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geobug99's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rounaro's review against another edition
5.0
What an excellent read! The world is well thought out and clearly presented. The magic is interesting and compelling and perfectly interwoven into the plot. This is very obviously a mob family/political intrigue type of book with just enough action and character to keep you hooked all the way through. I’m excited to read the rest of the series
pri_lakshmi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Drug abuse, Drug use, Cursing, Grief, Death, Violence, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Dementia, Stalking, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, Racism, and Racial slurs
rebbelii's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dufremde's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
the mafia family + jade magic + wushu action in an urban, Asia-inspired setting could have been corny as hell, but Fonda Lee seems grounded enough in her inspirations and chosen genre trappings to reach a sweet spot where all of these elements combine to form a robust and compelling saga about family and honor. the writing was vivid without being too precious, and it went by much quicker than expected for its pagecount. if there's one thing I love it's complicated family dynamics amidst large-scale power struggles, and this gave exactly that. I loved getting to know the Kaul siblings (blood and adoptive); they felt fully fleshed out, each with clear motivations, desires, and fears. Shae and Anden resonated with me the most (I suspect this is a popular take), and I'm looking forward to the next book, even though Libby is making me wait a stupid long time for it.
zeefox's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
unambiguous's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0