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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
A Forgery of Fate has many pieces of the Beauty and the Beast story I know from Disney included without being simply an East Asian mythology spin of the exact same fairy tale. I love how Lim made it her own with characters having motivations beyond breaking a curse and saving a family member. Connecting the pair outside of the undersea castle even elevates it past the debated Stockholm Syndrome for Tru. Tru and her sisters each developing skills more than the hobby of reading books also makes them stronger women who can stand on their own and thus, more realistic. Reading books like this one does make me grateful that I can paint a picture in my mind steadily throughout the novel, though, because the landscapes, action scenes, and artwork described get quite extravagant. My emotions were everywhere while listening, thanks to the shocking events and tough choices made by characters. I need to read more by Lim, having heard positively great things about her other YA books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
No
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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:
No
A fun beauty and the beast retelling rooted in Chinese mythology
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
Any book that takes me into a different world, especially right now, is a 5-star read for me. This was lovely!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
We have a neat East Asian influenced take on Beauty and the Beast via a girl with the ability to see and paint the future, and a dragon prince trying to overthrow his father coming together via a fake marriage. It leans into the fake marriage trope in an enjoyable way, and does neat things with mythical kingdom politics. A nice, fairly light library read.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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