Scan barcode
transportedlfl's review
adventurous
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
4.0
mochipandabear's review
4.0
Such an adorable book and what a fun adventure to follow! Winnie was such a fun character and was definitely realistic for an 11-year-old!
Following Winnie as she navigated being the child of Chinese immigrants, she is suddenly throw into the world of spirits and shamanism. How does she find this out exactly? Well, by finding a dusty family cookbook and then her grandmother’s spirit comes out of her pet rabbit. Winnie herself has a love for comics and anime and it really shows in how she sees herself or life around her. I loved seeing Winnie becoming this anime heroine that she always looked up to.
Such a fun book that I would recommend to anyone interested!!
Thank you so much again Netgalley and Katie Zhao for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review!
Following Winnie as she navigated being the child of Chinese immigrants, she is suddenly throw into the world of spirits and shamanism. How does she find this out exactly? Well, by finding a dusty family cookbook and then her grandmother’s spirit comes out of her pet rabbit. Winnie herself has a love for comics and anime and it really shows in how she sees herself or life around her. I loved seeing Winnie becoming this anime heroine that she always looked up to.
Such a fun book that I would recommend to anyone interested!!
Thank you so much again Netgalley and Katie Zhao for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review!
dandelionsteph's review
I generally prefer third-person narration to first-person narration. In this case, I can say the first-person narration didn't add anything to the story. There was too much telling and not enough showing, and the protagonist didn't have a particularly interesting or distinctive personality. The worldbuilding and plot were weak, and it took until page 31 for it to start getting interesting.
lillanaa's review
4.0
This book was so fun and fantastic, and I loved the characters most of all, there was a great example of how the pressures of parents and society impact what someone actually wants to do with their life. Winnie is a character that a lot of kids will find relatable, she's trapped in the golden child route and feels like she has no choice in her life until she's pushed out of her comfort zone. Very reluctant chosen one vibes, and I'm always interested in books that run with that narrative, it makes for a twist on what we're seeing with the entire genre of mythology fantasy going around middle grade right now and creates a great dynamic between Winnie and David.
I think the only problem I had with this was the pacing. Winnie drags her heels the entire book, and doesn't seem to actually understand the impacts of her actions until the very last second, and it makes her story feel rushed. I know this is to show that she wants to make her own choices, be her own person without the constraints of her family, but it makes for a snail pace, only really ramping up when others are pushing her to act, making the entire thing moot. I wanted to love it more, but the disjointedness between actions and thoughts made this difficult.
I think the only problem I had with this was the pacing. Winnie drags her heels the entire book, and doesn't seem to actually understand the impacts of her actions until the very last second, and it makes her story feel rushed. I know this is to show that she wants to make her own choices, be her own person without the constraints of her family, but it makes for a snail pace, only really ramping up when others are pushing her to act, making the entire thing moot. I wanted to love it more, but the disjointedness between actions and thoughts made this difficult.
matildata's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bia_180's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
mariahistryingtoread's review
3.0
This trope in literature - kid unlocks magical powers/history/is chosen one, saves world - is super common. I usually avoid it because while kids will enjoy it, it is one of the few tropes that as an adult kidlit reader I find just too rote. If you read enough, most things become by the numbers in some way, but I prefer to not go around 2 or 3 starring books I know for a fact will not hold high in my esteem.
Obviously, my opinion is one in a sea of likely to be gushing 4 or 5 star reviews and doesn’t matter all that much. But, since I’m the main character in my life I choose to center my perspective above all else and needlessly worry that somehow my one review will singlehandedly change the tides’ of a books’ reputation and I will feel guilty for ruining an ultimately harmless thing. Thus, I actually enter books of this kind with great trepidation - contrary to popular belief, I do not enjoy having to write a negative review.
All that is to say: Is Winnie Zeng predictable? Yes. Is it still worth reading? Absolutely.
For one, all children should see themselves as heroes. The trope is tired for me, however, the trope is predominantly tired in relation to white children who still make up the majority of kidlit depictions. A Chinese girl unlocks magical powers/history/is chosen one, saves world is not even close to being exhausted in American kidlit.
I will always champion a book that is inoffensive and does exactly what it seeks to do well. Winnie Zeng has no plot holes, does not violate its internal logic, fulfills Winnie’s character arc and is paced evenly. More than that it’s fun without resorting to ‘borrowing’ specific attributes of other similar books of this type. For example, when I read the first Aru Shah book it felt like it was copying elements of Percy Jackson wholesale. Outside of its inclusion of Indian mythology it did not stand enough on its own two feet as a novel; it relied too much on checking off the boxes along the path laid out by the trope.
That does not mean Winnie Zeng doesn't do the same thing at times (the hip and cool Grandma, the pop culture references that immediately date the book, the random power up when facing the final boss even though the main character is a level 1 whatever, the establishment of the background shadow agency/organization/powerful group in charge for decades that will most definitely be taken down a peg by kids who have only been in the business for a few months, the info-dumping) It just means that it was written under its own steam enough that I was not especially bothered.
Winnie Zeng manages to maintain its own charm while staying in the confines of the genre - I feel totally comfortable recommending it.
Obviously, my opinion is one in a sea of likely to be gushing 4 or 5 star reviews and doesn’t matter all that much. But, since I’m the main character in my life I choose to center my perspective above all else and needlessly worry that somehow my one review will singlehandedly change the tides’ of a books’ reputation and I will feel guilty for ruining an ultimately harmless thing. Thus, I actually enter books of this kind with great trepidation - contrary to popular belief, I do not enjoy having to write a negative review.
All that is to say: Is Winnie Zeng predictable? Yes. Is it still worth reading? Absolutely.
For one, all children should see themselves as heroes. The trope is tired for me, however, the trope is predominantly tired in relation to white children who still make up the majority of kidlit depictions. A Chinese girl unlocks magical powers/history/is chosen one, saves world is not even close to being exhausted in American kidlit.
I will always champion a book that is inoffensive and does exactly what it seeks to do well. Winnie Zeng has no plot holes, does not violate its internal logic, fulfills Winnie’s character arc and is paced evenly. More than that it’s fun without resorting to ‘borrowing’ specific attributes of other similar books of this type. For example, when I read the first Aru Shah book it felt like it was copying elements of Percy Jackson wholesale. Outside of its inclusion of Indian mythology it did not stand enough on its own two feet as a novel; it relied too much on checking off the boxes along the path laid out by the trope.
That does not mean Winnie Zeng doesn't do the same thing at times (the hip and cool Grandma, the pop culture references that immediately date the book, the random power up when facing the final boss even though the main character is a level 1 whatever, the establishment of the background shadow agency/organization/powerful group in charge for decades that will most definitely be taken down a peg by kids who have only been in the business for a few months, the info-dumping) It just means that it was written under its own steam enough that I was not especially bothered.
Winnie Zeng manages to maintain its own charm while staying in the confines of the genre - I feel totally comfortable recommending it.
hrmason's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
5.0
kellyjmac's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book. It was funny and smart and full of magic and legends. My son and I read it together aloud and we laughed the whole way through. We both loved Winnie with her smart wit and bravery. Lao Lao was the perfect overspirit mentor and the dynamic between her and Joe was hilarious. The book has a good amount of action and a great amount of heart. We are definitely excited that this will be a series and can’t wait to read more and find out what’s next for Winnie, David, Lao Lao and Joe!