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bluejayreads's review
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Blood and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Death of parent, Child death, and Animal death
mattiedancer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- Fans of fantasy novels
- Fans of Joan He
- War, death, violence, blood, child death, injury, grief, animal death, death of parent, alcohol,
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Alcohol, Violence, Murder, War, Blood, and Animal death
olive_lol's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Overall, a fun book with a lot of personality and a divisive protagonist.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Chronic illness, and Child death
Minor: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
mandkips's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent, Animal death, and Alcohol
lqvekanej's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Sexism, Alcohol, and Animal death
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
- 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
And the plot twists! Between the scheming and the plotting, there are twists that you don't see coming all throughout the book. I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book!
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Blood, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, and Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Vomit, Death, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, and War
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Violence, War, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gore, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Torture, Stalking, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
lastblossom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A beautifully written book with powerful characters and a rollercoaster ride of plot twists that's nearly impossible to put down.
About
In a land torn by war, three warlordesses fight for control. Zephyr is a brilliant strategist, and she'll do whatever it takes to keep her lordess Xin Ren safe. With armies at their heels and resources thin, Zephyr's only choice is to infiltrate the enemy's ranks and destroy them from within. But when the enemy's strategist Crow appears, has she finally met her match?
Thoughts
I'm already counting down the days to the sequel. The author's notes in the back state that this is her favorite book, and with good reason. It's an excellent book. War stratagems and human complexity clash beautifully and painfully in this retelling of The Three Kingdoms (although no familiarity with the original is necessary to enjoy this). The plot drives the story, but there's plenty of space for human interaction, including very thoughtful portrayals of the many different forms of sisterhood. Zephyr is an absolutely stunning main character. Bold, capable, confident, and utterly unshakeable. As much as I love a story where the MC learns to believe in themselves, getting to read one where they already do is truly exhilarating. Crow is a fantastic foil (and potential love interest?) - clever, moody, and full of secrets. I loved seeing him and Zephyr match wits. Writing is fast-paced, and evocative, with plot twists furling out with increasing urgency. And that ending! Ahhhh!
I'd also like to take the time to appreciate that notes in the back offer insight into the original Three Kingdoms story for curious readers, and there are a handful of gorgeous character illustrations in the front. (I, uh, wouldn't mind one for Crow in the second volume.)
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and War
Minor: Alcohol and Animal death
ezwolf's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
I flew through this book and will probably read it again and again as I await its sequel.
Having all of these women in powerful positions and using the title of "lordess" instead of lady was so much fun and a detail I highly enjoyed. Having a sworn sisterhood made me so excited and immediately added so much to their relationships and to the way that Zephyr was there, as Xin Ren's strategist and right hand, but still an outsider to the ones closest to Xin Ren.
When I read the table of contents and saw it ended on an Intermezzo I was so excited to find out why and the closer I got to the end, the more I wanted to know how it would go. I absolutely loved this book and I am already eagerly awaiting the next in the series. Zephyr is such an interesting character, the way she is willing to do anything to further her cause, and the changes she goes through as she learns more of the truth of who she was and is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for making this book available in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Blood, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and Child death