A review by laurareads87
Burning Roses by S.L. Huang

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I picked up Burning Roses having enjoyed some of S.L. Huang's other work; I didn't realize when I bought it that there are two short stories that precede this novella -- I went straight for this novella anyway, and it read well as a standalone.  I was also unfamiliar with the stories of Huo Yi prior to reading this novella and did not find that this impacted my enjoyment at all, though I'm sure I would've picked up on more had I been more familiar and of course cannot comment on the similarities (or not) of this Huo Yi with the fairytale depictions.
<i>Burning Roses</i> follows two fairytale figures, Huo Yi (a very skilled archer) and Rosa (Red Riding Hood).  Older women, both have complex pasts which are slowly revealed over the course of the story as they go together on a quest to stop sunbirds who are torching and destroying villages.  There are many references to fairytales here, but at its heart this is a story about guilt, regret, loss, forgiveness, and redemption.  There is so much I appreciate about this story -- the representation of older queer women, the way so many themes come together in a story that feels just the right length, the refusal to simplify difficult dynamics for the sake of a tidy ending, the subtlety.  When I want feminist retellings... this is what I want.  Definitely recommend.
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