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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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
a good start to a new (to me) danmei!!
i am intrigued to learn more about gu yun's backstory as well as what is the truth behind chang geng! there are so many things that have been set up in this first volume that i cannot wait to unravel as the story progresses.
i do love the interactions between gu yun and chang geng as it never fails to make my heart ache or laugh... and sometimes both! while this was a bit of a slower read (for me) once i finally got the right circumstances to read, this was a breeze to finish.
can't wait to read more!
i am intrigued to learn more about gu yun's backstory as well as what is the truth behind chang geng! there are so many things that have been set up in this first volume that i cannot wait to unravel as the story progresses.
i do love the interactions between gu yun and chang geng as it never fails to make my heart ache or laugh... and sometimes both! while this was a bit of a slower read (for me) once i finally got the right circumstances to read, this was a breeze to finish.
can't wait to read more!
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not enjoy this. It was boring and took me a long time to read. This author even manages to make fight scenes boring.
However, the plot was every intricate and a lot of care was put into plot, the 2 main characters and world building.
Minus points: the snail pace, fatphobic and transphobic language, racist descriptions of "barbarians" (=non-Chinese)
However, the plot was every intricate and a lot of care was put into plot, the 2 main characters and world building.
Minus points: the snail pace, fatphobic and transphobic language, racist descriptions of "barbarians" (=non-Chinese)
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Transphobia
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven’t read all of Priest’s novels yet, but from the ones I did read ShaPoLang has been my absolute favourite. Diving into its official English translation didn’t change this at all. I LOVE Gu Yun and I adore Chang Geng. I tried to make this book last as long as possible, reading only one or two chapters at a time.
I know a lot of people find it too slow, but I love that the relationship between the MCs actually changes a lot over time. I also love the court politics and how the reader slowly realises what is happening and why. In my teens and tweens I read a lot of steampunk novels and many of them were intriguing and good, but there was never one with a same sex couple. That’s another reason why ShaPoLang (I should try and get used to Stars of Chaos) is so dear to my heart.
The language flows even in English flawlessly and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in Mandarin (with its poetic ways). Priest’s sense of humour is top notch (I haven’t found a Danmei yet, I didn’t laugh out loud over while reading it) and - of course - drama plays a huge role in this book.
One can definitely say that the romance is one-sided in the first book here and it’s absolutely hilarious that Chang Geng’s crush is visible from a mile away for the reader but not for his half blind and often deaf Yifu. I’m looking forward to seeing that change. I wish the publishing schedule for each volume was closer together. At least we’re not that far away from volume two being published.
I know a lot of people find it too slow, but I love that the relationship between the MCs actually changes a lot over time. I also love the court politics and how the reader slowly realises what is happening and why. In my teens and tweens I read a lot of steampunk novels and many of them were intriguing and good, but there was never one with a same sex couple. That’s another reason why ShaPoLang (I should try and get used to Stars of Chaos) is so dear to my heart.
The language flows even in English flawlessly and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in Mandarin (with its poetic ways). Priest’s sense of humour is top notch (I haven’t found a Danmei yet, I didn’t laugh out loud over while reading it) and - of course - drama plays a huge role in this book.
One can definitely say that the romance is one-sided in the first book here and it’s absolutely hilarious that Chang Geng’s crush is visible from a mile away for the reader but not for his half blind and often deaf Yifu. I’m looking forward to seeing that change. I wish the publishing schedule for each volume was closer together. At least we’re not that far away from volume two being published.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
still utterly charming on my 3rd read
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
Loveable characters:
Yes
This is already one of my favourites and I can't wait for the next volume!
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did I like it? Yes
Do I recommend it? Yes
Do I recommend it? Yes
Positives
I really like the silkpunk world and politics (even though I have to pay attention to things more closely). Chang Geng as a main character is so fun because he’s smart but also flawed (like his emotional repression). But it’s more complicated than that because his history has created the desperate need to trust and have someone who cares for him, which is at odds with his perception of masculinity and the independence he feels he needs to survive.
I also like the writing style priest uses a bit more than MXTX.
Negatives
I felt that a lot of the representation was questionable at times, specifically for Cao Niangzi and “the barbarian tribes”. I just find the “barbarian” archetype uncomfortable and distasteful. With regard to Cao Niangzi, it isn’t clear what their gender is, only that people don’t take them seriously especially because of their flirtatious nature.
Lastly, I still just find the series’ romance really questionable. While Chang Geng clearly doesn’t view Gu Yun as his father figure (mostly because he’s not been allowed any safe spaces for emotional vulnerability), Gu Yun does reflect on his thoughts on and experiences with fatherhood when considering his relationship with Chang Geng. Knowing where the series is going, I still find elements of their relationship concerning at this point and I’m not sure I’ll continue the series.