Reviews

Complessivo 5- ⭐️

Questo primo libro mi ha trascinata moltissimo nella prima parte, che ho trovato "frizzante" e stimolante, anche se, a essere sincera, in alcuni momenti il ritmo e le scene sembravano troppo "moderne" per l'ambientazione.

Detto ciò, quella parte comunque l'ho trovata piacevolissima.

Ho amato molto il carattere determinato di Rin, la sua volontà di non uniformarsi a ciò che la società voleva per una ragazza orfana e non di nobili nascite.

Bellissima tutta la crescita iniziale, la volontà ferrea di affermarsi, di diventare un soldato. Bellissima anche la parte con il Maestro da lei scelto.

E poi la spaccatura.
Il libro cambia totalmente tono, così come è giusto che accada quando arriva la guerra, con i suoi orrori, la realtà di scelte difficilissime e terrificanti da prendere, al punto da non sapere più chi sei.

Alla fine di questo primo libro, il cambiamento di Rin è fumoso e "oscuro" e nemmeno io da lettrice sono in grado di capire se sia quello giusto o meno.

Il libro comunque ha una struttura molto ben accurata, sia di elementi fantasy/mitologici che di quelli riguardanti le battaglie e le strategie di guerra. Crudo e terrificante in alcuni capitoli, ma non avrebbe potuto essere altrimenti.

Di sicuro proseguo con la saga per capire dove Rin arriverà.

Consigliato.

yorit1's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

booknerd93's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

jajmegint's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

zsabella's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

content warnings:

genocide, mentions of rape/sexual assault (off-page), injury detail/body dismemberment, torture, self-harm (burning), menstruation (period pain), animal death

I feel like I shouldn’t have liked this as much as I did, all triggers and objectionable morals considered. this is one of those series that should be touted as a “revenge” epic and shouldn't be recommended or gifted lightly—let's promise to have some due diligence when researching a new adult historical fantasy to read going forward, please!

the first half is a lot stronger than the last—the academic setting of sinegard is so entertaining and the relationships rin formed there felt natural and built on pretty solid foundations. then the actual war ensues, and I felt some of my good will slipping. there’s a lot of telling via narration/simple dialogue than showing that I couldn’t help notice, but I can’t fault rebecca kuang for trying anyway to write a debut this ambitious.

there are lots of side characters with potential to become big personal faves, but I couldn’t take rin’s idolization of altan seriously. he seemed interesting at first, then came off as an overcompensating cog of a military empire forced to command the most ill-equipped division of nikan—not a “complex martyr”. the idea of a young, broken commander with a survivor complex IS interesting, but the execution was confusing and didn’t feel handled with the best care, so any time spent with altan gave me whiplash.

I’m conflicted about the ending and whether rin as the amoral lead actually buys into the Great Lie she’s told to live by after her finale moment.

there is a larger discussion that might be due on the use of an alternate history angle of the sino-japanese wars, but I’m neither confident nor have a degree in chinese history like kuang to interpret her literary intentions here. on first pass, historically accurate and graphic details ARE there, but that’s just it—they’re spelled out plainly because the atrocities are too awful to ignore or wave away, but to me weren’t necessarily utilized in a way worth getting fired up about. just because crimes against humanity are depicted on the page of a story doesn’t automatically cheapen the narrative and its overall message. there are other alternate history stories out there that would deserve more time and energy to criticize if that were true.

I sense an impending madness arc (which I’m down for!), and even if rin’s refusal to give any benefit of doubt is giving me whiffs of plot armor I’ll reserve full judgment until I read book two. I don’t think I’ve read the final act of a fantasy novel where I could physically feel my eye twitching, but I’m too curious about rin’s fate and care too much about kitay and jiang to stop here.

amwhitman96's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

scdiallane's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was a lot of things, but it was not for me. I loved the feminine rage, but the “woe is me, everyone pat me on the back for doing well given my circumstances” killed it for me.

It is based off the R*pe of Nanking. (Which if you haven’t learned about this atrocity, please educate yourself so it never, ever, EVER happens again.) That is the biggest redeeming quality for me as a history lover.

It was all very whiny and I just couldn’t get past it. The character development seemed half hearted and bland. I was so excited for this book, but it was just okay in my opinion. I won’t be finishing the series, but I will be trying out Kuang’s other book(s)!

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