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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Well, this sounded way better than it actually was in the end. I'm still very much in love with the idea of a cooking competition for the gods, but the execution lacked in every way possible. The book is fairly short and everything is sped up to the point where I'm unable to care for literally anything. And why would I? Everything about the plot is so terribly convenient, it's laughable. A problem would occur, everyone would lose their mind over it, and then the solution is found within 2 pages, usually by the main character Cai. Somehow she has the answer for everything after barely thinking about a situation and she is also better than everyone even though she has had the least training. And don't get me started on the love triangle featuring three flat characters. There is a life-threatening competition to impress the gods, and somehow everyone is talking about the love life of these random teenagers. Even the gods are interested in that for whatever reason! Wasted potential on every level and a big disappointment for me.
lighthearted
fast-paced
i was promised high stakes culinary competition with mysterious, bloodthirsty gods. what i got was a love triangle and everyone and their mother desperate to know who our main character, cai ends up with.
only giving this two stars cos the story shines when it comes to the food and yknow, the whole culinary aspect the book was named for?
the characters are insipid and flat, even cai and the writing is so simple. i get that it’s YA but this thing needs so badly to be revised and cut. the amount of mixed tenses mistakes i found alone!!
i also hate bo. well, we as readers don’t get too much about him but i hate that he acts so immature and all like “well, cai should choose me cos i’ve always been there for her.” how about you just leave her alone. seon is boring as hell too but at least he doesn’t choose the moment when cai needs to cook explosive chicken to chat about their feelings. looking at you, bo. other than that, every other character felt two-dimensional, even kama, the supposedly GOD. (minor god but semantics).
the author also has no sense of pacing cos wdym we have songwoon barely making eye contact and acknowledging cai in the beginning and then literally the next day, they’re cooking dinner together and cai is thinking of him as a friend 😭
also, i believe there is some setting up for a sequel (the horror!) since the epilogue does hint as such. if that happens, i will NOT be picking it up.
only giving this two stars cos the story shines when it comes to the food and yknow, the whole culinary aspect the book was named for?
the characters are insipid and flat, even cai and the writing is so simple. i get that it’s YA but this thing needs so badly to be revised and cut. the amount of mixed tenses mistakes i found alone!!
i also hate bo. well, we as readers don’t get too much about him but i hate that he acts so immature and all like “well, cai should choose me cos i’ve always been there for her.” how about you just leave her alone. seon is boring as hell too but at least he doesn’t choose the moment when cai needs to cook explosive chicken to chat about their feelings. looking at you, bo. other than that, every other character felt two-dimensional, even kama, the supposedly GOD. (minor god but semantics).
the author also has no sense of pacing cos wdym we have songwoon barely making eye contact and acknowledging cai in the beginning and then literally the next day, they’re cooking dinner together and cai is thinking of him as a friend 😭
also, i believe there is some setting up for a sequel (the horror!) since the epilogue does hint as such. if that happens, i will NOT be picking it up.
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so fun!!! I devoured this book in a day and it was such a delight!
I loved the romance, the banter, the trials, the mythology, it was such a fun short read, and now I want to read everything Ms. Lim releases in the future!!
I loved the romance, the banter, the trials, the mythology, it was such a fun short read, and now I want to read everything Ms. Lim releases in the future!!
I love that this story centered around food and the power of food culture. The Celestial Banquet is such a unique take on the deadly trials trope and I think that is what I liked most about this. It definitely gave Iron Chef vibes but with gods and death. The history of the continent and the work building was fascinating, and I wish we could have had more of it, yet it still felt very immersive and fantastical.
I liked Saint and her character arc. I think she showed growth as a chef and a person. The only thing that was lacking was the romance story. It didn’t really develop and I never felt any true chemistry between Sai and either of the males. I actually think this book might have been better off with a romantic plot in it.
This is not my first audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus, and -as usual- they give a very solid performance. The different voices for characters and the tone was always spot on and easy to follow. I didn’t love the singing portion, but that’s really just because I’m not huge on those scenes in general. I cannot fault Naudus’ performance at all, and definitely recommend checking out their other works as well.
quick and easy read. don't think....too hard... i didn't care for the romance tho.
Celestial Banquet by Roselle Lim follows Cai, a noodle chef, as she enters the Celestial Banquet, a cooking competition for the gods. The stakes are high, as winning the Celestial Banquet provides riches and immortality, while losing provides likely despair at the hands of the gods.
The Celestial Banquet had highs and lows for me.
I loved the concept of the Celestial Banquet. I’ve always been a fan of stories that include competition, and the Celestial Banquet provided that for me and did a great job. The competition did not take over the story, but was just one aspect of it. However, one other large part of the story was the love triangle in which Cai was attempting to decide between two love interests. I unfortunately found myself not caring about the romance side of this book.
I loved the descriptions of food throughout the book, and often found myself hungry while reading. I think this book would make an AMAZING movie, particularly animated. The audiobook made me feel this way in particular. I listen to this book as well as having an E-ARC and the audio allowed me to visualize the story in even more depth. The narrator did an amazing job and really provided a voice for Cai.
The book felt a little too YA for me, particularly with the first person point of view, but that has more to do with me and my preferences. I think this would be a great read for upper middle school, however all ages can definitely enjoy it, I certainly did!
Thank you to Sweet July Books and Netgalley for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review!
The Celestial Banquet had highs and lows for me.
I loved the concept of the Celestial Banquet. I’ve always been a fan of stories that include competition, and the Celestial Banquet provided that for me and did a great job. The competition did not take over the story, but was just one aspect of it. However, one other large part of the story was the love triangle in which Cai was attempting to decide between two love interests. I unfortunately found myself not caring about the romance side of this book.
I loved the descriptions of food throughout the book, and often found myself hungry while reading. I think this book would make an AMAZING movie, particularly animated. The audiobook made me feel this way in particular. I listen to this book as well as having an E-ARC and the audio allowed me to visualize the story in even more depth. The narrator did an amazing job and really provided a voice for Cai.
The book felt a little too YA for me, particularly with the first person point of view, but that has more to do with me and my preferences. I think this would be a great read for upper middle school, however all ages can definitely enjoy it, I certainly did!
Thank you to Sweet July Books and Netgalley for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review!
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
I cannot believe there’s batik in a fantasy world, with the character wearing it described like a stereotypical Indonesian with brown skin. You can’t even argue it’s just the inspiration or reimagination for a fantasy story because it’s not a similar form of art, it’s batik. It has its own history. When it’s not your culture, either do your research properly or don’t write about it at all. If I see another Filipino author writing about Indonesians (or seemingly Indonesian-inspired fantasy race) wearing batik, I would scream.
That aside, the writing is so juvenile and unpolished. For a book that offers such an interesting premise, it sure spends a lot of time focusing on the aspect that matters the least: the love triangle. Who cares about the competition and the stakes, don’t we all love a good old love triangle with flat characters and zero chemistry? Priorities, man. I pushed through for the food because that was the only thing I cared about in this book, but it ends so abruptly it feels unfinished. It makes no sense, and the payoff is so not worth it.
That aside, the writing is so juvenile and unpolished. For a book that offers such an interesting premise, it sure spends a lot of time focusing on the aspect that matters the least: the love triangle. Who cares about the competition and the stakes, don’t we all love a good old love triangle with flat characters and zero chemistry? Priorities, man. I pushed through for the food because that was the only thing I cared about in this book, but it ends so abruptly it feels unfinished. It makes no sense, and the payoff is so not worth it.