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A review by mimosaeyes
Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
4.0
I chanted, "Please be good, please be good," as I started to read this book. I'm Chinese and grew up on xianxia and wuxia stories, and in the past couple years have been in my C-novel and C-drama era. So I was really excited when I found this book, which promises to blend a xianxia magic system (plus scattered creatures and myths from other cultures) with a contemporary setting. I desperately wanted to love this story.
Ultimately, I do like it a lot. I feel like this book delivers on its premise, and I like the progression of the central romance as well as the liveliness of the secondary characters. I resonate with the stuff about being expected to put your family and your duty first - I think every Asian would find that relatable. I would have read even more worldbuilding about the inner workings of Roland & Riddle.
At the same time, this book is a bit rough in some aspects. The banter and inside jokes sometimes go on a bit past freshness, though I recognise that this is subjective. The prose flows easily, but can feel a bit tell-y and surface-level. These are minor points. Mainly, the pacing and structure are a bit off. Time skips happen when it feels like the story should linger for emotional impact, and Elle's personal arc gets basically wrapped up rather early on, such that the rest of the book can unfortunately be summarised as "area man takes drastic measures to finally leave toxic job".
My first reaction whenElle lost her magic was, "please no, I hope she gets it back, we haven't even gotten to see what she's capable of! ". By the end of the book, I had come to terms with this, especially since Luc chooses to live a mortal and ordinary life with her , making it a bittersweet ending. But some of that initial reaction lingers, if I'm honest.
On the other hand, it really fits the title, which is a clear reference to the Chinese idiom, 良药苦口利于病 (there's a second part to it, but it's not as relevant here, so I'll skip it). The idiom means that good medicine is bitter but effective against illnesses. This is very apt forthe arc that Elle and Luc both follow. Both make sacrifices to live a life they want - together, and free from the people who would control them . I'm a little sad, but mostly happy - and really, that's how good C-dramas tend to leave you feeling, so...!
All in all, it's pretty good, especially for a debut, and I really hope to see more books like this!
Ultimately, I do like it a lot. I feel like this book delivers on its premise, and I like the progression of the central romance as well as the liveliness of the secondary characters. I resonate with the stuff about being expected to put your family and your duty first - I think every Asian would find that relatable. I would have read even more worldbuilding about the inner workings of Roland & Riddle.
At the same time, this book is a bit rough in some aspects. The banter and inside jokes sometimes go on a bit past freshness, though I recognise that this is subjective. The prose flows easily, but can feel a bit tell-y and surface-level. These are minor points. Mainly, the pacing and structure are a bit off. Time skips happen when it feels like the story should linger for emotional impact, and Elle's personal arc gets basically wrapped up rather early on, such that the rest of the book can unfortunately be summarised as "area man takes drastic measures to finally leave toxic job".
My first reaction when
On the other hand, it really fits the title, which is a clear reference to the Chinese idiom, 良药苦口利于病 (there's a second part to it, but it's not as relevant here, so I'll skip it). The idiom means that good medicine is bitter but effective against illnesses. This is very apt for
All in all, it's pretty good, especially for a debut, and I really hope to see more books like this!