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emmylouh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bookishexpat's review against another edition
Hate the MC’s voice and the writing style in general
kaziaroo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I liked the characters and setting, but the writing was repetitive and the plot was poorly stitched together and overly convenient. For someone who is fiercely independent and rebellious, Jing's actions actually had very little effect on the way things turned out; she was just washed about by everyone else's machinations. The romance was cute but a bit too mushy and easy for my tastes and the drama between them felt forced and clichéed. Also, the language felt very childish with words like "piss-fart" being used way too often throughout and it was hard to take Jing seriously as an adult (almost a century old!!) when she constantly sounds like a child. I'm not sure if these are common Chinese sayings which the author decided to translate, but in English at least it came across as silly rather than funny. Overall it was a fun book but it didn't stand out to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, War, Physical abuse, Drug use, Murder, Death of parent, and Child death
Drowning, water-related traumareadingbee416's review
Boring. The MC is also not my cup of tea. She's the classic "I'm a tough girl that takes crap from no one" that I'm supposed to have sympathy and root for, but she's also genuinely a rude jerk and lies all the time.
naylore's review
2.0
Found this one slow to read. The romance in it just didn’t hit and I found it quite confusing to follow at times as well
jenja's review against another edition
i liked the beginning but it's starting to lose my interest and annoying me
maybe it's me
maybe it's me
jpmoral1's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
aardwyrm's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
A fun little romp with enough personality to make up for its urban fantasy cliches. Some really odd pacing, especially in the middle, where the plot almost entirely stops. The character development and vignettes are very enjoyable, but pretty much nothing happens for like the middle third, and then all the excitement at the end is rushed. The romance is pretty goofy and predictable, but both characters were legitimately weird basket cases so I kinda had fun despite all the rote heterosexuality. Awful lot of friendly coincidences and plot holes, but hey, it's pretty silly and a good time.
amy_reading_23's review
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
This is a fun book, and it was interesting to learn more about Chinese folklore. The main character was a bit immature, which I guess kind of makes sense since she's led mostly quite a sheltered life, but yeah I can see why people say it reads more like YA than adult fiction. I think my favourite bit was when they were in mortal Shanghai.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Child death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Emotional abuse