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tinyjude's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Gaming, Chinese history, mythology and legends of emperors roasting each other while possessing kids, mix in this fast-paced book that will surely become a middle grade favourite in the next years. The social commentary mixes with several cultural references to videogames, movies, etc creating some hilarious parallelisms while criticizing tyranical governments, (American) patriotism, racism and xenophobia, patriarchy and even slightly heteronormativity. Zachary is a already a gay mess and we love him for it.
As a side note, I found many similarities with Percy Jackson, granted bc it's the only middle age book I have read in a long time and because both follow a very classic structure, but still both are very charismatic and enjoyable, so if you have read Percy Jackson, you will surely fall in love with this book, GIVE IT A TRY! Xiran does a phenomenal job and I need more books by them.
As a side note, I found many similarities with Percy Jackson, granted bc it's the only middle age book I have read in a long time and because both follow a very classic structure, but still both are very charismatic and enjoyable, so if you have read Percy Jackson, you will surely fall in love with this book, GIVE IT A TRY! Xiran does a phenomenal job and I need more books by them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, War, Xenophobia, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Suicide
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death, Murder, Grief, and Confinement
Minor: Genocide, Suicide, War, and Colonisation
onironic's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
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? It's complicated
3.75
This book is very entertaining. I enjoyed it very much, and I hadn't been sure I would since I hadn't been very fond of Iron Widow, Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel. The premise was too interesting to pass over, though, and I'm very glad I didn't.
I'm not this book's target audience, but I don't feel you have to be to enjoy it. For one, it's just fun, and very funny. I'm not sure if it's the author's writing style developing, or just that this premise suits it better, but a lot of the problems I had with the style of Iron Widow don't apply here, or are actually a boon for this particular story. It made me laugh out loud multiple times, and while many times the author's voice broke through the narrative, it was all right because I think they were saying something that even a little left of center of the target audience as I was, I could feel how it was going to resonate with someone, could tell it was something the author desperately needed to say, and something someone, somewhere, needed to hear.
For another, it does something I enjoy in YA books, which is that it treats their main characters...like kids. As in, kids who make mistakes and don't always notice things that an adult would and sometimes that causes problems (and sometimes it solves them, but that's basically the YA genre as a whole so I'm not sure it deserves special mention). I won't spoil you, but I will say that if you're reading this book and are an adult or older teen, and a red flag or twenty or 100,000 or so start waving...you probably aren't wrong. I'll leave it at that. (I lied. Not really spoilers but behind a cut just in case since it's sliiiightly spoilery.)And obviously the protagonist isn't going to see it, which makes it even better. It's a completely natural tension. What 12-year-old who has adults falling over themselves insisting they're the only ones who could possibly help them is going to look at that strangely? Of course they're competent enough to handle adult problems (says the preteen). Oh, they're being sworn to secrecy and can't tell their adults anything? Sounds legit. ('Hey, kid, I got some candy wishes in here, you want some?' says Tang Taizong, hanging out of white van while Wu Zetian mans the gas pedal.) What 12-year-old knows - and I mean really knows - that they are, in fact, only 12? That's realistic. Meanwhile an adult hears these conversations and should slowly be reaching for the nearest baseball bat, but instead has to suffer in silence watching these children stumble into a trap you badly want to protect them from but can't.
Also, Zach is a very good kid. I'm proud of him.
I'm not this book's target audience, but I don't feel you have to be to enjoy it. For one, it's just fun, and very funny. I'm not sure if it's the author's writing style developing, or just that this premise suits it better, but a lot of the problems I had with the style of Iron Widow don't apply here, or are actually a boon for this particular story. It made me laugh out loud multiple times, and while many times the author's voice broke through the narrative, it was all right because I think they were saying something that even a little left of center of the target audience as I was, I could feel how it was going to resonate with someone, could tell it was something the author desperately needed to say, and something someone, somewhere, needed to hear.
For another, it does something I enjoy in YA books, which is that it treats their main characters...like kids. As in, kids who make mistakes and don't always notice things that an adult would and sometimes that causes problems (and sometimes it solves them, but that's basically the YA genre as a whole so I'm not sure it deserves special mention). I won't spoil you, but I will say that if you're reading this book and are an adult or older teen, and a red flag or twenty or 100,000 or so start waving...you probably aren't wrong. I'll leave it at that. (I lied. Not really spoilers but behind a cut just in case since it's sliiiightly spoilery.)
Also, Zach is a very good kid. I'm proud of him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Racism
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, War, Suicide, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
A fun, fast-paced, intricate adventure with the vibrance and adrenaline of gaming, the depth and philosophy of traditional mythologies, and the heart and hope of family and friends. I was skeptical of the "Percy Jackson meets Yu-Gi-Oh" billing, but it's pretty fair! I don't think I've had this much fun with a middle grade fantasy since the first Tristan Strong book and Kiki Kalliri Breaks a Kingdom.
Things I loved:
• the sensitive discussion and representation of how ethnically diverse China and the diaspora are (our main character, Zach, is Muslim Chinese American)
• the funny chapter titles and pop culture hooks
• the way Chinese history and legends were explained throughout
• how nothing was forced into a simplistic black-and-white perspective
Things I loved:
• the sensitive discussion and representation of how ethnically diverse China and the diaspora are (our main character, Zach, is Muslim Chinese American)
• the funny chapter titles and pop culture hooks
• the way Chinese history and legends were explained throughout
• how nothing was forced into a simplistic black-and-white perspective
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Islamophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Xenophobia, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Kidnapping, Racism, War, and Xenophobia
Possession/loss of willpvbobrien's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, Grief, Islamophobia, Police brutality, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, War, and Xenophobia
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