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ashleyreadsanything's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
emreadswhatshewants's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted a book that would make me cry - and at last I finally found one. I'm going to go ahead and ignore all the plotting and miscommunication and yes even the cheating. Because this was such a refreshingly different story that I don't even care.
booklvrkat's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Child death, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy
patsycathcart's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not the exceptional work that I have always found in a Sherry Thomas novel. Disappointing.
the_bibliophiles's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
gobblingupbooks's review against another edition
3.75
Um excuse me I loved this and enjoyed this so much?? A badass heroine trained in martial arts?? Historical fiction done well??? A 19th century man who understands and practices consent ????? YEAH !!!!
I do have a couple critiques though: I wanted more of the villain’s backstory because he was such a good freakin villain and so interesting!! I also wish Ying-Ying’s character made a little more sense… I liked the contrast between the demure front she had in polite society with the fearless bandit personality she had in Chinese Turkestan but her inner monologue when she was “fronting” as demure and polite was also demure and polite instead of the fearless bandit she is actually supposed to be so it ended up reading like two completely different women instead of a dangerous woman hiding in plain sight. Also kinda weird that they were like “we’re going to have our happily ever after in India! Let’s protect the British Raj!” like no sir that is colonization
I do have a couple critiques though: I wanted more of the villain’s backstory because he was such a good freakin villain and so interesting!! I also wish Ying-Ying’s character made a little more sense… I liked the contrast between the demure front she had in polite society with the fearless bandit personality she had in Chinese Turkestan but her inner monologue when she was “fronting” as demure and polite was also demure and polite instead of the fearless bandit she is actually supposed to be so it ended up reading like two completely different women instead of a dangerous woman hiding in plain sight. Also kinda weird that they were like “we’re going to have our happily ever after in India! Let’s protect the British Raj!” like no sir that is colonization
northship's review against another edition
5.0
this book was so ridiculous, and yet i loved it so much. i mean the heroine's name is CATHERINE BLADE and she is basically a no-holds-barred badass, so i think that is a good indication of how the book is going to go. it has all of the usual reasons i read sherry thomas, namely angst, unresolved sexual tension and explosive resolved sexual tension, and fractured relationships between two damaged people who have to learn to trust each other again.
i probably should have given this less stars considering that, although it does stand alone, i can't imagine appreciating the payoff of it nearly so much reading it on its own, as opposed to following its prequel, the hidden blade. i'm not sure whether i would have forgiven the jumpy plot as much as i did (because i really wanted leighton and ying-ying to FINALLY have a happy ending).
as it was, between the two books, i was entirely satisfied with this series, although part of me wishes that they could have been published as one very long volume with a little bit of scene tweaking between them.
i probably should have given this less stars considering that, although it does stand alone, i can't imagine appreciating the payoff of it nearly so much reading it on its own, as opposed to following its prequel, the hidden blade. i'm not sure whether i would have forgiven the jumpy plot as much as i did (because i really wanted leighton and ying-ying to FINALLY have a happy ending).
as it was, between the two books, i was entirely satisfied with this series, although part of me wishes that they could have been published as one very long volume with a little bit of scene tweaking between them.
weecha22's review against another edition
4.0
I love Sherry Thomas. She brings the angst and I love it. I haven’t read the prequel for this book but if was fine without it. I loved the setting—it’s so unusual to see China in a historical romance. Ying-Ying was an interesting character. Strong but vulnerable. The ending with Lin was abrupt but I’m not sure what else would have worked. I was glad that she got the ending with her stepfather she had craved. Overall really enjoyed.
taffy_sea's review against another edition
3.0
Unusual for the genre - which is a good thing. A complete, vivid adventure.