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odunayo_y's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
Short and sweet. An entertaining Wuxia inspired adventure story. I appreciated the casual queer representation. Major kudos for the transmasc-spectrum character to be older and stocky.
The conflict resolution was strange. It was a bit convenient how everything wrapped up but i would not say it was convoluted.
The little bits of worldbuilding were delightful. The Goddess’s Five Fingers was such a cool magic system a shame it only made an appearance towards the end of the book.
One major issue I had was the dialogue. One moment the characters will speak in a period appropriate manner the next it was joss whedon like millennial humor. Not only do I despise millennial cringe speak the tone was just off.
The conflict resolution was strange. It was a bit convenient how everything wrapped up but i would not say it was convoluted.
The little bits of worldbuilding were delightful. The Goddess’s Five Fingers was such a cool magic system a shame it only made an appearance towards the end of the book.
One major issue I had was the dialogue. One moment the characters will speak in a period appropriate manner the next it was joss whedon like millennial humor. Not only do I despise millennial cringe speak the tone was just off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Cursing, Deadnaming, and Death
Moderate: Colonisation, Gun violence, and Misogyny
Minor: War and Xenophobia
essieruth's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Deadnaming
Minor: War
kelsokake's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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? No
3.75
initially attracted to the book because the cover is gorgeous and the book is tiny, then i picked it up and was incredibly intrigued by the dust jacket: “A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there.”
stopped about 15 pages in to see what others thought to help me decide whether or not to keep going. the dialogue feels kind of stilted and odd (example below) but i didn’t see anything that would turn me off so i decided to keep going.
"Uncle, you're being very troublesome," said the ban-dit. "Look, you've chased away all of Mr Aw's customers already. Why don't you leave with me?
"I don't mean go away together," he clarified. "I mean leave here at the same time, separately. Let the lady be.
Heaven will punish her if she is wrong."
"That's right," said the waitress, but the customer did not agree.
"Lady!" he snorted. "This girl is a useless slut."
"Actually, I'm a nun," said the waitress, pointing at her bald head. "So, literally the opposite of a slut!"
"Oh, shut up," growled the customer. He backhanded her. The waitress fell back, looking more startled than frightened.
but i am so glad that i kept going. i loved this and just wish i had even more of it. i want more world building, more fighting, and most of all, i want to know what Tet Sang at Guet I’m are up to. i want to read their travels! even if it’s just in a short story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Deadnaming and War
blacksphinx's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Deadnaming, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Transphobia, War, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
You know that thing that happens sometimes as a woman where you make it very clear to a man that you will not have sex with him, and he says that's fine and he understands? And then later reveals he's been seething with resentment this entire time about it, and accuses you of sleeping around with other men, and shows that your friendship means nothing to him because you won't have sex with him? Yeah. "Found family" book my ass.meg_sc's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I feel like I was scammed a bit by this book being presented as fantasy. There's a blink-and-you'll miss it magic system which is used very briefly, and that's about it.
I so wanted to like this, since I think that Zen Cho's Black Water Sister is fantastic, but it was so slow to get going and I felt like I had no real semblance of the plot until quite late in the novella. It definitely picked up later on, but it was a struggle for me to get to that point. I also felt that there were two many side characters for such a short story. Part of me wonders if I would have liked it better in written format rather than as a slightly stilted audiobook.
I'll definitely be reading more of Zen Cho's work, but I was super disappointed with this one.
I so wanted to like this, since I think that Zen Cho's Black Water Sister is fantastic, but it was so slow to get going and I felt like I had no real semblance of the plot until quite late in the novella. It definitely picked up later on, but it was a struggle for me to get to that point. I also felt that there were two many side characters for such a short story. Part of me wonders if I would have liked it better in written format rather than as a slightly stilted audiobook.
I'll definitely be reading more of Zen Cho's work, but I was super disappointed with this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming
emily_mh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The shining star of this book is definitely the MC, Tet Sang. His narrative voice and internal world were great to follow as a reader. I also thought that the world-building was fantastic, especially considering that this is a novella. However, something about this read fell short for me overall. I think it either needed more plot tension, or more character development.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, and Transphobia
Minor: War, Drug use, Gun violence, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Ableism, Violence, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor warnings for gambling, theft, loss of a loved one, menstruation, deportation, capital punishment, bestiality. Moderate warning for mass death.literaryliaisons's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, War, and Violence
Minor: Deadnaming
thereaderfriend's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
3.5
Wish that there were some more explanations of things and explorations or characters. Plot was consistent, I liked that. Enjoyed that Guet Imm was a guide to one of the bandits (arguably should be called rebels). Discussed many topics well. I enjoyed it. Liked the spiritual and fantastical elements and how it was a side of the story, not the focal one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Deadnaming, and Death
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Gun violence
Minor: War and Genocide
lines__lines's review
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Despite the backdrop for this story being a "silent war" and the main characters being bandits (or, more accurately, survivors and rebels) this story manages to feel light and warm-hearted. It's fast paced and focuses on the two main characters' small arcs. I say two main characters, but Tet Sang is truly the main character with the most development and Guet Imm provides the catalyst for self-rediscovery. Guet Imm has her own arc as well, but it is more that the reader and Tet Sang learn more about her as she is willing to reveal more of herself to us. For a novella, I still felt that I got plenty of little twists and turns as we discover the pasts of Ah Sang and Guet Imm. This is also a story with explorations of spirituality - of losing faith and regaining it with a transformed viewpoint. The plot is relatively straightforward and thievery-related, but it ties in well with the character development, making for a seamless story experience along with easy world-building. Though the band of bandits encounter danger and there are a few moments of tense action, this book never made me feel stressed that our heroes wouldn't come out on top. And the found family of bandits is a loving little group despite the tensions that inevitably arise; the leaders truly look out for and care for their band, as their members are all outcasts in some way with no other options to turn to in this world. Outside of our main characters, the other party members don't get a ton of development, but they do all have distinct personalities and I wouldn't expect much more than a couple deep characters in a novella. There is room from this story for a follow-up for either another character from the band (I'd hope for more about Fung Cheung, the bandits' beautiful gay ringleader) or to follow Tet Sang and Geut Imm a little more (or both!). A sequel novella or companion short story/stories would not go amiss, but I think as the novella stands that it does provide a satisfying wrap-up. It only gets docked the half a star for leaving me wanting just a liiiittle more!
Content Warnings
Minor: Deadnaming and War
libraryghost's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, and War
Minor: Transphobia