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mlw0415's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second of a paired set of silkpunk novellas by JY Yang. I would advise reading the other novella, “The Black Tides of Heaven,” before this one.... Where the first novella centered on Akeha, this one centers on Akeha’s twin, Mokoya. It’s a strong, vibrant, entertaining novella, if a little less striking to me than Akeha’s tale.
Mokoya is a deeply felt character, shaped by the grief she carries, but I didn’t initially sympathize with her. Indeed I was almost exasperated as people demonstrated compassion for her, while she demonstrated little reciprocal kindness. Maybe I was a harsh critic because I had heard such high praise for these novellas that my expectations were unrealistic. By the end I understood Mokoya better, and was far more in accord with her.
I love the setting of these novellas: a vivid, fascinating, fantastical secondary world that draws on Asian legacies rather than those of medieval Europe, but that is its own true self, a world in which children are nonbinary until they choose their gender, a world in which the sun rises and sets many times a day, a world in which Machinists vie against the established magic of the Tensorate. Recommended, but not so much that your expectations are unreasonable!
Mokoya is a deeply felt character, shaped by the grief she carries, but I didn’t initially sympathize with her. Indeed I was almost exasperated as people demonstrated compassion for her, while she demonstrated little reciprocal kindness. Maybe I was a harsh critic because I had heard such high praise for these novellas that my expectations were unrealistic. By the end I understood Mokoya better, and was far more in accord with her.
I love the setting of these novellas: a vivid, fascinating, fantastical secondary world that draws on Asian legacies rather than those of medieval Europe, but that is its own true self, a world in which children are nonbinary until they choose their gender, a world in which the sun rises and sets many times a day, a world in which Machinists vie against the established magic of the Tensorate. Recommended, but not so much that your expectations are unreasonable!
bluestjuice's review against another edition
3.0
Right, so as promised, I picked up the twin novella to The Black Tides of Heaven, which I reviewed last month. I have a few quibbles. First off, I don't think it's reasonable to say that these books are 'twin novellas both of which work as starting places for the series.' The Red Threads of Fortune distinctly picks up after the action of the first book, and includes plenty of details that would be utterly lacking in context without having read Black Tides first. It also doesn't spend nearly as much time worldbuilding, meaning that reading it alone would, I think, be an exercise in frustration. They are pretty clearly just books 1 and 2 in a series and I'm not sure why the publisher was coy about this structure.
As anticipated, this book is from Mokoya, the more demonstrative twin's perspective, but we don't really revisit plot points that are already established too much. In several ways this is more successful than Black Tides, not least of which because the action in the narrative is constrained to a single 'episode' of Mokoya's life and therefore has the breathing room to dig in and play it all out. Where Black Tides felt like it skimmed across the surface and covered too much territory, Red Threads has far better pacing and digs better into the turmoil of Mokoya's emotional states and motivation.
Since questions of gender inevitably come up with this series, I'll add that we learn nothing new here about how Genderfree status works in the Protectorate, and not much more about the Protectorate/Machinist conflict. It seems that this book almost entirely features characters who have established their gender, with the notable exception of Rider, who is described as nonbinary. I don't really think this was a problem, because despite the interesting premise of gender in this world it doesn't necessarily move the plot forward and it's not necessary to have gender constantly centered in the narrative. But worth noting, I think. I did rather like the respectful polyamorous relationship dynamic that emerged, which is something one doesn't often get in literature. Altogether gender and relationship dynamics emerged in a very organic way in this book and I enjoyed that.
I would rate this probably 3.5 if I could just for the more cohesive storytelling, but I left it at 3 since that's about where my average for the series so far is still hovering. I'm definitely going to pick up the third book though.
As anticipated, this book is from Mokoya, the more demonstrative twin's perspective, but we don't really revisit plot points that are already established too much. In several ways this is more successful than Black Tides, not least of which because the action in the narrative is constrained to a single 'episode' of Mokoya's life and therefore has the breathing room to dig in and play it all out. Where Black Tides felt like it skimmed across the surface and covered too much territory, Red Threads has far better pacing and digs better into the turmoil of Mokoya's emotional states and motivation.
Since questions of gender inevitably come up with this series, I'll add that we learn nothing new here about how Genderfree status works in the Protectorate, and not much more about the Protectorate/Machinist conflict. It seems that this book almost entirely features characters who have established their gender, with the notable exception of Rider, who is described as nonbinary. I don't really think this was a problem, because despite the interesting premise of gender in this world it doesn't necessarily move the plot forward and it's not necessary to have gender constantly centered in the narrative. But worth noting, I think. I did rather like the respectful polyamorous relationship dynamic that emerged, which is something one doesn't often get in literature. Altogether gender and relationship dynamics emerged in a very organic way in this book and I enjoyed that.
I would rate this probably 3.5 if I could just for the more cohesive storytelling, but I left it at 3 since that's about where my average for the series so far is still hovering. I'm definitely going to pick up the third book though.
yvkhan's review against another edition
2.0
the more i think about this one, the more i hate it. obviously, neon is a lyrical writer with vivid prose. but the combination of instalove, odd character arcs, a failure to give a satisfying climax, and the characters’ weird tendency to fall unconscious whenever anything truly important is happening is giving very JC experience and not in a good way.
joabroda's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
The second novella in the world of The Protectorate. Our protagonist Mokoya, a fallen prophet, has left the city and monastery after the devastating loss of her young daughter. Mokoya lives among the Machinists and now is hunting and killing the deadly Naga.
Neon Yang is a talented writer and story teller. The world she has invited us into is fascinating.
It probably would be advantageous to read this series back to back. It took me a while to remember and catch on to all the happenings. I have a note to myself to pick up book three and continue the story now, before I forget again!
Neon Yang is a talented writer and story teller. The world she has invited us into is fascinating.
It probably would be advantageous to read this series back to back. It took me a while to remember and catch on to all the happenings. I have a note to myself to pick up book three and continue the story now, before I forget again!
connie__'s review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ruxandra_grr's review against another edition
4.0
Really loved this one, from the introduction of Rider to much better pacing, to the exploration of grief and also gaining agency as a prophet.
And the world is so fully realised with atmosphere and I also kinda feel the way the places have a beautiful fragrance. And it was so lovely how the Slack went to the next level in this one.
I'm not surprised. J. Y. Yang's writing is amazing and my one (big gripe) with the first or twin novella to this one was trying to stick too much awesomeness in a short book.
Wanted more of Akeha, but maybe in the next one?
And the world is so fully realised with atmosphere and I also kinda feel the way the places have a beautiful fragrance. And it was so lovely how the Slack went to the next level in this one.
I'm not surprised. J. Y. Yang's writing is amazing and my one (big gripe) with the first or twin novella to this one was trying to stick too much awesomeness in a short book.
Wanted more of Akeha, but maybe in the next one?
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
What a fun, unexpected, and fascinating novella. Yang's characters are well-formed and interesting, and their writing is also beautifully descriptive. The plot was a little bland, but more than sufficient to keep The Red Threads of Fortune humming along. I've already put the companion novella on hold and I can't wait to read more from J.Y. Yang.
mksultra's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
many of the same notes as the last book- as a novella, it is hard to delve as deeply into characters. mokoya is an interesting, grieving mother- but sometimes it was hard to understand the slack and what it felt like, if that makes sense. i missed akeha’s perspective, and sometimes the events just slid from one to another without feeling super developed
loslibrosdelosdragones's review against another edition
3.0
Nuevamente, me enfrenté al mismo problema con este libro que enfrenté cuando leí el primero: su longitud.
Siento que es un libro bastante corto con una historia que intenta abarcar mucho y, por lo tanto, se queda muy corto. Sentí que faltaba bastante profundidad con respecto a las situaciones, pero, principalmente, con respecto a las relaciones de los personajes.
En este libro dejamos a Akeha atrás, aunque no tan atrás porque sigue presente, y nos enfocamos en Mokoya. Este libro sucede después de Las mareas negras del cielo; no inmediatamente después, sino unos años después, así que tanto como Goodreads lo marca, recomiendo leerlo después de dicho libro para entenderlo mejor.
Vemos a Mokoya lidiando, o intentando, porque de lidiar no hace nada, con lo que sucedió al final del libro anterior. Y está bien, porque pasó por algo que nadie debería pasar y eso ha dejado una herida que nunca será capaz de sanar. Nunca me llamó mucho la atención ella desde el punto de vista de Akeha, pero tampoco era que se la mostraba tanto. Esperaba poder conocerla mejor en este libro, algo que siento que no pasó demasiado. No pude conectar con el personaje ni tampoco empatizar demasiado con lo que le sucedía. Más allá de lo que sucedió, parecía una adolescente impulsiva de 15 años y no una mujer en la posición en la que se encuentra, con la educación y formación que ella tiene.
No me gustaron ninguna de sus decisiones, como tampoco me gustó mucho lo que sucedió en el libro. Lo único que me gustó fue el final, la forma en la que se profundiza mucho más en la magia y cómo está representada.
El nuevo personaje me gustó, pero sin más. Como decía arriba, siento que le falta un poco de desarrollo para poder conectar con todos ellos, para poder conocerlos aunque sea un poquito más, para poder empatizar con sus problemas, con lo que les sucede, con lo que están viviendo. Todo el plot, todo el problema me tuvo sin más. No parecía tener fuerza, todo estaba fundado en una pelea con otra persona como si fueran, de nuevo, adolescentes impulsivos. No llegué a sentir en ningún momento el peligro, el miedo de la situación, la sensación de que efectivamente había un problema. No sé si fue el ritmo de la novela, el punto de vista de la protagonista, no sé.
No sé realmente qué estaba buscando en estas historias. Nada, la verdad, porque ni siquiera había leído las sinopsis antes de empezarlo para que no me pasara esto: para no hacerme una idea de algo y luego decepcionarme. Sin embargo, creo que de alguna manera lo hice y el hype en bookstagram ayudó un poco también a crear eso.
Es una historia interesante que tiene muchísimos conceptos muy copados, que me encanta ver y me gustaría que más historias se animaran, finalmente, a plantear. Sin embargo, en esta siento que se queda corto, que le falta más desarrollo y profundidad para convertirse en todo lo que podría ser y no quedarse en el medio.
Siento que es un libro bastante corto con una historia que intenta abarcar mucho y, por lo tanto, se queda muy corto. Sentí que faltaba bastante profundidad con respecto a las situaciones, pero, principalmente, con respecto a las relaciones de los personajes.
En este libro dejamos a Akeha atrás, aunque no tan atrás porque sigue presente, y nos enfocamos en Mokoya. Este libro sucede después de Las mareas negras del cielo; no inmediatamente después, sino unos años después, así que tanto como Goodreads lo marca, recomiendo leerlo después de dicho libro para entenderlo mejor.
Vemos a Mokoya lidiando, o intentando, porque de lidiar no hace nada, con lo que sucedió al final del libro anterior. Y está bien, porque pasó por algo que nadie debería pasar y eso ha dejado una herida que nunca será capaz de sanar. Nunca me llamó mucho la atención ella desde el punto de vista de Akeha, pero tampoco era que se la mostraba tanto. Esperaba poder conocerla mejor en este libro, algo que siento que no pasó demasiado. No pude conectar con el personaje ni tampoco empatizar demasiado con lo que le sucedía. Más allá de lo que sucedió, parecía una adolescente impulsiva de 15 años y no una mujer en la posición en la que se encuentra, con la educación y formación que ella tiene.
No me gustaron ninguna de sus decisiones, como tampoco me gustó mucho lo que sucedió en el libro. Lo único que me gustó fue el final, la forma en la que se profundiza mucho más en la magia y cómo está representada.
El nuevo personaje me gustó, pero sin más. Como decía arriba, siento que le falta un poco de desarrollo para poder conectar con todos ellos, para poder conocerlos aunque sea un poquito más, para poder empatizar con sus problemas, con lo que les sucede, con lo que están viviendo. Todo el plot, todo el problema me tuvo sin más. No parecía tener fuerza, todo estaba fundado en una pelea con otra persona como si fueran, de nuevo, adolescentes impulsivos. No llegué a sentir en ningún momento el peligro, el miedo de la situación, la sensación de que efectivamente había un problema. No sé si fue el ritmo de la novela, el punto de vista de la protagonista, no sé.
No sé realmente qué estaba buscando en estas historias. Nada, la verdad, porque ni siquiera había leído las sinopsis antes de empezarlo para que no me pasara esto: para no hacerme una idea de algo y luego decepcionarme. Sin embargo, creo que de alguna manera lo hice y el hype en bookstagram ayudó un poco también a crear eso.
Es una historia interesante que tiene muchísimos conceptos muy copados, que me encanta ver y me gustaría que más historias se animaran, finalmente, a plantear. Sin embargo, en esta siento que se queda corto, que le falta más desarrollo y profundidad para convertirse en todo lo que podría ser y no quedarse en el medio.