Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

35 reviews

samchase112's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This vivid fantasy is the definition of a whirlwind! It raced through (and I mean raced) Xingyin’s development from naive teenager to confident, powerful warrior. Her transformation was wonderful to witness, but I wish time was allowed to stop down and explore how she was feeling in each moment, and what built the changes to her character — not just the big moments that define her life, but the little things that made her who she is by the end of the book. I’ve seen many comparisons to Chinese historical dramas, and that definitely tracks. I enjoyed the adventure, romance,  coming of age, and incredibly well-done world building — and flipping the pages became compulsive — yet I’m also still reeling a bit by how fast everything happened. All that to be said...I’m looking forward to book 2 to discover how Xingyin’s story wraps up!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Violence, and War

Minor: Alcohol

clairew97's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-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? N/A

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Medical content, Slavery, War, Alcohol, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Confinement, and Violence

ong's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Reading this feels like reading poetry. How Sue Lynn Tan describes everything is just 100/10 spectacular beautiful amazing stunning. As one of chinese descent, it’s nice to finally read a fantasy book with familiar lores. From the tales to the food, the dresses and action scenes which I can easily picture in my head from years of watching asian dramas, my heart was filled with warmth the entire time.
Now onto the characters. Xingyin. Our 小星。At first so untouched by the realities of the cruel world out there, now a warrior, survivor, savior and more. Very in theme too that she was never shown what healthy love & relationships looks like so when she was thrown in a ‘love triangle’ she couldn’t made up her mind ever and felt unworthy.
Liwei. What can I say. 10/10 best of all of us.
Fuck people in power by the way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Bullying, and Violence

Minor: Classism, War, Murder, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture

asahome's review against another edition

3.75

To free her mother, a woman challenges societal expectations while two men fight for her love because she's the most awesomest ever. 
 

I love learning about new cultures and mythology. It makes my little heart pitter patter. This world was rich and beautiful, full of complex structures and breathtaking imagery. I loved that she fought for everything she had both with her strength and her strength of character.

I was surprised to find I enjoyed the main character as is frequently not the case with first person narratives, especially from a female perspective. While she was arrogant/naive at times, she tried to be honorable in every way she could. I especially enjoyed the way she honed her skills and took advantage of every opportunity she could to advance herself without stepping on others. I felt for her when she was betrayed by her love. I rooted for her in battle and laughed with her as she played with her friends. 

I also enjoyed her love interests. They weren't ridiculous in courting her nor overly solicitous as if she was incapable. They respected her wishes and supported her decisions. They sought her guidance and asked rather than demanded. Each relationship was allowed space to blossom and, while not liking each other, the men never got in a direct pissing match.

I cannot say which one I preferred as at times they both betrayed her and stood for her when she needed it.

Content Warnings by Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan - Book Trigger Warnings 

I was disheartened when her second love was willing to sacrifice their love to enslave the dragons. I don't know how to spell the names of the characters because it was an audiobook, but I thought she could be free of her ill-fated love for the Celestial Prince and be happy with the Cloud Prince. The resolution to the dragons' problem was genius though she paid a steep price for it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, War, Kidnapping, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Grief, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, and Infidelity

annamorgan27's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol and Death of parent

moonrisxng's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

romantic fantasy and adventure that was a dream to read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Gore, Alcohol, Bullying, Kidnapping, and Violence

hiddeninfantasy's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Rape, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Abandonment, Confinement, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, and Sexual assault

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

The worldbuilding unfolds slowly, with early mentions of the various kingdoms supplemented later on by more detailed descriptions once Xingyin actually travels there. The descriptions are evocative but not overwhelming, tending to focus more on her thoughts about what she observes. There’s a strong focus on Xingyin’s internal life, as her relationships get more complicated but she’s still keeping her parentage a secret. She’s the daughter of the moon goddess, having grown up in secret since her mother was exiled to the moon after claiming the immortality meant for her husband, Xingyin’s father. 

I like the first third and I love the second half, in between those sections the pacing gets a little weird though it’s still pretty good. Mid-book events which in some other story might be a training montage instead are collapsed into a very brief mention as several years are skipped at once. Xingyin ends up in the Celestial palace, surrounded by people who despise her for her class and who would detest her if they knew who her mother really was. After spending several years as the prince’s companion, she tries to make her own way by excelling at arms, becoming a formidable archer. Her goal is to earn a favor from the emperor in order to request her mother’s freedom. 

Once place where this excels is in relationships, specifically the way that Xingyin’s relationships with Prince Liwei and Captain Wenzhi change over time. It is a love triangle, but one which at each stage feels like there are good reasons for the choices Xingyin is making. She proceeds as well as she can while figuring out who she wants, if anyone. I love the ending, it pulls things together in a fantastic way and lays the ground for what the sequel might cover while still letting this first book feel complete.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Blood, Animal death, Violence, Death, Toxic friendship, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Vomit, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, Alcohol, Grief, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Torture

Minor: Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy

troldmand's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Torture, War, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Murder

Minor: Sexual assault