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vivivi'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
5.0
It has a good mix of wuxia and western fairy tales!
Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent
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
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
phantomdoodler'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
4.5
Minor: Violence, Murder, and Abandonment
laurareads87's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
<i>Burning Roses</i> follows two fairytale figures, Huo Yi (a very skilled archer) and Rosa (Red Riding Hood). Older women, both have complex pasts which are slowly revealed over the course of the story as they go together on a quest to stop sunbirds who are torching and destroying villages. There are many references to fairytales here, but at its heart this is a story about guilt, regret, loss, forgiveness, and redemption. There is so much I appreciate about this story -- the representation of older queer women, the way so many themes come together in a story that feels just the right length, the refusal to simplify difficult dynamics for the sake of a tidy ending, the subtlety. When I want feminist retellings... this is what I want. Definitely recommend.
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
Minor: Transphobia
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