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directorpurry's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The story-within-a-story framework for this cycle of novellas is so well-executed, and I loved the road-trip version we get in this installment. While this felt more plot-driven than the two previous novellas, I still really enjoyed it, and loved the wuxia elements, in particular.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
green_amaryllis's review
adventurous
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
micksland's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
mmccombs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
How many times can I yell READ THIS SERIES?! It’s the perfect thing to read in one cozy sitting, well-crafted stand-alone fantasy snacks. I thought this story was interesting, where it hinted at legends coming to the present and hidden depths to characters, but left many things unsaid in a very compelling way. I think the first two remain my favorite, but there is so much to love and I really appreciate that you can read any of them in any order and still fall in love, it attests to Vo’s immense skill.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
desushi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
juliatindell's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
Absolutely in love with this series. Such a beautiful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
The novellas of The Singing Hills Cycle are meant to be able to be read in any order, interchangeable and episodic. The latest entry, INTO THE RIVERLANDS, achieves that with a meandering series of stories, interruptions, and anecdotes as Chih and Almost Brilliant travel in the riverlands with a mix of persons. It's not trying to wrap up anything left hanging, the storyline is entirely new and self-contained, and the entire tale is both introduced and resolved. It's not the last book in the series, but it also doesn't specifically leave anything left hanging for later. The floating nature of the story is carried off well. While I am reading them in order (mostly due to discovering the series when only the first book was available), I do concur that they would make sense in whatever order the reader is so inclined to use. Chih has a transformative experience which is said to be new to them thus far, but it's not so life-changing as to render the previous stories into a distinct "before" and "after" that might be jarring if read out of order. Their voice as a main character is consistent with earlier books, which is especially important as they and Almost Brilliant are the main points of continuity within the series (with the idea of the Singing Hills Temple as a refrain but not an actuality thus far).
INTO THE RIVERLANDS is a rambling tale, where Chih is being told stories, often in the somewhat messy and multilayered manner of a group of near-strangers who know similar tales, and may have shared backgrounds, but where each has their own version. Towards the end, there is a reveal that re-contextualized many of the stories. I suspect that if I reread the book I would find that it is even more looping and connected than I was able to understand the first time. I like books which have some kind of revelation that changes the way that the rest of the story is perceived or understood, and I’m also impressed that such a short story conveys so much and has such an interesting twist. It might, however, make the story feel confusing and a bit pointless, because only a couple of things happen in the midst of all the stories. It's definitely not pointless, and it fits in well with the broader series. Almost as soon as I finished I wanted to read it again to understand it better.
Chih has been in danger elsewhere in the series, but this time they are confronted with the messy and logistical realities of death and its aftermath in a way they've never been before. In a previous book, they were in danger of being killed, but it was not the kind of danger that involved them having to figure out what to do with bodies afterward. This time while traveling through the river lands, the group comes a body. There's a mark from the Hollow Hand, a once prominent and terrifying group whose current iteration is composed of whatever group decides that claiming an affiliation would strike fear in victims and bystanders.
I’m glad this is a novella because the way it meanders feels random and unconnected at first and it might have been boring in a longer story. However, as a novella, it had just the right amount of time to cultivate the impression of people traveling together and telling each other stories before they're suddenly interrupted first by death and second by danger.
INTO THE RIVERLANDS is a rambling tale, where Chih is being told stories, often in the somewhat messy and multilayered manner of a group of near-strangers who know similar tales, and may have shared backgrounds, but where each has their own version. Towards the end, there is a reveal that re-contextualized many of the stories. I suspect that if I reread the book I would find that it is even more looping and connected than I was able to understand the first time. I like books which have some kind of revelation that changes the way that the rest of the story is perceived or understood, and I’m also impressed that such a short story conveys so much and has such an interesting twist. It might, however, make the story feel confusing and a bit pointless, because only a couple of things happen in the midst of all the stories. It's definitely not pointless, and it fits in well with the broader series. Almost as soon as I finished I wanted to read it again to understand it better.
Chih has been in danger elsewhere in the series, but this time they are confronted with the messy and logistical realities of death and its aftermath in a way they've never been before. In a previous book, they were in danger of being killed, but it was not the kind of danger that involved them having to figure out what to do with bodies afterward. This time while traveling through the river lands, the group comes a body. There's a mark from the Hollow Hand, a once prominent and terrifying group whose current iteration is composed of whatever group decides that claiming an affiliation would strike fear in victims and bystanders.
I’m glad this is a novella because the way it meanders feels random and unconnected at first and it might have been boring in a longer story. However, as a novella, it had just the right amount of time to cultivate the impression of people traveling together and telling each other stories before they're suddenly interrupted first by death and second by danger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexism, Grief, Cursing, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
maeverose's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not sure I fully understood the ending but I enjoyed it overall
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Cursing
Minor: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
Description of a hanged body