Scan barcode
brookey8888's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
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
3.5
That ending pissed me off.
The first hundred pages of this I was bored and confused, but then I started to get into it and the characters and their interactions and ended up enjoying the rest. I really loved our main character and the strength she had and the relationships she developed especially with the king(?). The ending though?? Like I’m glad the author went there(I didn’t realize this was a retelling so it makes sense), but I’m not exactly happy she did.
The first hundred pages of this I was bored and confused, but then I started to get into it and the characters and their interactions and ended up enjoying the rest. I really loved our main character and the strength she had and the relationships she developed especially with the king(?). The ending though?? Like I’m glad the author went there(I didn’t realize this was a retelling so it makes sense), but I’m not exactly happy she did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Trafficking, Violence, War, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Torture
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: public execution, slavery, rape as a tactic of war, war, death of a parent, death of a child, murder, general violence, suicide
The Bird and The Blade by Megan Bannen is a YA historical fiction set during the 13th century Mongol period. Bannen said this is a reinterpretation of an 28th century French opera set in the Mongol Empire.
We follow Jinghua, a slave to the Mongols. The book goes back and forth in the timeline, the bulk of it the story of how they got where they were at the beginning of the book. When Jinghua's masters, Timur Khan and his son Khalaf, on the losing side of a war and find themselves deposed and without a country, she chooses to stay with them.
Throughout the novel we only get glimpses of who Jinghua was before she was a slave. It is clear she was at least of nobility in the Song Empire in China. We get a slow burn romance here that at first I didn't really care for. Who falls in love with someone just because they showed you kindness a couple of times. Idk maybe that's demiro in me. Kindness is a low bar.
I do sort of like and admire Turandokt for advocating for herself and not allowing her father to just give her away to some man who will steal her power. She devises three riddles that a prospective suitor must answer in seven minutes or be publicly executed on the spot. No pressure, right 😬?
Obviously we find out that Khalaf has a good chance of answering the riddles correctly, intelligent as he is, but Jinghua knows it will only end with his death. I found that Timur Khan growing on me throughout the book, because of his relationship with Jinghua. He used the nickname Little Bird for her. He became a good curmudgeonly character.
The imagery in this was beautiful. I loved the recurring imagery of Jasmine flowers and the cyclical nature of storytelling. Make no mistake, this is an opera, therefore a tragedy. I won't spoil it, just know that I cried so hard I needed a tissue break at the end. I had no expectations of this book going in, but I really enjoyed it and appreciated the author's note at the end.
The Bird and The Blade by Megan Bannen is a YA historical fiction set during the 13th century Mongol period. Bannen said this is a reinterpretation of an 28th century French opera set in the Mongol Empire.
We follow Jinghua, a slave to the Mongols. The book goes back and forth in the timeline, the bulk of it the story of how they got where they were at the beginning of the book. When Jinghua's masters, Timur Khan and his son Khalaf, on the losing side of a war and find themselves deposed and without a country, she chooses to stay with them.
Throughout the novel we only get glimpses of who Jinghua was before she was a slave. It is clear she was at least of nobility in the Song Empire in China. We get a slow burn romance here that at first I didn't really care for. Who falls in love with someone just because they showed you kindness a couple of times. Idk maybe that's demiro in me. Kindness is a low bar.
I do sort of like and admire Turandokt for advocating for herself and not allowing her father to just give her away to some man who will steal her power. She devises three riddles that a prospective suitor must answer in seven minutes or be publicly executed on the spot. No pressure, right 😬?
Obviously we find out that Khalaf has a good chance of answering the riddles correctly, intelligent as he is, but Jinghua knows it will only end with his death. I found that Timur Khan growing on me throughout the book, because of his relationship with Jinghua. He used the nickname Little Bird for her. He became a good curmudgeonly character.
The imagery in this was beautiful. I loved the recurring imagery of Jasmine flowers and the cyclical nature of storytelling. Make no mistake, this is an opera, therefore a tragedy. I won't spoil it, just know that I cried so hard I needed a tissue break at the end. I had no expectations of this book going in, but I really enjoyed it and appreciated the author's note at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, War, and Child death
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Rape
More...