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gabykyu's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I would say this book isn’t necessarily the most amazing book I’ve ever read, but it’s not terrible. It’s a bit higher than average but not nearly a 4 stars for me. The points of view switching with almost each chapter took a bit to get used to but once I got over it, it actually made the writing easy to follow.
The plot does feel very heavily character driven, as the story felt a bit hard to follow or decipher what was going on.I still do not understand if Theo performed a purification ceremony on Kai or if he fully sacrificed his life and was rewarded with living (albeit a shorter life now apparently??) and with Kai dispelling her demonic energy. Also, if Xiaohua is meant to be a celestial being as a dragon, and the book says celestial beings can dispel demons… why couldn’t she do that when Danny was attacked by Kai…? There’s a few more questions I have about this book tbh The story lost me a few times and I had to reread some pages over because I couldn’t understand how the characters got to that point in the story.
I kind of hope there’s more about Theo’s brother and his family in the next book, though I am not completely sold on if I will read it. Maybe I’ll seek it out in a library so I don’t spend my money on it. This book could be enjoyable to the middle grade audience it was intended for and I commend it for that. The diversity, the basis of why Theo feels so torn from his cultural heritage, and the hints as to the antagonists were good as well. The info-dumping could definitely have been handled better and the majority of Kai’s chapters felt like they were meant just to info/world-dump so I kind of wish she had MORE character in her chapters than just rambling on about the way spirits and the world works.
Otherwise, it’s a solidly average book.
The plot does feel very heavily character driven, as the story felt a bit hard to follow or decipher what was going on.
I kind of hope there’s more about Theo’s brother and his family in the next book, though I am not completely sold on if I will read it. Maybe I’ll seek it out in a library so I don’t spend my money on it. This book could be enjoyable to the middle grade audience it was intended for and I commend it for that. The diversity, the basis of why Theo feels so torn from his cultural heritage, and the hints as to the antagonists were good as well. The info-dumping could definitely have been handled better and the majority of Kai’s chapters felt like they were meant just to info/world-dump so I kind of wish she had MORE character in her chapters than just rambling on about the way spirits and the world works.
Otherwise, it’s a solidly average book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Xenophobia
The death is literally mentioned in the summary so you know what you’re going into. The xenophobia is not very prominent but I feel like it’s moderate as it does seem like an issue that shaped who Theo is.bookbrig's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This is a great fit for readers looking for magic school type books, and I would easily recommend it for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Blazewrath Games (thought that one's geared toward a slightly older audience, I think). It's also a really good readalike for Amy McCulloch's Jinxed series because of the secrets and competition blended with tech. I loved Kai and Theo's journey, their slowly growing affection, and the way the story looks at grief. I think kids and teens will enjoy the magic/tech combination and the monsters. Also, it has footnotes in Kai's voice that are just delightful and might woo fans of the Bartimaeus trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
katiemack's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a funny but often heartbreaking middle-grade fantasy novel about ancient Indo-Chinese spirits and what it means to be part of the Asian diaspora. The story is slow in parts, but Sutanto delves into the grief and emotional rendering that take place with the death of a family members. I also appreciated how sarcastic Kai--the fox spirit--is and how her relationship with Theo develops. The sense of adventure is prevalent throughout even in the more passive parts of the plotline and will engage readers.
This is a funny but often heartbreaking middle-grade fantasy novel about ancient Indo-Chinese spirits and what it means to be part of the Asian diaspora. The story is slow in parts, but Sutanto delves into the grief and emotional rendering that take place with the death of a family members. I also appreciated how sarcastic Kai--the fox spirit--is and how her relationship with Theo develops. The sense of adventure is prevalent throughout even in the more passive parts of the plotline and will engage readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child death
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