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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
I received a free copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
This is difficult to review because while I really liked this book, I don't have much to say about it! It's a fun story about a ragtag group of bandits uprising. It's not found family exactly, but close. Although this is mostly a light read, there are definitely some very fucked up things that happen! I liked the casual representation of trans characters, and it was just a very enjoyable read.
This is difficult to review because while I really liked this book, I don't have much to say about it! It's a fun story about a ragtag group of bandits uprising. It's not found family exactly, but close. Although this is mostly a light read, there are definitely some very fucked up things that happen! I liked the casual representation of trans characters, and it was just a very enjoyable read.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
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
The gorgeous cover is a perfect complement for the intense, engrossing story. From start to finish, I had trouble ever putting the book down, which is impressive in a year when my usual pace has been very slow even for books I love. The contrasting arcs of Lin Chong and Lu Junyi were beautifully drawn, and I thought the other POV characters were really well written also. I'm not familiar with the original story, but that didn't take away from the appeal of this story, and Huang definitely makes me want to learn more.
(It should be noted that both the original and this version have a high body count, and Huang provides a content note at the beginning of this book that addresses violence in the text, including that there are scenes of.)
(It should be noted that both the original and this version have a high body count, and Huang provides a content note at the beginning of this book that addresses violence in the text, including that there are scenes of
Spoiler
torture, cannibalism, and attempted sexual assault
The writting is really blunt, including characters straight up internally monologuing the motivations of their actions to you, and the characters felt very flat and one note. Also there are too many characters to actuully get attached to most of them. I felt like the queer aspects of the story, while there, were basically barely a passing mention and weren't as tied to the narrative as I'd have liked, probably related to the lack of depth of the characters. I really wish I could've liked it.
A great read for anyone who is a fan of fantasy, the Chinese wuxia genre, or fancies a retelling of a classic story.
The Water Outlaws is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh. Originally written by Shi Nai'an, The Water Margin has since been translated into other languages, and the original tale has inspired many drama adaptions over the years (including the more popular 1973 version, which saw popular release outside of China). Yet The Water Outlaws proves to be a unique adaption; as it turns a story that included brotherhood as a strong element in its structure into one that instead celebrates a cast of female and lgbt+ characters.
Now one thing I will mention is that this book opens with a warning on potentially disturbing content. This is something that I think is always good to have for these types of novels, as for anyone who isn't aware of content that may trigger or upset them, it provides an opportunity to decide if this story is for them or not. I have seen criticism that the story can be dark; yet for me - as someone who enjoys a lot of stories from this genre and watches a lot of c-drama, the content that may upset is probably on the same level as it is in dramas such as Word of Honor, or Nirvana in Fire. The original novel this is based on is not particularly light either, so I don't feel as if S.L. Huang makes it any more graphic than it needs to be. But, that is simply my opinion - so do be aware and take care if this is a genre you're not very familiar with.
As for the actual story of The Water Outlaws, for the most part I really enjoyed it! Huang has adapted a classic into a fast, action-packed adventure: one which follows the original in striving to rid an Empire of the growing corruption within it. The Liangshang bandits are 'honorable' - in the sense that they will do what they must to purge the evil from their Empire, yet still carry loyalty towards their Emperor and the people of the Empire. It's very much a 'Robin Hood'esque ideal. The cast of characters are allowed to be both strong yet flawed, and there's quite a nice variation. For me I particularly enjoyed Lin Chong's adventure.
There was a period in the middle where the story seemed to move a little slower in its pacing, and for me it took a little while to pick back up again. It made sense in terms of needing to set the pieces for the final act, but I do feel this is an area where we could have used perhaps a little more time with some of the characters and show how they're growing. I also found that the ending - while I generally liked it - did include some moments where it felt threads were tied up too quickly; and I perhaps would have liked to see maybe another chapter just for some extra scenes and conversations to properly fill these.
On the whole, The Water Outlaws is definitely a story I'm glad I picked up, and I would recommend it to any out there who seem interested in it. And if you like this story, do look more into the original and the shows - you won't regret doing so!
The Water Outlaws is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh. Originally written by Shi Nai'an, The Water Margin has since been translated into other languages, and the original tale has inspired many drama adaptions over the years (including the more popular 1973 version, which saw popular release outside of China). Yet The Water Outlaws proves to be a unique adaption; as it turns a story that included brotherhood as a strong element in its structure into one that instead celebrates a cast of female and lgbt+ characters.
Now one thing I will mention is that this book opens with a warning on potentially disturbing content. This is something that I think is always good to have for these types of novels, as for anyone who isn't aware of content that may trigger or upset them, it provides an opportunity to decide if this story is for them or not. I have seen criticism that the story can be dark; yet for me - as someone who enjoys a lot of stories from this genre and watches a lot of c-drama, the content that may upset is probably on the same level as it is in dramas such as Word of Honor, or Nirvana in Fire. The original novel this is based on is not particularly light either, so I don't feel as if S.L. Huang makes it any more graphic than it needs to be. But, that is simply my opinion - so do be aware and take care if this is a genre you're not very familiar with.
As for the actual story of The Water Outlaws, for the most part I really enjoyed it! Huang has adapted a classic into a fast, action-packed adventure: one which follows the original in striving to rid an Empire of the growing corruption within it. The Liangshang bandits are 'honorable' - in the sense that they will do what they must to purge the evil from their Empire, yet still carry loyalty towards their Emperor and the people of the Empire. It's very much a 'Robin Hood'esque ideal. The cast of characters are allowed to be both strong yet flawed, and there's quite a nice variation. For me I particularly enjoyed Lin Chong's adventure.
There was a period in the middle where the story seemed to move a little slower in its pacing, and for me it took a little while to pick back up again. It made sense in terms of needing to set the pieces for the final act, but I do feel this is an area where we could have used perhaps a little more time with some of the characters and show how they're growing. I also found that the ending - while I generally liked it - did include some moments where it felt threads were tied up too quickly; and I perhaps would have liked to see maybe another chapter just for some extra scenes and conversations to properly fill these.
On the whole, The Water Outlaws is definitely a story I'm glad I picked up, and I would recommend it to any out there who seem interested in it. And if you like this story, do look more into the original and the shows - you won't regret doing so!
This was really really fun. I liked the character work especially. Lin Chong's development over the course of the novel, particularly her relationships with Lu Da and Chao Gai, were consistent high points. The writing is usually pretty solid but there were weird lines and the tone doesn't always work for me. It's this blend of florid, epic poem style writing with a more clipped, quippy action movie tone. Easy to misstep with the former, and the latter tends to annoy me. In any case, this was a good time.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes