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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was very interesting. the worldbuilding and magic were quite complex, especially for a YA novel (and a duology rather than a longer series). and I did feel like the world was communicated to us naturally rather than via infodumping. the plot was entertaining and gripping, and I felt outraged by what our MC had to go through.
I’m not sure if this is a cultural dimension, so I don’t want to take too strong of a stance, but I get really frustrated in books where the MC’s family accuses the MC of being selfish because they care about justice for the broader world. this also really frustrated me in MDZS. but to me, choosing one’s family over equality in the world and the even less fortunate would be the more selfish option
the character relationships were not my favorite in this book. the main romantic relationship was kinda ???? in that I’m not sure where they actually started to care for one another. they never seemed to be on each other’s wavelength. and as demonstrated above, I found the cousins/siblings to have quite upsetting behavior that I don’t think the story resolved for me.
however, I’m very interested to see where this duology goes in book two. like I really have no idea what will happen because book one mostly resolved the plot threads.
I’m not sure if this is a cultural dimension, so I don’t want to take too strong of a stance, but I get really frustrated in books where the MC’s family accuses the MC of being selfish because they care about justice for the broader world. this also really frustrated me in MDZS. but to me, choosing one’s family over equality in the world and the even less fortunate would be the more selfish option
the character relationships were not my favorite in this book. the main romantic relationship was kinda ???? in that I’m not sure where they actually started to care for one another. they never seemed to be on each other’s wavelength. and as demonstrated above, I found the cousins/siblings to have quite upsetting behavior that I don’t think the story resolved for me.
however, I’m very interested to see where this duology goes in book two. like I really have no idea what will happen because book one mostly resolved the plot threads.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So i went into this not sure what to expect, but Kylie Lee Baker had been lauded in my circles but I hadn't yet touched Bat Eater (still on my TBR shelf, even though I picked up Scarlet Alchemist a few weeks after Bat Eater.) What I got was unexpected: an exploration of the value of people in a system that consistently devalues them unless they can pound their square peg into the right round holes or come out of the right round hole (as it were) by accident of birth and nothing else.
We follow our huanxie lead -- mixed Scots and Chinese -- as she deals with misogyny, racism, prejudice, and worse. We find out what she's willing to do to put food on the table and how she and her 'siblings' are doing to stay alive and keep a shred of their pride at the same time. All paths lead to the capitol in the north, and none of them want to leave the others behind.
The trials of exams, the dangers of travel and the politics of both wealth and desperation come to play. On the road, the three siblings are attacked by men who want to take the girls as brides or slaves or worse. In the capitol no one cares if they live or die, and will actively sabotage them. Worse, our burgeoning alchemist discovers that the system is intentionally rigged against mixed-race people and foreigners because the ruling class believes that it creates a special sort of power in them -- the power of enduring systematic oppression!
Honestly, everyone in this book who holds a shred of power should be up against the wall when the revolution comes, and part of the book is discovering that just because people aren't burning buildings and dancing in the ashes that the revolution isn't canceled, it's just dangerous to go running around with torches when the eyes and the ears of the state are everywhere. Complicate it by the well meaning in the system who are "we should improve the society somehow" but are too scared to shake the boat or who have seen what it has cost friends/family and knows it could mean his head on a pike...
When revolution does come, it's bloody, high in cost, and nobody comes out unscathed.
The character are both loveable and smackable, but in very good ways. Writing is tight, tension is great, but I think the last third of the book gets a little too rushed because I had trouble keeping up with things. The first move toward the first act of rebellion told me immediately things were going to fail, and the second... well, I was pretty certain there was going to be unintended consequences (and was right.)
Still everyone from our favorite feral Alchemsit Zilan to Hong Li the 'spoiled' prince who has to fear for his life on the daily no matter how immortal he may seem, and the Fan siblings, are all very lovable in their own way, and weird in others.
For our antagonist, I would have liked to see the Empress fleshed out a little more -- spent more time on the 'we're a lot alike, you and I' vibe that really should have been grounded better to show what kind of 'pull the ladder up after you' bullshit this bitch was selling. But despite these flaws, her grift was obvious -- she'd sell the biggest lies in the world to maintain her power at the expense of all else.
I could, however, see a lot of DNA from other things (or maybe these things were drawing from the same history and mythos. The declaration of the Scarlet title (and a few other things) really rubs shoulders with Fullmetal Alchemist and Hong Li has a real 'Zuko before his father maimed him' feel. These are not complaints, however, but a curiosity of 'did something influence these works separately, or did they all influence each other?' sort of way.
Either way, I suggest you read and draw your own conclusions. It's a very fun book, well worth the time.
We follow our huanxie lead -- mixed Scots and Chinese -- as she deals with misogyny, racism, prejudice, and worse. We find out what she's willing to do to put food on the table and how she and her 'siblings' are doing to stay alive and keep a shred of their pride at the same time. All paths lead to the capitol in the north, and none of them want to leave the others behind.
The trials of exams, the dangers of travel and the politics of both wealth and desperation come to play. On the road, the three siblings are attacked by men who want to take the girls as brides or slaves or worse. In the capitol no one cares if they live or die, and will actively sabotage them. Worse, our burgeoning alchemist discovers that the system is intentionally rigged against mixed-race people and foreigners because the ruling class believes that it creates a special sort of power in them -- the power of enduring systematic oppression!
Honestly, everyone in this book who holds a shred of power should be up against the wall when the revolution comes, and part of the book is discovering that just because people aren't burning buildings and dancing in the ashes that the revolution isn't canceled, it's just dangerous to go running around with torches when the eyes and the ears of the state are everywhere. Complicate it by the well meaning in the system who are "we should improve the society somehow" but are too scared to shake the boat or who have seen what it has cost friends/family and knows it could mean his head on a pike...
When revolution does come, it's bloody, high in cost, and nobody comes out unscathed.
The character are both loveable and smackable, but in very good ways. Writing is tight, tension is great, but I think the last third of the book gets a little too rushed because I had trouble keeping up with things. The first move toward the first act of rebellion told me immediately things were going to fail, and the second... well, I was pretty certain there was going to be unintended consequences (and was right.)
Still everyone from our favorite feral Alchemsit Zilan to Hong Li the 'spoiled' prince who has to fear for his life on the daily no matter how immortal he may seem, and the Fan siblings, are all very lovable in their own way, and weird in others.
For our antagonist, I would have liked to see the Empress fleshed out a little more -- spent more time on the 'we're a lot alike, you and I' vibe that really should have been grounded better to show what kind of 'pull the ladder up after you' bullshit this bitch was selling. But despite these flaws, her grift was obvious -- she'd sell the biggest lies in the world to maintain her power at the expense of all else.
I could, however, see a lot of DNA from other things (or maybe these things were drawing from the same history and mythos. The declaration of the Scarlet title (and a few other things) really rubs shoulders with Fullmetal Alchemist and Hong Li has a real 'Zuko before his father maimed him' feel. These are not complaints, however, but a curiosity of 'did something influence these works separately, or did they all influence each other?' sort of way.
Either way, I suggest you read and draw your own conclusions. It's a very fun book, well worth the time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs
The beginning seemed really great, but as much as I wanted to care about what was happening, I did not.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall lots of fun, the sinister fun. I love seeing Wu Zetians in books who are badass and unhinged. I care enough about the characters to want to read book 2.
Wish the duck had played a bigger role, wish the romantic subplot had been more romantic, and seen more of the other important relationships being important, but it was overall enough and fun to read!
Wish the duck had played a bigger role, wish the romantic subplot had been more romantic, and seen more of the other important relationships being important, but it was overall enough and fun to read!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
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