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noellelovesbooks's review
5.0
Content Warnings: some sexual content, violence, torture, sexual harassment, sexual assault, kidnapping, sexism, classism, war themes,
Mention of: child abuse, addiction, mental health issues, adult entertainers,
***I received an ARC of this book, through Netgalley, ahead of release***
Do you ever finish a book and instantly want to cry and smack some people right across the face? 😅 Those are the emotions the ending gave me.
This is not the Disney Mulan we grew up with...in some ways it was a million times better...and in others I wish it was more Disney 🥹
Phenomenal book that I'm happy I pre-ordered so I can reread when it's released.
Mention of: child abuse, addiction, mental health issues, adult entertainers,
***I received an ARC of this book, through Netgalley, ahead of release***
Do you ever finish a book and instantly want to cry and smack some people right across the face? 😅 Those are the emotions the ending gave me.
This is not the Disney Mulan we grew up with...in some ways it was a million times better...and in others I wish it was more Disney 🥹
Phenomenal book that I'm happy I pre-ordered so I can reread when it's released.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Violence, Sexism, Torture, Classism, War, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse, Addiction, and Mental illness
imaginaryalchemist's review
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I picked up this title as an ARC. The cover caught my eye, it is gorgeous.
The Night Ends With Fire proved to be a quick read. It is fairly fast-paced, with plenty of action scenes. I do wish the magic and martial arts had been fleshed out more. Meilin frequently mentions her kung fu abilities but I feel they weren't fully showcased.
Some of dialogue and the way the characters spoke didn't feel fitting to the time period. For example, in one scene Meilin criticizes a comrade for getting "smashed," which didn't feel like something that would be said in a historical imperial Chinese setting. The mix of traditional Chinese names and names like "Winter" and "Autumn" also took me out of the setting. The world building in general felt a little weak.
I also wished the characters had more personality to them. I would have loved to see Meilin banter and bond with her comrades more. The budding romance between her and Sky wasn't fully believable to me, they had decent chemistry but I didn't feel that their relationship had been given enough time or attention.
Overall, I wish everything was more fleshed out. I enjoyed the story that was there, and I liked how it blended Mulan and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I liked how Meilin was a deeply flawed protagonist who could easily be pulled down a dark path. I just feel like it could have used a little more time in the oven, so to speak.
I hope my review doesn't come across as harsh, I know this is the author's adult debut, and I didn't dislike the novel. I feel she could become a polished writer with more time and experience. I will check out the sequel whenever it releases, I do want to see where it goes from here.
The Night Ends With Fire proved to be a quick read. It is fairly fast-paced, with plenty of action scenes. I do wish the magic and martial arts had been fleshed out more. Meilin frequently mentions her kung fu abilities but I feel they weren't fully showcased.
Some of dialogue and the way the characters spoke didn't feel fitting to the time period. For example, in one scene Meilin criticizes a comrade for getting "smashed," which didn't feel like something that would be said in a historical imperial Chinese setting. The mix of traditional Chinese names and names like "Winter" and "Autumn" also took me out of the setting. The world building in general felt a little weak.
I also wished the characters had more personality to them. I would have loved to see Meilin banter and bond with her comrades more. The budding romance between her and Sky wasn't fully believable to me, they had decent chemistry but I didn't feel that their relationship had been given enough time or attention.
Overall, I wish everything was more fleshed out. I enjoyed the story that was there, and I liked how it blended Mulan and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I liked how Meilin was a deeply flawed protagonist who could easily be pulled down a dark path. I just feel like it could have used a little more time in the oven, so to speak.
I hope my review doesn't come across as harsh, I know this is the author's adult debut, and I didn't dislike the novel. I feel she could become a polished writer with more time and experience. I will check out the sequel whenever it releases, I do want to see where it goes from here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Murder, Confinement, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War
Minor: Classism, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Blood
MC's family suffers immensely from her father's drug and gambling addictions. He is also abusive, physically and mentally. The story deals heavily with misogyny as the MC fights against the roles society tries to force on her. Suicide is mentioned frequently -
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