Scan barcode
splendidmusings's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: War, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Grief
luhreen's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, War, Slavery, Murder, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jodean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Body horror, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Dysphoria, Death, Child death, War, Violence, Misogyny, Colonisation, Sexism, Body shaming, and Blood
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Racism, Homophobia, Animal death, Trafficking, and Outing
Minor: Vomit and Excrement
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is a story about fate and how the main character seeks greatness with hers. Although an interesting premise, I didn’t really enjoy how the story was told. It’s like the meme about Zuko’s honor except it’s a billion times worse because all the main character talks about is her fate/greatness, it was incredibly excessive (fate was mentioned 145 times, greatness 50 times). I think the main character started off interesting, but something about the way we see her through other POVs made me so unattached to her, and I really didn’t care if she succeeded or failed.
I think maybe a large part of why I didn’t enjoy the book that much is because my beliefs/the way I see the world is so vastly different from the main characters, and so my disappointment might just be a me problem.
But also, the story moves so slowly it’s kind of hard to read in large chunks. A lot happens but it doesn’t feel like it, and I don’t want to say it’s boring, but it was hard not to zone out. There are also times where parts of a scene happen off screen? I don’t know if this is just a writing style or what, but it was confusing because instead of reading what happens, I have to infer for myself because the author likes to describe emotions first and events second.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Child death, Dysphoria, Torture, Death, Body shaming, Violence, War, Death of parent, Grief, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Alcohol, Gore, Slavery, Child abuse, Homophobia, Body horror, and Chronic illness
Minor: Pregnancy
nicnevin's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Ableism, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Slavery, Animal death, Body horror, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War
ladyfie's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
also really didn't need that
Graphic: Dysphoria, Medical trauma, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and War
Minor: Child death and Animal death
momo916's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
As someone who knows absolutely nothing about Chinese history prior to 1900, the fantasy aspects of this book appealed more to me than the historical aspects, and for me the book was able to capture that fantastical atmosphere despite the fact that there isn't a whole lot of actual paranormalcy or superhuman abilities, just a lot of woowoo about fate and destiny. Kind of confusing since
All that being said will be on the lookout for the next book.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gore, Death, War, Violence, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Outing
orchidd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Blood, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
mossgoblins's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Cursing, Child death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
literarydumpling's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexism, Torture, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Animal death
Minor: Toxic relationship