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bookishjosh's review against another edition
4.0
We are all heroes in our own eyes, and monsters in the eyes of those who are different. —Linn
This is another instance of unwarranted hate. It's sad how Twitter almost crushed the dreams of a promising author who only wanted to retell one of the dark periods in Chinese/Asian history. Overly sensitive influencers disregarded Amélie's standpoint, accusing her of Black discrimination (and plagiarism). Now that I've read the ARC and final manuscript, I feel very indignant. But I'm also glad that the author chose to publish her book in spite of all the drama. If anything, negative publicity is still publicity.
Blood Heir is a fantastical reimagining of Anastasia. Anastacya Mikhailov is the crown princess of the Cyrilian Empire, a place where magic is feared but exploited. Because of her dark ability to control blood, Ana is forbidden to leave the palace and has a terrible childhood. One day, the emperor dies of poisoning, and Ana is the immediate suspect. Before her execution, she flees the palace dungeon and formulates a plan to clear her name. Surprisingly, the only person who can help Ana is a con man named Ramson Quicktongue. Regardless of their different objectives, the exiled princess and the notorious criminal team up and discover a shocking conspiracy.
This book was anything but anti-Black. In the ARC, the Author's Note discloses the story's inspiration: Amélie's identity conflict as a Chinese immigrant. Ana, who is constantly called a monster, signifies the demonization of the Other, which is a derogatory term that typically refers to people from the East. So from the get-go, the "monsters" in Blood Heir aren't Black. It's silly to assume otherwise just because the book was published in the USA. Did the bashers read the Author's Note? I guess not! No offense, but Blacks aren't the only ones who have a history of slavery.
As for the plagiarism issue, some parts of the ARC were indeed similar to The Hunger Games. One of the characters died, and Anna sang a nursery rhyme and buried them in lots of flowers. However, the final edition had a different version, probably just to please the haters online. Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that Amélie was guilty of plagiarism. Haven't you guys heard of the words "trope" and "cliche"? If using tropes and cliches were grounds for plagiarism, what would happen to the YA genre?
Now that I've refuted the major allegations, it's time to discuss my actual reading experience. Ironically, I buddy read this book with an influencer. But he wasn't part of the controversy; I think that he did his best to avoid it. Hahaha. I'll call him JG for anonymity's sake. JG and I read Blood Heir for almost a month, and we updated each other regularly on Instagram. It was a cathartic process because I had complaints about daddy-hating Ramson and his slow-paced backstory. Moreover, I needed someone to talk to whenever someone died. Dear Amélie, how could you be so heartless!? LOL
Ana's blood magic wasn't new to me because I was familiar with bloodbending in Avatar: the Last Airbender. However, I liked Ana's active compassion for the oppressed. When she witnessed the corruption outside the palace walls, she promised to do everything in her power to stop it. Also, Ana's facade of coldness made her vulnerability more remarkable. She genuinely loved her family even though they had failed to protect her. Finally, I loved that she never gave in to her growing feelings for Ramson; there wasn't a single kissing scene in this book! <3
JG and I had two favorite protagonists, but I can't tell you their names because neither of them survived! All I can say is that both of them were very dear to Ana. I expected their demise because a happy ending would be unrealistic. Still, it hurt to see the author confirm my suspicions. If another beloved character dies in the sequel, I might send a love letter to the author. xD
The best part of the book was its colonial discourse. As an Asian reader, I found it very relatable. If you Google "slavery in the Philippines," you'll learn that "modern slavery" (e.g., human trafficking and debt bondage) is prevalent in my nation. Many countries in Asia have the same problem, so novels that seek to address it are more than welcome. Slavery is a global dilemma, and the habit of "Othering" makes matters worse.
Blood Heir was one of the most thought-provoking books I read in 2019. It didn't always please me, but it was worth my time and money. I sincerely hope that book two will have a basher-free publication next year.
This is another instance of unwarranted hate. It's sad how Twitter almost crushed the dreams of a promising author who only wanted to retell one of the dark periods in Chinese/Asian history. Overly sensitive influencers disregarded Amélie's standpoint, accusing her of Black discrimination (and plagiarism). Now that I've read the ARC and final manuscript, I feel very indignant. But I'm also glad that the author chose to publish her book in spite of all the drama. If anything, negative publicity is still publicity.
Blood Heir is a fantastical reimagining of Anastasia. Anastacya Mikhailov is the crown princess of the Cyrilian Empire, a place where magic is feared but exploited. Because of her dark ability to control blood, Ana is forbidden to leave the palace and has a terrible childhood. One day, the emperor dies of poisoning, and Ana is the immediate suspect. Before her execution, she flees the palace dungeon and formulates a plan to clear her name. Surprisingly, the only person who can help Ana is a con man named Ramson Quicktongue. Regardless of their different objectives, the exiled princess and the notorious criminal team up and discover a shocking conspiracy.
This book was anything but anti-Black. In the ARC, the Author's Note discloses the story's inspiration: Amélie's identity conflict as a Chinese immigrant. Ana, who is constantly called a monster, signifies the demonization of the Other, which is a derogatory term that typically refers to people from the East. So from the get-go, the "monsters" in Blood Heir aren't Black. It's silly to assume otherwise just because the book was published in the USA. Did the bashers read the Author's Note? I guess not! No offense, but Blacks aren't the only ones who have a history of slavery.
As for the plagiarism issue, some parts of the ARC were indeed similar to The Hunger Games. One of the characters died, and Anna sang a nursery rhyme and buried them in lots of flowers. However, the final edition had a different version, probably just to please the haters online. Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that Amélie was guilty of plagiarism. Haven't you guys heard of the words "trope" and "cliche"? If using tropes and cliches were grounds for plagiarism, what would happen to the YA genre?
Now that I've refuted the major allegations, it's time to discuss my actual reading experience. Ironically, I buddy read this book with an influencer. But he wasn't part of the controversy; I think that he did his best to avoid it. Hahaha. I'll call him JG for anonymity's sake. JG and I read Blood Heir for almost a month, and we updated each other regularly on Instagram. It was a cathartic process because I had complaints about daddy-hating Ramson and his slow-paced backstory. Moreover, I needed someone to talk to whenever someone died. Dear Amélie, how could you be so heartless!? LOL
Ana's blood magic wasn't new to me because I was familiar with bloodbending in Avatar: the Last Airbender. However, I liked Ana's active compassion for the oppressed. When she witnessed the corruption outside the palace walls, she promised to do everything in her power to stop it. Also, Ana's facade of coldness made her vulnerability more remarkable. She genuinely loved her family even though they had failed to protect her. Finally, I loved that she never gave in to her growing feelings for Ramson; there wasn't a single kissing scene in this book! <3
JG and I had two favorite protagonists, but I can't tell you their names because neither of them survived! All I can say is that both of them were very dear to Ana. I expected their demise because a happy ending would be unrealistic. Still, it hurt to see the author confirm my suspicions. If another beloved character dies in the sequel, I might send a love letter to the author. xD
The best part of the book was its colonial discourse. As an Asian reader, I found it very relatable. If you Google "slavery in the Philippines," you'll learn that "modern slavery" (e.g., human trafficking and debt bondage) is prevalent in my nation. Many countries in Asia have the same problem, so novels that seek to address it are more than welcome. Slavery is a global dilemma, and the habit of "Othering" makes matters worse.
Blood Heir was one of the most thought-provoking books I read in 2019. It didn't always please me, but it was worth my time and money. I sincerely hope that book two will have a basher-free publication next year.
biancas_library's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The beginning was so interesting and I was immediately hooked to the story. However, the plot could not hold up and got a bit boring and repetitive from the middle onward. I think that the storyline is nothing special for a YA Fantasy but it had potential. I liked the magic system but I think it was poorly explained. It wasn't really clear which affinities exist and how they could manifest themselves. Some affinities we encountered during the story seemed a bit random to me. The biggest selling point of this story, to me, is the atmospheric setting.
I liked Ramson the most and found Ana to be a bit annoying. Their relationship had the potential to be an epic enemies to lovers love story but eventually (as so often in YA Fantasy) fell flat because they somehow stopped their rivalry and liked each other all of a sudden.
I won't be continuing this series.
I liked Ramson the most and found Ana to be a bit annoying. Their relationship had the potential to be an epic enemies to lovers love story but eventually (as so often in YA Fantasy) fell flat because they somehow stopped their rivalry and liked each other all of a sudden.
I won't be continuing this series.
adelle_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Něco mezi 3/5 a 4/5. Moje druhá kniha od Wen Zhao a v podstatě dopadla úplně stejně - je to kreativní, není to vždycky jen černobílé, ale zároveň... je to občas takové nijaké.
Upřímně, moc se mi nelíbí to popření komunistické historie a variace na ruskou kulturu; worldbuilding, který probíhá hlavně stylem, že všemu dáme názvy velmi podobné určitému jazyku, zrovna v lásce nemám. Ale budiž. Hlavní postavy jsou skutečně na stupních šedi, jak se i samy popisují, a to je fajn, ale Ana mi lezla na nervy. Že je postava cíleně hloupá, aby prošla vývojem, to je jasný, a říkala jsem si, že když jde o trilogii, třeba jí to prostě bude trvat déle, ale autorka opakuje v podstatě stejné scény a Ana se pořád chová úplně stejně. A co mi lezlo krkem maximálně, byla deus ex machina zjevení, která absolutně nedávala smysl a byla tam jenom proto, aby se děj posunul. Uf.
Celkově jsem od toho čekala krapet víc, ale do pokračování určitě půjdu.
Upřímně, moc se mi nelíbí to popření komunistické historie a variace na ruskou kulturu; worldbuilding, který probíhá hlavně stylem, že všemu dáme názvy velmi podobné určitému jazyku, zrovna v lásce nemám. Ale budiž. Hlavní postavy jsou skutečně na stupních šedi, jak se i samy popisují, a to je fajn, ale Ana mi lezla na nervy. Že je postava cíleně hloupá, aby prošla vývojem, to je jasný, a říkala jsem si, že když jde o trilogii, třeba jí to prostě bude trvat déle, ale autorka opakuje v podstatě stejné scény a Ana se pořád chová úplně stejně. A co mi lezlo krkem maximálně, byla deus ex machina zjevení, která absolutně nedávala smysl a byla tam jenom proto, aby se děj posunul. Uf.
Celkově jsem od toho čekala krapet víc, ale do pokračování určitě půjdu.
drymming's review against another edition
2.0
The beginnning was interesting and then i heard there was no real character growth and when i found out it was an anastasia retelling it fell flat because at the moment i am not really interested in an anastasia retelling. Maybe it's all about the wrong time for this one... Also the name RAMSON for a love interest was a no for me.
nanzi38's review
4.0
My rate is actually 4.5. I loved the Authors take on magic and that Ana’s was extremely rare. I’m excited to see what happens in the next two books and see how Ana and Ramson’s relationship grows but also how she wins her kingdom back!
witcheep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I got more out of analysing the characters than from the plot; the plot doesn't offer anything very new to a reader who consumes a lot of fantasy. The magic system is built upon affinities of different kinds of magic and has the potential to be interesting, but unfortunately it is left somewhat vague. The big plot lines are quite predictable, but the smaller nuances and the intertwining of different plot lines is entertaining and at some points even surprising.
In the beginning of the book the main character Ana is an annoyingly naive, impulsive and irrational person who sees the world as black and white, divided clearly into good and evil. She has always regarded the world from the perspective of a vastly privileged aristocratic heir, which skews her thinking. Suddenly Ana is framed for the murder of her father, the emperor. Ana flees to avoid execution, but struggles to change her attitude and view of the world, even when her new position of no privileges forces her to face a whole new side to the world. I almost DNF'd the Blood Heir because how annoying Ana was, especially with her friend May.
Ramson's character is what saved the story for me and kept me reading. He is introduced as a crime lord, but it is revealed that he is actually more like ahenchman, altough high in the hierarchy, and comes from a more morally noble background . His world views include thinking everyone as some shade of gray, the choises and actions defining people rather than them being just good or bad. It is a little disappointing that he isn't written as a properly bad character.
Ana and Ramson don't always get along, but they get friendly with each other in their own ways even if they make mistakes along the way. It is fun reading her and Ana's bickering. Ramson's views on gray morality and defining choises rub on Ana as well, and she begins to try to think for herself a little more (and while doing so, slowly sheds the naivety and impulsiveness a little, yay! ). This impact to Ana is also resiprocated, since Ana makes Ramson question his morality and motivations as well. That is what I enjoyed the most in the book. I always seem to enjoy seeing characters having an impact in each other's way of thinking and acting, especially when it offers both of them something that makes them more contented with themselves.
In the beginning of the book the main character Ana is an annoyingly naive, impulsive and irrational person who sees the world as black and white, divided clearly into good and evil. She has always regarded the world from the perspective of a vastly privileged aristocratic heir, which skews her thinking. Suddenly Ana is framed for the murder of her father, the emperor. Ana flees to avoid execution, but struggles to change her attitude and view of the world, even when her new position of no privileges forces her to face a whole new side to the world. I almost DNF'd the Blood Heir because how annoying Ana was, especially with her friend May.
Ramson's character is what saved the story for me and kept me reading. He is introduced as a crime lord, but it is revealed that he is actually more like a
Ana and Ramson don't always get along, but they get friendly with each other in their own ways even if they make mistakes along the way. It is fun reading her and Ana's bickering. Ramson's views on gray morality and defining choises rub on Ana as well, and she begins to try to think for herself a little more (
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Torture, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual assault
kmar2726's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
It was a nice book, think the ending was a bit, idk, unsatisfying. It’s like they needed to somehow make it all go wrong again so the second book could come out.
kalipsiya's review against another edition
3.0
Read for the Asian readathon 2020, prompt 2: Reed a book featuring an Asian character or written by an Asian author who you can relate to.
This book was a let down for me. The world felt empty and generic, the magic system was interesting but never properly explored, characters were introduced to be plot devices and/or to be just killed off so we can move on to the next character we never got to know or care about. The romance was boring and it just seemed to come from no where. I wanted to dnf but I pushed through. The story was also quite repetitive and in every act I felt like I already knew what would happen.
This book was a let down for me. The world felt empty and generic, the magic system was interesting but never properly explored, characters were introduced to be plot devices and/or to be just killed off so we can move on to the next character we never got to know or care about. The romance was boring and it just seemed to come from no where. I wanted to dnf but I pushed through. The story was also quite repetitive and in every act I felt like I already knew what would happen.
girlbeneathsea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0