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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
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:
N/A
the tone shifts in this book gave me whiplash.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While an interesting, quick read, it felt like I could see the author's hand for some plot points. The story and world-buliding were interesting and I could get a sense of how the society of the book diverges from our own.
*white guy who just read the poppy war talking about any other novel written by a chinese author* getting really big poppy war vibes from this hahaha. anyone else?
adventurous
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
Fun young adult historical fantasy with Full Metal Alchemist vibes. Romance + family relationship development.
I really enjoyed this story! The best way I can think to describe it is METAL. The alchemy is dark and brutal at times AND SO COOL. The main character Zilan is stubborn and flawed. She is skilled but impulsive and won't let her morals get in the way of what needs to be done. I can't wait to get the conclusion to this story!
This book was not flawless by any means, but I LOVED it. I'd even be OK with it being a standalone, but I'm curious to see where it goes in the sequel.
LOVED IT.
LOVED IT.
This was a really enjoyable YA fantasy! I really liked the way the author established an alternate Tang Dynasty, mixing historical elements and fictional magical ones. I haven’t read a lot of fantasy books with alchemy, and this one definitely held my attention! The magic system was really cool.
Characters: I liked Zilan! Sometimes I did want to shake some sense into her, but she was a compelling heroine and I was intrigued by the moments we saw of her moral grayness. The prince was a good love interest, he wasn’t the most 3D character, but I enjoyed their banter and romance. I didn’t connect with Zilan’s cousins as much as I would have wanted, partly because Zilan herself kind of kept them at arms’ length for most of the book.
Story: I’m really impressed! Overall, the pacing and the plot were both fantastic. Especially toward the end, I was constantly on my toes, eager to see what happened next, and more than once, I felt myself genuinely surprised by a reveal or plot twist. There might have been a few moments in the middle that felt a bit slow, but honestly, the end made up for it.
In conclusion, this was a great addition to the YA fantasy scene. I’d be interested to see what happens next!
Characters: I liked Zilan! Sometimes I did want to shake some sense into her, but she was a compelling heroine and I was intrigued by the moments we saw of her moral grayness. The prince was a good love interest, he wasn’t the most 3D character, but I enjoyed their banter and romance. I didn’t connect with Zilan’s cousins as much as I would have wanted, partly because Zilan herself kind of kept them at arms’ length for most of the book.
Story: I’m really impressed! Overall, the pacing and the plot were both fantastic. Especially toward the end, I was constantly on my toes, eager to see what happened next, and more than once, I felt myself genuinely surprised by a reveal or plot twist. There might have been a few moments in the middle that felt a bit slow, but honestly, the end made up for it.
In conclusion, this was a great addition to the YA fantasy scene. I’d be interested to see what happens next!
This actually has EVERYTHING! I was expecting an adventurous story with a lil bit of romance sprinkled in, but this has adventure, it has mystery, it has horror, it has commentary on class structure and power dynamics, it has romance, it has complicated families, IT HAS EVERYTHING. I would read anything by Kylie Lee Baker after this.