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chaoticking15's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Seriously recommend. One of my favorite books, with really interesting, flawed characters getting together to take on important tasks and unravel mysteries.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
nikolama's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Ableism, Death of parent, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Torture, and Physical abuse
Minor: Cursing, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
inmidnights's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
This novel had a lot of potential but fell short of delivery.
The protagonists feel like bystanders in their own novel. It is definitely engaging in the first twenty chapters because as a reader, you want to find out more about them and the world around them, but after awhile you realize that you won't because the protagonists are detached from the world they're moving in. Maybe it's because they've been outsiders for a long time and maybe they're too overpowered (yes, the main character starts of choosing to commit a prolonged suicide, but despite his terminal condition, I as a reader, never felt afraid for him whenever he was in battle situations) and all-knowing (or at least, much, much smarter than everyone around them). As the reader, you know that they know what's happening, but they're not showing or telling you, nor is the author leaving enough crumbs for you. Instead, the author kept delving into the past of other characters, who are dead. Of course, this is connected to the storyand one of the protagonists in the end, but there wasn't enough build to be emotionally invested in these past characters.
I love mysteries. I also acknowledge as you read more mysteries, the less surprising things are—but a well-crafted mystery is still one where the readers can connect to the characters and follow the mystery, regardless of whether they can solve it early or not, even with plot twists at the end. Reading Agatha Christie's substantive work, books written 100 years ago, in 2021 is a great example of this—there are some novels that are predictable, but they are all still wonderful experiences that take you into the world and connect to the characters. In this novel, the readers can't get to know the characters fully. Even the main protagonist has hints of a past with a boy that is never unveiled. Did he kill him? Send him away? The secondary characters are two-dimensional; the other Ghosts have the same goal, but there isn't any full insight as to why for each Ghost involved. There are so many people in the orthodox sects, but they're all the same in the end. Even the main protagonists are two characters who are keeping secrets—an attempt of obfuscation by the author to deliver something surprising(?) at the end. It hindered the experience more than it helped.
The gore/torture scenes are descriptive. I wish the author also invested as much time describing in how our characters looked, the surroundings, who is in a fight scene, their lives—things that would make a reader feel more tethered to them. As it is, it ended up feeling that the author focused more on shock value rather than a solid story.
This novel was picked up to be a live action series and I think a series would definitely be able to fill in the emotional gaps and flesh out the characters more than the novel had.
There are of course also good things. The book was good enough to finish and not drop 3/4 of the way through, if only to see how the two protagonists would end up together. The juxtaposition between what the jianghu world wants (power, immortality) compared to what those who have/are truly powerful immortal (who only want freedom/normal joys of human life) was beautifully done through the protagonists and Yi Baiyi vs the jianghu world. It's also interesting to note that all of them want what they currently do not/ have/did not have for a long time, so while the protagonists scorn the jianghu mortal's greed, they are, ironically, wanting things they don't have as well. In the end, isn't it also just human nature wanting to want what you don't have?
The protagonists feel like bystanders in their own novel. It is definitely engaging in the first twenty chapters because as a reader, you want to find out more about them and the world around them, but after awhile you realize that you won't because the protagonists are detached from the world they're moving in. Maybe it's because they've been outsiders for a long time and maybe they're too overpowered (yes, the main character starts of choosing to commit a prolonged suicide, but despite his terminal condition, I as a reader, never felt afraid for him whenever he was in battle situations) and all-knowing (or at least, much, much smarter than everyone around them). As the reader, you know that they know what's happening, but they're not showing or telling you, nor is the author leaving enough crumbs for you. Instead, the author kept delving into the past of other characters, who are dead. Of course, this is connected to the story
I love mysteries. I also acknowledge as you read more mysteries, the less surprising things are—but a well-crafted mystery is still one where the readers can connect to the characters and follow the mystery, regardless of whether they can solve it early or not, even with plot twists at the end. Reading Agatha Christie's substantive work, books written 100 years ago, in 2021 is a great example of this—there are some novels that are predictable, but they are all still wonderful experiences that take you into the world and connect to the characters. In this novel, the readers can't get to know the characters fully. Even the main protagonist has hints of a past with a boy that is never unveiled. Did he kill him? Send him away? The secondary characters are two-dimensional; the other Ghosts have the same goal, but there isn't any full insight as to why for each Ghost involved. There are so many people in the orthodox sects, but they're all the same in the end. Even the main protagonists are two characters who are keeping secrets—an attempt of obfuscation by the author to deliver something surprising(?) at the end. It hindered the experience more than it helped.
The gore/torture scenes are descriptive. I wish the author also invested as much time describing in how our characters looked, the surroundings, who is in a fight scene, their lives—things that would make a reader feel more tethered to them. As it is, it ended up feeling that the author focused more on shock value rather than a solid story.
This novel was picked up to be a live action series and I think a series would definitely be able to fill in the emotional gaps and flesh out the characters more than the novel had.
There are of course also good things. The book was good enough to finish and not drop 3/4 of the way through, if only to see how the two protagonists would end up together. The juxtaposition between what the jianghu world wants (power, immortality) compared to what those who have/are truly powerful immortal (who only want freedom/normal joys of human life) was beautifully done through the protagonists and Yi Baiyi vs the jianghu world. It's also interesting to note that all of them want what they currently do not/ have/did not have for a long time, so while the protagonists scorn the jianghu mortal's greed, they are, ironically, wanting things they don't have as well. In the end, isn't it also just human nature wanting to want what you don't have?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape
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