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A review by bookboxbabe
The Fight for the Hidden Realm by Siobhan McDermott
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
*thank you netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review*
okay wow. I ADORED THIS SO MUCH AHHHHH.
okay now that i’ve got the screaming out of the way, on to the review.
i absolutely loved the world and magic system of this book. it’s steeped in asian lore and culture and it really felt like i was standing there in the underwater glass school (which, let’s take a moment to acknowledge how cool that is) with these characters. the explanations at the back really tie this together and i loved how much she thought about symbolism in this book.
speaking of characters, oh my did i fall in love with these people. malo was obviously a favorite because if you name an animal in your book i automatically get attached, but zhi ging was just such a compelling and likeable protagonist. you wanted to root for her even through mess ups because you’ve seen the messed up world through her eyes.
i also loved the way she formed friendships with people who actually stuck by her and with some adults the way you would expect. she’s searching for belonging and trying desperately to prove she should be there. it makes her journey that much more touching as she’s navigating these new relationships.
this book also deals with generational hate in a way that i really liked and explains why iridill is the way she is is (even if she is still awful)
the twist villian is always a win for me as well and i was genuinely shocked at the reveal.
i can not wait till book 2. when is that coming btw? 👀
okay wow. I ADORED THIS SO MUCH AHHHHH.
okay now that i’ve got the screaming out of the way, on to the review.
i absolutely loved the world and magic system of this book. it’s steeped in asian lore and culture and it really felt like i was standing there in the underwater glass school (which, let’s take a moment to acknowledge how cool that is) with these characters. the explanations at the back really tie this together and i loved how much she thought about symbolism in this book.
speaking of characters, oh my did i fall in love with these people. malo was obviously a favorite because if you name an animal in your book i automatically get attached, but zhi ging was just such a compelling and likeable protagonist. you wanted to root for her even through mess ups because you’ve seen the messed up world through her eyes.
i also loved the way she formed friendships with people who actually stuck by her and with some adults the way you would expect. she’s searching for belonging and trying desperately to prove she should be there. it makes her journey that much more touching as she’s navigating these new relationships.
this book also deals with generational hate in a way that i really liked and explains why iridill is the way she is is (even if she is still awful)
the twist villian is always a win for me as well and i was genuinely shocked at the reveal.
i can not wait till book 2. when is that coming btw? 👀
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism