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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Ever read a book that was just 'you'? This was it for me. Beautiful writing, wonderful characters, gripping plot.
2.5 Stars. I really wanted to really like this book, but it was just ok. Unfortunately, this book put me in a reading slump. I had to start it about 3 times because every so many chapters I'd lose interest and realize I had no idea what was happening.
I was absolutely blown away by this book. I read an ARC of it a few months ago and am STILL thinking about it. A definite must-read!
3.5/5 I have mixed feelings about this book. I definitely enjoyed it. It was well written, and I greedily had a couple of late nights saying “ok, just one more chapter”. I think my biggest issue was that I wasn’t exactly sure of the “when” of the setting. At first I was assuming this was a dystopian-esque novel set in near-future China, but outside the wall the world was very current day normal. It wasn’t until the end of the book where I read an excerpt from the author about how the idea came from an actual walled city in China that was just forgotten and full of crime. I guess I just felt a sense of being lost while reading. I kept expecting an explanation of how this city came to be. I like to place in my head where the story belongs, and I wasn’t exactly sure where this should fit in.
Ok, a silly thing to nit-pick at, but I think if I had known about the real walled city going in it just would have sat better with me.
The story is told through the three main characters Dai, Jin and Mei Yee. At first I was worried that it would be a bit confusing. I’m terrible with names, often finishing a book and completely forgetting the protagonist’s name. With this book having Chinese characters I thought I would be doomed. But each chapter lists the character’s names and it was easy to follow along. I don’t think I once forgot who I was reading because each character had their own unique voice.
The Walled City is a very harsh world, and from page one you can easily visualize the squalor in the walls with it’s dark, small alleys and buildings so tall you can’t see the sky. Each of the three characters lives within the city, experiencing their own side of it. I quickly felt the biggest connection to Jin, the younger sister who willingly entered the city to try and save her sister who was sold into the slave trade. She was strong, tough, and someone you didn’t want to mess with.
Dai was a young man full of intrigue, who had some sort of dark past and a mission within the city. It was interesting trying to piece together his back story and figure out why he was in the city. Mei Yee was the least interesting of the three, as most of her chapters were about being trapped in a room and whether she dared to defy the master and break free.
There was a tiny bit of romance, that just didn’t exactly sit right with me. It seemed to come on a little too easily, but I have my own view of how I think that should have worked out in the end, but no spoilers. It definitely didn’t overwhelm the story which is always a plus.
A book full of action, this story touches on some horrible realities of things that are happening in our world today. I suggest reading the author’s note in the back of the book before reading, as it sheds some light on where the idea for the story came from. Overall it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with some interesting characters.
I received a free copy of this book via netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review
Ok, a silly thing to nit-pick at, but I think if I had known about the real walled city going in it just would have sat better with me.
The story is told through the three main characters Dai, Jin and Mei Yee. At first I was worried that it would be a bit confusing. I’m terrible with names, often finishing a book and completely forgetting the protagonist’s name. With this book having Chinese characters I thought I would be doomed. But each chapter lists the character’s names and it was easy to follow along. I don’t think I once forgot who I was reading because each character had their own unique voice.
The Walled City is a very harsh world, and from page one you can easily visualize the squalor in the walls with it’s dark, small alleys and buildings so tall you can’t see the sky. Each of the three characters lives within the city, experiencing their own side of it. I quickly felt the biggest connection to Jin, the younger sister who willingly entered the city to try and save her sister who was sold into the slave trade. She was strong, tough, and someone you didn’t want to mess with.
Dai was a young man full of intrigue, who had some sort of dark past and a mission within the city. It was interesting trying to piece together his back story and figure out why he was in the city. Mei Yee was the least interesting of the three, as most of her chapters were about being trapped in a room and whether she dared to defy the master and break free.
There was a tiny bit of romance, that just didn’t exactly sit right with me. It seemed to come on a little too easily, but I have my own view of how I think that should have worked out in the end, but no spoilers. It definitely didn’t overwhelm the story which is always a plus.
A book full of action, this story touches on some horrible realities of things that are happening in our world today. I suggest reading the author’s note in the back of the book before reading, as it sheds some light on where the idea for the story came from. Overall it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read with some interesting characters.
I received a free copy of this book via netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review
Gripping. Spectacular. I couldn’t stop reading, even though it’s way passed my bedtime. Ha! It all felt so real and tangible.
I might have given this another star or two if I'd read it all the way through, but I have so many books to read that I'm not finishing ones that don't grab me. I like the premise for this, I like that it's based on the slum that was the Kowloon Walled City, but the beginning chapters didn't give me characters I cared about.
Great dystopian-like setting drawn from reality. Great tension and adrenaline. Excellent themes. Decent characters and voice.
The setting was interesting but the characters and the plot seemed flat to me. It was fast-paced and well executed but not enough to get me invested in the characters. And for that I was quite disappointed but well... solid 3 stars.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was skimming hardcore through this. I had such high hopes and it left me wanting every time.
My biggest issues were the tone and setting. The author went for weirdly poetic language at random times. It was jarring and took me out of the book because they’d be talking about the boeing 747’s flying ahead and then the mom’s miscarriage that was described as “holding my mother and her screams and rivers of blood” or something like that. Or when someone got stabbed it was described as “braids of veins and blood”. The tone couldn’t settle as either poetic and flowery or regular speaking.
I never had a grasp or understanding of the setting. It was written like the walled city was medieval and rudimentary technology but then all the sudden there were jets in the sky and Mercedes cars?? The only descriptions of the city were over dramatic ones that made it sound like a fantasy city. Finding out that it was based in a REAL city in Hong Kong was jarring.
The characters were all cliches. This was hard to get through
My biggest issues were the tone and setting. The author went for weirdly poetic language at random times. It was jarring and took me out of the book because they’d be talking about the boeing 747’s flying ahead and then the mom’s miscarriage that was described as “holding my mother and her screams and rivers of blood” or something like that. Or when someone got stabbed it was described as “braids of veins and blood”. The tone couldn’t settle as either poetic and flowery or regular speaking.
I never had a grasp or understanding of the setting. It was written like the walled city was medieval and rudimentary technology but then all the sudden there were jets in the sky and Mercedes cars?? The only descriptions of the city were over dramatic ones that made it sound like a fantasy city. Finding out that it was based in a REAL city in Hong Kong was jarring.
The characters were all cliches. This was hard to get through
The book opens with Jin on the run from one of the street gangs. The fast paced introduction to the Walled City set the scene well - Jin is looking for her sister, the Brotherhood runs the city, there are dangers hidden in every twist and turn. I'm usually a sucker for any plot that involves sisters but this one didn't hold up after the strong start.
Jin and Mei Yee ended up in the city because Mei Yee was sold to a brothel by their brute of a drunk father. Jin followed to save her. But as the story progresses, Mei Yee is nothing but a pretty face. Her character does develop some strength towards the end, but sadly, she remained two-dimensional.
Jin is a survivor. She is feisty and strong and has about as many lives as her cat, Chma. Dai has secrets of his own and his countdown (to what?) defines the chapters and paces the story. The action picks up towards the end with the confrontation of all the major players but when I was done, I didn't feel like I needed to tell everyone about it.
Sadly, I was more intrigued by the real city that the story was inspired by.
I received a free digital copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
Jin and Mei Yee ended up in the city because Mei Yee was sold to a brothel by their brute of a drunk father. Jin followed to save her. But as the story progresses, Mei Yee is nothing but a pretty face. Her character does develop some strength towards the end, but sadly, she remained two-dimensional.
Jin is a survivor. She is feisty and strong and has about as many lives as her cat, Chma. Dai has secrets of his own and his countdown (to what?) defines the chapters and paces the story. The action picks up towards the end with the confrontation of all the major players but when I was done, I didn't feel like I needed to tell everyone about it.
Sadly, I was more intrigued by the real city that the story was inspired by.
I received a free digital copy from Netgalley for an honest review.