Scan barcode
A review by fox_at_the_circus
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book really has everything a mystery, power struggles and intrigue at court, a love story and a talking bird/neixin.
I love how most of the chapters are structered with an inventory of objects first and then part of the empress's story related to the objects and then a dialogue between Rabbit and her listener. It's a really interesting wax to build a story and also give a sense of the setting.
And the "love" story in the book was just so good. It's nice that it focuses on a non romantic love, and the more you (re)read the more you notice, how some things Rabbit says have double meanings and what we know about their relationships grows so nicely from chapter to chapter. With the power dynamic between the two and everything that happens, there's really a lot of room for interpretation, about what kind of love it was, or if it even was love. It adds to the whole mystery feeling, too. how this book explores two women, who were forced into difficult situations and are trying to make the best out of it and navigating their relationhip, is written very beautifully.
I love how most of the chapters are structered with an inventory of objects first and then part of the empress's story related to the objects and then a dialogue between Rabbit and her listener. It's a really interesting wax to build a story and also give a sense of the setting.
And the "love" story in the book was just so good. It's nice that it focuses on a non romantic love, and the more you (re)read the more you notice, how some things Rabbit says have double meanings and what we know about their relationships grows so nicely from chapter to chapter. With the power dynamic between the two and everything that happens, there's really a lot of room for interpretation, about what kind of love it was, or if it even was love. It adds to the whole mystery feeling, too. how this book explores two women, who were forced into difficult situations and are trying to make the best out of it and navigating their relationhip, is written very beautifully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: War and Pregnancy