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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
Beautiful prequel to Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon’s Promise, exploring her step-mother’s past. Brutally emotional and gripping.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
sad
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Self harm
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As I had previously read Six Crimson Cranes, I was extremely excited to read this work from Elizabeth Lim. However, I felt it fell flat compared to her other works, as the characters and plot were all very fast paced. There was little time to truly explore the depths of any of the characters, Channi - one of the main characters - is almost entirely summarized by her vengeance, which is understandable, however it leaves little to be understood. There is a lack of flow to the relationship that is suddenly and shockingly happening between two characters and the premise of the whole plot leaves a lot to be desired with the way that it is written. While I greatly appreciate Lim’s work, I fear this particular book just wasn’t as fleshed out as others from her or her peers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I snuck in just in time to get an ARC of this, just days before it was published. I was beyond ecstatic, and though it meant reading this before I got a chance to read Dragon's Promise, I was so glad that I did.
Chanari clearly had secrets and a past before Six Crimson Cranes, and while some were revealed, so many others were left hidden. I'm so glad we were able to see her story, and now there are some characters I'm eager to keep an eye out for when I get back to Dragon's Promise. After I read Crimson Cranes again, of course!
Like I've come to expect from this series and Elizabeth Lim's writing, the mythology and world were above par. The blessings and unexpected results that having part of a dragon's pearl can bring to your life. The bond between siblings. All were handled so very well, and reading this was like a reward each time I got to pick it up again.
When Channi's mother lies dying after the birth of her sister, her father is given an impossible choice. To give up the new baby, the one with the radiant light spilling from her chest, and his wife will live. Instead, her father takes Channi to be sacrificed. But she is not the one Angma wants. Channari's life is saved when the snake god bites her, leaving her blood forever poisoned, but keeping Angma from eating her. Angered, Angma curses her face to represent the snake, and promises that she will return on Vanna's 18th birthday.
Channi has spent her whole life being hated and outcast. No one, not even her family, remembers that she wasn't born cursed. That she was once a regular girl. Not even Vanna, her only friend and the one that Channi would die for. She'll do anything to keep her sister safe, and she's remained ever vigilant for Angma's return.
Things are not as simple as Channi expected them to be. Despite managing to ensure that her sister is bought by a suitor who might one day grow to love her, Channi is soon separated. Now she must not only learn Angma's current identity, but also keep others who might do Vanna harm from finding her, and travel across foreign lands to find her.
Beautifully written, Elizabeth Lim is definitely one of my must-read authors!
Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the ARC!
Chanari clearly had secrets and a past before Six Crimson Cranes, and while some were revealed, so many others were left hidden. I'm so glad we were able to see her story, and now there are some characters I'm eager to keep an eye out for when I get back to Dragon's Promise. After I read Crimson Cranes again, of course!
Like I've come to expect from this series and Elizabeth Lim's writing, the mythology and world were above par. The blessings and unexpected results that having part of a dragon's pearl can bring to your life. The bond between siblings. All were handled so very well, and reading this was like a reward each time I got to pick it up again.
When Channi's mother lies dying after the birth of her sister, her father is given an impossible choice. To give up the new baby, the one with the radiant light spilling from her chest, and his wife will live. Instead, her father takes Channi to be sacrificed. But she is not the one Angma wants. Channari's life is saved when the snake god bites her, leaving her blood forever poisoned, but keeping Angma from eating her. Angered, Angma curses her face to represent the snake, and promises that she will return on Vanna's 18th birthday.
Channi has spent her whole life being hated and outcast. No one, not even her family, remembers that she wasn't born cursed. That she was once a regular girl. Not even Vanna, her only friend and the one that Channi would die for. She'll do anything to keep her sister safe, and she's remained ever vigilant for Angma's return.
Things are not as simple as Channi expected them to be. Despite managing to ensure that her sister is bought by a suitor who might one day grow to love her, Channi is soon separated. Now she must not only learn Angma's current identity, but also keep others who might do Vanna harm from finding her, and travel across foreign lands to find her.
Beautifully written, Elizabeth Lim is definitely one of my must-read authors!
Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the ARC!
"Butterflies celebrate all love, Channi, because every love is precious. And mine for you, above all. That love is forever."