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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
it was a fun concept in the beginning and i liked to find out qhats going on but maaan the writing is so deeply mediocre and the plot is so messy for no reason and the stakes are jumping up and down and just none of it was really good... i even struggle to say what was good, i guess the concept was fine
This was VERY predictable (predicted the main plot twist on chapter 2) but it was also cute and fun and I had a great time reading it. The ending was a little rushed/too easy but it might be a xianxia trope I'm not aware of or something. And again. It was cute and I had a good time :D I preferred this one over the author's other book I read last year, but I feel like I can forgive instalovey stuff more easily in an over the top fantasy story like this one rather than in a contemporary book.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
I loved this, I loved this so much I read it and THEN bought it just so I could have it to read again whenever I wanted. Ask me about any part from the characters, their love story, their growth, the setting, the magic and mythology, whatever you ask it was executed perfectly and kept me invested.
Buy it, read it, its just such a sweet and satisfying comfort read of mine now.
Buy it, read it, its just such a sweet and satisfying comfort read of mine now.
The Little Mermaid fan in me is always obsessed with stories about shapeshifting creatures wanting to experience what being human is like and on that front, I was so satisfied by this story. It is based on a Chinese folktale, which I'm not super familiar with so I'll have to check it out at some point, but the shapeshifter part in this was really well crafted. I can't say I originally was a big fan of snakes but this book dropped so many snake-related information, I can tell I'll start hyperfixating on that as soon as I get some time to do some research.
I loved Zhen's character so much, even though at the end I felt a bit sad, even a little angry, for how many times he was willing to sacrifice himself for others. His kindness and gentleness was just so sweet to witness. I loved his relationship to Qing, it's such a cute friendship with lots of witty banter and a sense of loyalty and care for each other that I love to see. I was so ready to punch anyone who dared hurt either of them.
Xian left a less impactful impression on me but he's also a good character. I liked seeing his growth, how he learns to be kinder, to forgive people while also upholding the values he has always believed in, I also liked his friendship with Feng.
I have to say, the characters in this book - even if it isn't a character driven book - all have their own personalities and that was so refreshing. If you're looking for attaching characters, light but very intriguing fantasy, a fast paced action-packed read and lots of love for animals, you're going to enjoy this.
Side note: I would LOVE an animated movie adaptation of this with the cover's color scheme, it would be so fun and pretty. Also in a mix of 2D and 3D would be so cool. And speaking of the cover, I am so in love with it: the details, the composition, the colors! Everything is so good and I highly recommend checking out the artist's work because all the pieces are stunning.
I loved Zhen's character so much, even though at the end I felt a bit sad, even a little angry, for how many times he was willing to sacrifice himself for others. His kindness and gentleness was just so sweet to witness. I loved his relationship to Qing, it's such a cute friendship with lots of witty banter and a sense of loyalty and care for each other that I love to see. I was so ready to punch anyone who dared hurt either of them.
Xian left a less impactful impression on me but he's also a good character. I liked seeing his growth, how he learns to be kinder, to forgive people while also upholding the values he has always believed in, I also liked his friendship with Feng.
I have to say, the characters in this book - even if it isn't a character driven book - all have their own personalities and that was so refreshing. If you're looking for attaching characters, light but very intriguing fantasy, a fast paced action-packed read and lots of love for animals, you're going to enjoy this.
Side note: I would LOVE an animated movie adaptation of this with the cover's color scheme, it would be so fun and pretty. Also in a mix of 2D and 3D would be so cool. And speaking of the cover, I am so in love with it: the details, the composition, the colors! Everything is so good and I highly recommend checking out the artist's work because all the pieces are stunning.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Blood, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
I greatly enjoyed reading this and very quickly became engaged with the characters and the story as I began reading. There were twists I didn't expect even I had suspicions about a certain character and some truly emotional and sweet moments. It felt like a great book to start off and read at the beginning of 2025, too, because of the snake theme! It was a great blend of historical fantasy and romance and I was immediately eager to have friends read it and discuss it with them.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced