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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-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
Iron Widow was amazing, but this book was much slower; a lot of plot building, mc indecisive emotions. Reading the acknowledgements reminded the reader that this series is based on Empress Wu’s actual history, so I kinda makes sense for so much plot building with the politics.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So impressed and devastated!
medium-paced
First of all, I don’t fault anyone for enjoying the book since the writing was engaging and you truly do feel like you’re inside Zetian’s head. But that was not a head that I was willing to spend 21 hours in. For my own sake, I can’t continue it.
As a trans person, I thought that it was incredibly poor taste to have the main character equate forced genital mutilation to the concept of what about a person’s body makes someone a certain gender, especially with the current political climate equating “mutilation” to the trans experience. That was not the time to create that kind of allegory.
To equate the two, even with a character as troubled as Zetian, was inappropriate.
As a trans person, I thought that it was incredibly poor taste to have the main character equate forced genital mutilation to the concept of what about a person’s body makes someone a certain gender, especially with the current political climate equating “mutilation” to the trans experience. That was not the time to create that kind of allegory.
To equate the two, even with a character as troubled as Zetian, was inappropriate.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes