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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.
I'm 1000% sure the middle school me who got swallowed by Percy Jackson & the Olympians would devour this book as quickly as she inhales all the dumplings, stuffed buns and dim sum. (Look, they're comfort food.) The Dragon Warrior really brings back the nostalgia of those times. Katie Zhao wrote a beautiful novel that promises fun and adventure featuring Chinese mythology.
Zhao's debut novel follows twelve-year-old Faryn Liu as she is revealed to be the Heaven Breaker after she crosses paths with a demon during Lunar New Year Festivities. She and her companions set off on a quest across various Chinatowns to find the island of immortals so she can prove she is worthy to take on the role.
But both she and her brother are outcasts in the Jade Society and have been treated as such for years. To the members in her local Jade Society, she's not worthy of such an important role and it's not something she plans for either (does any twelve-year-old though?). But despite frequently thinking about ròu bāo zi (I don't blame her; meat dumplings are delicious), Faryn readily steps into the role even if she might know what she's doing or feel ready to potentially command an army.
The Dragon Warrior is a huge nod to my childhood, featuring various deities and other well-known figures from Chinese mythology. They're full of wit and sass that brought a constant smile to my face as they aided or deterred Faryn and her companions in the quest. The novel brings in aspects of family, tradition and honor, all of which are important parts of Chinese culture. It's clear throughout the novel Faryn has a strong bond with not just her brother, but also her Ye Ye.
Zhao's debut novel is a fast-paced, page-turning adventure that is chock full of humor; it's easy to forget this is a debut as this is extremely well-written, and I loved every second of it. Honestly, the only thing I'm disappointed is there probably won't be any sequels. (Someone please tell me there will be one???) The Dragon Warrior is an engrossing story featuring Chinese mythology and tying in various aspects of the culture; I highly recommend this to Chinese American readers who want to see themselves in a world where Chinese mythology clashes into the modern world.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
The Dragon Warrior is such a fun and delightful read
I'm 1000% sure the middle school me who got swallowed by Percy Jackson & the Olympians would devour this book as quickly as she inhales all the dumplings, stuffed buns and dim sum. (Look, they're comfort food.) The Dragon Warrior really brings back the nostalgia of those times. Katie Zhao wrote a beautiful novel that promises fun and adventure featuring Chinese mythology.
Zhao's debut novel follows twelve-year-old Faryn Liu as she is revealed to be the Heaven Breaker after she crosses paths with a demon during Lunar New Year Festivities. She and her companions set off on a quest across various Chinatowns to find the island of immortals so she can prove she is worthy to take on the role.
But both she and her brother are outcasts in the Jade Society and have been treated as such for years. To the members in her local Jade Society, she's not worthy of such an important role and it's not something she plans for either (does any twelve-year-old though?). But despite frequently thinking about ròu bāo zi (I don't blame her; meat dumplings are delicious), Faryn readily steps into the role even if she might know what she's doing or feel ready to potentially command an army.
Full of adventure and humor
The Dragon Warrior is a huge nod to my childhood, featuring various deities and other well-known figures from Chinese mythology. They're full of wit and sass that brought a constant smile to my face as they aided or deterred Faryn and her companions in the quest. The novel brings in aspects of family, tradition and honor, all of which are important parts of Chinese culture. It's clear throughout the novel Faryn has a strong bond with not just her brother, but also her Ye Ye.
Zhao's debut novel is a fast-paced, page-turning adventure that is chock full of humor; it's easy to forget this is a debut as this is extremely well-written, and I loved every second of it. Honestly, the only thing I'm disappointed is there probably won't be any sequels. (Someone please tell me there will be one???) The Dragon Warrior is an engrossing story featuring Chinese mythology and tying in various aspects of the culture; I highly recommend this to Chinese American readers who want to see themselves in a world where Chinese mythology clashes into the modern world.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Check out my review here, https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1IBFISJ5QKFJI/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1547602007
Couldn't really get into this one, but I loved the diversity in it and the sibling relationships.
3.5 stars
I think this is a very solid middle grade! Would I recommend this to people?? Absolutely!! Did I have a good time reading it?? Yes!! There were some things that I didn’t really vibe with, but those are totally on me and not on the book.
I thought the pacing was a little off to start with. It takes us about 100 pages to get into the actual action and I don’t know whether this was thrown off by me reading some faster-paced books before picking this one up, but that just felt very slow for me. Especially because it’s a quest book!! And the quest only actually starts one-third of the way into the story.
That said, though, I really liked the quest aspect of the novel!! I thought it was really well-thought-out and original and I had a great time following our characters on the adventure!! The stakes were also well-established and kept increasing throughout the story which I really liked!! The plot itself was structured well. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing.
I have,,, mixed feelings about the characters. On the one hand, I really liked the development of the relationship between the main character and her brother. On the other hand, I feel like the main character is the only one who has any depth to her. I wish we had gotten to spend more time with the side characters because I really think there was a lot of potential there.
I think the world is really interesting and I loved the exploration of Chinese mythology! Can’t wait to see what the author does with this in future books because so far I’m really loving her take on it! Waiting to see where she’ll take the characters of the different deities specifically because I loved what we got of them in this book!! And the politics of it all!! Incredible!!!
Overall, I think this is a great middle-grade adventure story that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat! This is definitely one I won’t hesitate to recommend to people because I think there’s a lot to be enjoyed in it!!
I think this is a very solid middle grade! Would I recommend this to people?? Absolutely!! Did I have a good time reading it?? Yes!! There were some things that I didn’t really vibe with, but those are totally on me and not on the book.
I thought the pacing was a little off to start with. It takes us about 100 pages to get into the actual action and I don’t know whether this was thrown off by me reading some faster-paced books before picking this one up, but that just felt very slow for me. Especially because it’s a quest book!! And the quest only actually starts one-third of the way into the story.
That said, though, I really liked the quest aspect of the novel!! I thought it was really well-thought-out and original and I had a great time following our characters on the adventure!! The stakes were also well-established and kept increasing throughout the story which I really liked!! The plot itself was structured well. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing.
I have,,, mixed feelings about the characters. On the one hand, I really liked the development of the relationship between the main character and her brother. On the other hand, I feel like the main character is the only one who has any depth to her. I wish we had gotten to spend more time with the side characters because I really think there was a lot of potential there.
I think the world is really interesting and I loved the exploration of Chinese mythology! Can’t wait to see what the author does with this in future books because so far I’m really loving her take on it! Waiting to see where she’ll take the characters of the different deities specifically because I loved what we got of them in this book!! And the politics of it all!! Incredible!!!
Overall, I think this is a great middle-grade adventure story that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat! This is definitely one I won’t hesitate to recommend to people because I think there’s a lot to be enjoyed in it!!
3.5 stars
So, bearing in mind that I'm a Chinese-American but not MG reader, I quite liked this and I think my younger self would've liked it even more. The plot is a little formulaic, several of the reveals are fairly tropey, and the in-text translations felt clunky — but in the MG context, all of these could also be considered strengths.
It's rich in Chinese mythology, on a level that I think most young readers will be able to understand and appreciate. (And the glossary at the back will probably come in handy for many!) I really liked that it emphasized family and community values over romance; as an older sister myself, I absolutely adored Faryn and Alex's relationship. The plot itself is fun, ending on a twist that actually caught me surprise, leaving me curious to see what will happen next.
content warnings:
rep:
-----------
CONVERSION: 10.5 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
So, bearing in mind that I'm a Chinese-American but not MG reader, I quite liked this and I think my younger self would've liked it even more. The plot is a little formulaic, several of the reveals are fairly tropey, and the in-text translations felt clunky — but in the MG context, all of these could also be considered strengths.
It's rich in Chinese mythology, on a level that I think most young readers will be able to understand and appreciate. (And the glossary at the back will probably come in handy for many!) I really liked that it emphasized family and community values over romance; as an older sister myself, I absolutely adored Faryn and Alex's relationship. The plot itself is fun, ending on a twist that actually caught me surprise, leaving me curious to see what will happen next.
content warnings:
Spoiler
precanon parent death, colorism, bullying, on-page major character death(s)rep:
Spoiler
Chinese-Egyptian-Greek-Turkish-American MC, Chinese-American and Chinese cast, nonbinary minor character-----------
CONVERSION: 10.5 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
Love the integration of Chinese folklore and legend.
This was quite a fun read. Zhao's writing is fun without losing depth, a combination of funny and dark in a way that reminds me of the Riordan and Riordan Presents books. I say that while also wanting to establish that The Dragon Warrior very much stands on its own, just like the books in Riordan Presents but it has the same quirky adventure feel that comes with those t(w)een adventure books based in mythology and folklore. I think part of it is that even with a diverse cast of characters and storylines... Zhao doesn't quite manage to get away from the tropes common with similar fantasy adventure books for kids around 10-15 years of age. The characters are bullied to the point of being outcasts (they apparently don't even go to school, like... why is this a thing that is honestly mentioned more or less in passing and never really dealt with?) and all they want is to fit in; of course with the mandatory crush on the bully that makes your life a living hell because she's pretty. It bothered me when I was in the age group for these books, and it sure bothers me now. It's nice when bullies realise their faults and all that, even though I don't get why it has to be black or white - rarely can the bullied character have some friends or some sense of belonging, they have to be absolute outcasts which to me has always been tough to relate to. It makes it even weirder when it's tied to the bully and victim to friends trope. Maybe a lot of bullied kids do want to be popular like these books often make it seem? I would love more of a focus on the bullied kids wanting to be accepted for who they are. That's all I remember wanting to be as a bullied kid. I don't know. But I'm kind of tired of tween literature with bully-to-friend plots that often include bullies who quite frankly treat their victims not just badly but as subhuman. To then have them become friends rather than having the bullies realise what the fuck they're doing while also giving the victims friends who actually see them as human and perfectly okay just as they are... this is not the kind of message I want to give to kids, and I very much doubt it's the type the authors want to give them either. In this case it sucks especially because other than that, Zhao explores the same issues in different contexts quite well.
I'll admit, I don't know much about Chinese mythology. I know a little, but it has never been one of the areas I've focused on. That said, this was quite a fun introduction to it and definitely helped while also being a cool fantasy adventure that I can't wait to read more of.
A fun book that's the true spirit of a middle grade—you'll want to read THE DRAGON WARRIOR as soon as you can!!!
I'm so glad I got to read this book! The characters are charming, the adventure is fast-paced, and the whole thing was an utter delight to read. This is the beginning of a series that kids will absolutely love and would make a kick-butt Saturday morning cartoon. This is a book that will make even the most reluctant of readers dive straight in.
One thing that makes this book so remarkable is how unapologetically steeped in Chinese culture and lore it is. There's no apology for using Chinese words (I'm assuming Mandarin, but I'm not Chinese, so I don't know!) or stories. It also really speaks to people who are trapped between cultures or who feel like outcasts—I think a lot of first-generation kids feel like "blood traitors," which is the insult hurled at the narrator and her brother. It's something difficult to capture, but THE DRAGON WARRIOR did it in a way that will speak to the kids who aren't sure how to put that feeling into words.
I also love the settings in the book, the various Chinatowns. As someone whose culture doesn't have a home-base in many cities like that, I can imagine the feeling of home (and the complications that come with it) that arise when you're in a hub like that. Also shout-out to my home city of Chicago!! I would have been bummed if there wasn't a visit to Chicago Chinatown ;)
I think it's deeply important for marginalized kids to see themselves in book, both the good and the bad. Alex and Faryn grapple with themselves and with what's going on in ways that kids who have been knocked down and bullied will deeply understand. The choices they make are so human and flawed, and I love that.
One note: the book ends on a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. If you have to deprive yourself of this book in order to wait until the sequel is also out, I wouldn't blame you. But you would be missing out on a comedic adventure that proves that anyone can be a hero. <3
I'm so glad I got to read this book! The characters are charming, the adventure is fast-paced, and the whole thing was an utter delight to read. This is the beginning of a series that kids will absolutely love and would make a kick-butt Saturday morning cartoon. This is a book that will make even the most reluctant of readers dive straight in.
One thing that makes this book so remarkable is how unapologetically steeped in Chinese culture and lore it is. There's no apology for using Chinese words (I'm assuming Mandarin, but I'm not Chinese, so I don't know!) or stories. It also really speaks to people who are trapped between cultures or who feel like outcasts—I think a lot of first-generation kids feel like "blood traitors," which is the insult hurled at the narrator and her brother. It's something difficult to capture, but THE DRAGON WARRIOR did it in a way that will speak to the kids who aren't sure how to put that feeling into words.
I also love the settings in the book, the various Chinatowns. As someone whose culture doesn't have a home-base in many cities like that, I can imagine the feeling of home (and the complications that come with it) that arise when you're in a hub like that. Also shout-out to my home city of Chicago!! I would have been bummed if there wasn't a visit to Chicago Chinatown ;)
I think it's deeply important for marginalized kids to see themselves in book, both the good and the bad. Alex and Faryn grapple with themselves and with what's going on in ways that kids who have been knocked down and bullied will deeply understand. The choices they make are so human and flawed, and I love that.
One note: the book ends on a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. If you have to deprive yourself of this book in order to wait until the sequel is also out, I wouldn't blame you. But you would be missing out on a comedic adventure that proves that anyone can be a hero. <3
Chock full of adventure, laughs, and delicious food. I learned so much about Chinese culture through this book and can't wait to read the next one. I enjoyed how Zhao subtly drove character development of the four main characters. The dialog is fantastic and makes me laugh often. The action is fun and energetic. I also loved the dynamics of the gods, how some were good, some not so much, and how they interacted both with each other but also with humans.
Looking forward to the next one!
Looking forward to the next one!