a person's life to be addressed. This book was a cozy, engaging read, and it prompted questions on how the dead are memorialized and remembered, and how the living are able to grieve.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Violence
Minor: War
sarah984's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a beautiful little story about grief, change and growth - coming home to a place and people that have changed, ways to handle grief and what you carry with you. I thought the ending was a little too convenient but overall I loved this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, War, Excrement, Self harm, Transphobia, and Animal death
laurareads87's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
In Mammoths at the Gates, the fourth installment in the Singing Hills series of novellas, story monk Chih returns home to the Singing Hills Abbey to find... mammoths at the gates. In their absence, an elder monk Cleric Thien has passed, and their relatives are at the abbey asking to have their body returned. Chih and acting Divine Ru must navigate their grieving processes and the grief of those at the abbey, including especially Cleric Thien's neixin Myriad Virtues, while honouring Thien's memory and their own traditions without angering Thien's relatives -- and their mammoths -- that they storm in. A lovely exploration of grieving, remembrance, and honouring. I am grateful for the Singing Hills Cycle and hope to have many more times with Chih and Almost Brilliant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: War
uranaishi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Animal cruelty, Violence, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Animal death, and Classism
Minor: Abandonment, Transphobia, Blood, Bullying, Dementia, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Medical content
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