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talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Death, Abandonment, Murder, and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Hate crime
Minor: Transphobia, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, and Trafficking
bluedilly'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
3.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Gun violence, Child death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Pregnancy
indydc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
dokushoka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Transphobia
galexy_brain's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Blood and Abandonment
Minor: Violence, Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Grief, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship
inamerata's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I loved the imagery and it's refreshing to read about two older sapphic women having fantastic adventures. However, that didn't outweigh the kind of typical, dark/edgy folktale retelling elements, and I was frustrated at how often sweeping generalizations cropped up in a story about nuance and life not being so simple. Still, the ending was neat.
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
marjokat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Toxic friendship
solly's review
- 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
3.75
This was an excellent novella with older sapphic protags, moxing several western fairytales and the Chinese story of Hou Yi and Chang'E. The two protags (Red Riding Hood and trans woman Hou Yi) are morally grey women who have tons of family issues they work out throughout the story by telling each other about their past. It explored some really interesting themes while having some cool worldbuilding. I really enjoyed it, would have liked one more chapter maybe, but as a novella it makes sense that it stopped where it did.
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Transphobia and Child abuse
anovelbeauty's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Burning Roses is a really interesting little novella. I was initially drawn in with the promise of a Little Red Riding Hood and Hou Yi retelling, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that many other fairytales were woven throughout the story.
Have older warrior MCs was honestly a really strong narrative choice and made their reflections about their lives, families, and mistakes as they go on their last quest feel all the more poignant. The story is very well written and the end particularly tugged at my heartstrings. I appreciated the resolution quite a lot, particularly for Hou Yi’s character. Huang did a really good job of developing multifaceted characters and a complete story in a very short amount of time. The story is grounded in family and spousal relationships and if anything can be done once you have hurt those relationships. If forgiveness and wholeness can be found. It’s a beautiful, little story and I hope you are able to give it a read.
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia