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arielleb148's review against another edition
4.0
while the main character, ren, annoyed me sometimes, her struggles as a biracial woman really resonated with me. while i’m half black, not half japanese, ren’s feelings of feeling like she never fit in either community (japan or england, in her case) really hit home.
i also really enjoyed the relationship (in the beginning, not so much the end) between ren and her brother neven. it reminds me of the relationship between myself and my younger brother, as both ren and i are mixed and both neven and my brother are white.
the writing style was good and i liked that it took place in the 19th century, but i wasn’t a fan of the romance or the ending. both felt super rushed, random and not entirely fleshed out.
still, overall enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the sequel. i didn’t know anything about japanese mythology before going in, and boy oh boy is it WILD. i definitely want to learn more!
i highly recommend this book for poc’s living in predominantly white communities and are searching for a book that represents them well.
i also really enjoyed the relationship (in the beginning, not so much the end) between ren and her brother neven. it reminds me of the relationship between myself and my younger brother, as both ren and i are mixed and both neven and my brother are white.
the writing style was good and i liked that it took place in the 19th century, but i wasn’t a fan of the romance or the ending. both felt super rushed, random and not entirely fleshed out.
still, overall enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the sequel. i didn’t know anything about japanese mythology before going in, and boy oh boy is it WILD. i definitely want to learn more!
i highly recommend this book for poc’s living in predominantly white communities and are searching for a book that represents them well.
squidinator's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
cheydenise's review
5.0
WOW! Not only did I devour this book, I annotated one of my fictional books for the first time. I found myself highlighting so often because of all the beautiful quotes and the storytelling Baker was able to do. I found myself immersed in Ren’s world and unable to leave. A half Shinigami and half Reaper girl captured my entire heart. I felt so drawn to Hiro and for a good reason totally. I fell in love with everything about this story from the setting, to the characters, and even the lore! The vibe felt so eerie at times but also overwhelming beautiful. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to follow Ren on a journey of death that had me extremely nervous at times but also in awe because of what she’s truly capable of. Imagine not being wanted by anyone, not your father or your peers around you besides your brother Neven. This is what happened to Ren as a reaper and she couldn’t help but want to know what it’d be like to be accepted truly by those around her. I couldn’t recommend this enough as it’s my favorite book this year. This 5 stars is the easiest I’ve ever given.
tafeeeeee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ithilwens_library's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
czarfancypants's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
moonlit_dewdrops's review against another edition
5.0
Spoiler
I can genuinely say that Kylie Lee Baker is now an auto-read author for me!The worldbuilding and fantasy elements in this book were really good with the various elements of Japanese elements/mythology creatures such as yokai, kitsune, yumi, and shinigami being weaved into the plot. The MC female character is no nonsense badass and I am here for it! Oh and did I mention she is also morally gray?
I also really liked how the book addressed the racism that mixed Asians face in real life, which I assume the author wrote based on her own experience. I think it's very important to write about such experiences through books and bring awareness to them.
Another thing I loved about this book is the focus on the relationship between the two siblings and it wasn't just focused on the romance aspects of it. While I'm all for romance, I think it is very important to also write about platonic relationships.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! It had an engaging plot and setting and the characters were interesting and well-written
THAT ENDING had me gasping in shock (HIRO WHY). NEVEN was right all along. Be careful who trust! Be wary of handsome strangers!
｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
“I knew how it felt to be weighed down by the world around you so much that you could barely move your lips to speak."
isylyaeleni's review
adventurous
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5