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adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
F/F MC relationship which was almost a backdrop to the themes of medical ethics, personal & societal responsibility, and the understanding of how to become a better person. Post-apocalyptic sci-fantasy retelling of what felt like a vietnamese fairy tale (I see other reviews say it's Beauty and the Beast, but is there really not a Viet equivalent?)
A novella with interesting worldbuilding and quite a few feelings.
A novella with interesting worldbuilding and quite a few feelings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Body horror, Death
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Slavery, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
To be honest I have been reading In the Vanisher's Palace for a lot longer than the logged time on StoryGraph says. It's been a comfort read of mine for many months now, and eventually I chose to only check in on Yên and Vu Côn when I was bathing. Then I could give it my undivided attention and fully drink in every word, and this is a story where words matter.
The world building is almost painfully rich, depicting a world in ruin that doesn't feel at all dissimilar to our own, but the detail never feels as though it detracts from the central love story. The love story itself is deftly told, acquiescing to all the questions and doubts a reader might have but convincing them that yes, it can work, and should work, and both should stand to grow from it.
The range of sexualities and genders in the cast is astonishing. I felt a deep, warm ache reading this story—is this how it feels, to read compelling literature about gay women and nonbinary characters? I don't doubt that Asian readers, especially LGBT Vietnamese readers, will feel even more sated.
This is an incredible story and it is stunningly easy to read. If you want to read about dragons, women-loving-women, and an intriguing world ravaged by magical plagues, then you owe it to yourself to pick this up.
The world building is almost painfully rich, depicting a world in ruin that doesn't feel at all dissimilar to our own, but the detail never feels as though it detracts from the central love story. The love story itself is deftly told, acquiescing to all the questions and doubts a reader might have but convincing them that yes, it can work, and should work, and both should stand to grow from it.
The range of sexualities and genders in the cast is astonishing. I felt a deep, warm ache reading this story—is this how it feels, to read compelling literature about gay women and nonbinary characters? I don't doubt that Asian readers, especially LGBT Vietnamese readers, will feel even more sated.
This is an incredible story and it is stunningly easy to read. If you want to read about dragons, women-loving-women, and an intriguing world ravaged by magical plagues, then you owe it to yourself to pick this up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Medical content, Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness
There is a part where Yên has a terminal illness but it is ultimately healed.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very distressing story and setting. Post-apocolyptic and somewhat post-colonial. Story involves kidnapping, Beauty & the Beast-style "romance," and very serious medical/illness related themes. I rarely feel that a book is paced too fast for me but I often felt myself wishing we spent more time getting to know the characters and letting the story play out at less of a breakneck pace. Gorgeous imagery.
Recommend for fans of queer romance enemy to lovers novels.
Recommend for fans of queer romance enemy to lovers novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief
Minor: Sexual content