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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
This was a lot of fun! Lady Jing is a potty-mouthed brittle half-Vampire and half-houlinjin fox demon who has a chip on her shoulder. I adore her frenemies relationship with Gigi and the romance subplot. The story moves at a good pace through immortal and mortal realms of 1930’s Shanghai. You got a really good feel for this version of Shanghai and may crave Xiao Long Bao after reading.
I do agree that this book has been toned down for a YA audience, even though it’s a book that’s been marketed for adults.
I do agree that this book has been toned down for a YA audience, even though it’s a book that’s been marketed for adults.
This was a delightful romp through an alternate (not in the mortal realm) Jazz-era Shanghai. It reads as Young Adult but probably doesn’t get that designation; the chief protagonist acts like a surly teen but is actually a one hundred year old half fox-spirit half vampire who was pawned by her mother to the King of Hell.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was skeptical to begin with (vampire/fox lady?) but after having to read “ta-tas” I just couldn’t go further. Especially once I ctrl+F and found that it’s used a total of 12 times. Also never been huge on first-person.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was such an enjoyable fantasy that made amazing use of the setting and the expanse of the world. I found the magic system to be really engaging and fun and the political aspects running throughout made for a really interesting story. I liked that there these mythical figures from mortal Shanghai, that were really quite normal people in Immortal Shanghai.
I did find that some parts of this made it read like YA, which I didn’t think it was meant to be, and specifically it was the phrases “piss-fart” and “turd eggs” instead of swearing, I get that you might not want to swear, but these made it feel younger and we’re really distracting especially when they are used so often and by lots of different characters, so it wasn’t that it was a specific character’s quirk.
I did find that some parts of this made it read like YA, which I didn’t think it was meant to be, and specifically it was the phrases “piss-fart” and “turd eggs” instead of swearing, I get that you might not want to swear, but these made it feel younger and we’re really distracting especially when they are used so often and by lots of different characters, so it wasn’t that it was a specific character’s quirk.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Honestly it was an interesting and ok read. It’s not normally what I go for but I did enjoy the different perspectives on hell and immortals and vampires. My favorite thing is that as a vampire she gets high off blood and starts hallucinating. I thought that was a cool concept that I have not seen before in vampire worlds. But overall it was a cute and intriguing read that gave me way more knowledge about Chinese culture and practices.