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lia_argo's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Xenophobia, and Racism
literaryinluv's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
okay, so for me, the siblings were the least interesting of the bunch, and for a good chunk, i felt like i didn't know anything about lily. alex and daniel were the most interesting characters. i heard there was an enemies-to-lovers-esque sapphic romance in the book, and i was excited about that, but it felt so... flat? the reason behind being "enemies" wasn't that interesting either. i agree with the characters, art should definitely be returned to the countries they originated from, but their reasoning gets a bit repetitive for me sometimes bc it feels like they keep feeling the need to justify the heist. however, I literally gasped when daniel's dad found out , so that's something.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Racism
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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? Yes
3.75
A very warm 3.75 I love the premise but there’s some weakness in the writing around certain character’s relationships not in even direction or dynamic but execution that I will note further later :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
lenchen25's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
kassidyreads's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, Colonisation, and Death of parent
ticktock's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
imds'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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Grief, Cancer, and Colonisation
Minor: Racism
amberinpieces's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, and Grief
frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
I really loved this! I may be a history student but above all, I am a museum criticist.
This story seems simple — 5 Chinese-American college students, 5 zodiac heads to be retrieved. But it is so much more than that. It's about immigration, family, love and the loss of it, complicated sibling relationships and just not knowing where your life is supposed to end up. I could find myself so much in this book, it was so raw and real.
The character relationships were so interesting, especially how each of them had different and established relationships and intercations with the other members of the crew. They're all multifaceted and you can really see that come through in those scenes and that's what makes them seem so much like real people.
I really appreciated the constant mentions of Chinese proverbs and the small differences in meaning that sentences can have in English & Chinese, that was so interesting. I've been trying to get into Asian history for some time but I've been really struggling to find an in (I'm not one for biggg, long, overview books, give me one single aspect please) and I think the Summer Palace is the one! Its history in the past and its status right now really intrigues me.
Would definitely recommend if you also love criticising museums and your own academic field. Academia is a scam but I firmly believe we can change it.
Okay, now, why wasn't this 5 stars? Don't get me wrong: people know me as someone who hates, basically can't read anything, that has a sad ending but this one was just too perfect for me. I loved how much they messed up in the book, how un-perfect this heist was and maybe I'm just a hater of historical institutions at my form but I'm not able to dispense reality enough to believe this ending.
This story seems simple — 5 Chinese-American college students, 5 zodiac heads to be retrieved. But it is so much more than that. It's about immigration, family, love and the loss of it, complicated sibling relationships and just not knowing where your life is supposed to end up. I could find myself so much in this book, it was so raw and real.
The character relationships were so interesting, especially how each of them had different and established relationships and intercations with the other members of the crew. They're all multifaceted and you can really see that come through in those scenes and that's what makes them seem so much like real people.
I really appreciated the constant mentions of Chinese proverbs and the small differences in meaning that sentences can have in English & Chinese, that was so interesting. I've been trying to get into Asian history for some time but I've been really struggling to find an in (I'm not one for biggg, long, overview books, give me one single aspect please) and I think the Summer Palace is the one! Its history in the past and its status right now really intrigues me.
Would definitely recommend if you also love criticising museums and your own academic field. Academia is a scam but I firmly believe we can change it.
Okay, now, why wasn't this 5 stars? Don't get me wrong: people know me as someone who hates, basically can't read anything, that has a sad ending but this one was just too perfect for me. I loved how much they messed up in the book, how un-perfect this heist was and maybe I'm just a hater of historical institutions at my form but I'm not able to dispense reality enough to believe this ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Racism, and Grief
Minor: War
tkhenry99's review
4.0
i do think the book and writing are both genuinely good, but i felt like most of the characters didn’t have clear motivations for agreeing to the (literally impossible) heists in the first place and disliked that you found out their motivations way later in the book. even by the end, i still didn’t think daniel and lily had clear motivations. daniel did it…. bc irene asked? bc he wanted to get back at his father? bc he absorbed will’s motivations by osmosis and suddenly decided to care about chinese art going home? and lily was just looking for a place to belong….? trying to find her identity…? none of those seem like good reasons to definitely go to jail.
irene was such a bitch to alex for literally no reason. she hates all of will’s exes and for what? bc he’s a bastard? seems like she should’ve had something against him instead.
not sure why the author chose to include covid….? it’s going to date the book so much.
irene was such a bitch to alex for literally no reason. she hates all of will’s exes and for what? bc he’s a bastard? seems like she should’ve had something against him instead.
not sure why the author chose to include covid….? it’s going to date the book so much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Death of parent