mid_reads_books's profile picture

mid_reads_books 's review for:

4.25

The Little Mermaid fan in me is always obsessed with stories about shapeshifting creatures wanting to experience what being human is like and on that front, I was so satisfied by this story. It is based on a Chinese folktale, which I'm not super familiar with so I'll have to check it out at some point, but the shapeshifter part in this was really well crafted. I can't say I originally was a big fan of snakes but this book dropped so many snake-related information, I can tell I'll start hyperfixating on that as soon as I get some time to do some research. 

I loved Zhen's character so much, even though at the end I felt a bit sad, even a little angry, for how many times he was willing to sacrifice himself for others. His kindness and gentleness was just so sweet to witness. I loved his relationship to Qing, it's such a cute friendship with lots of witty banter and a sense of loyalty and care for each other that I love to see. I was so ready to punch anyone who dared hurt either of them. 

Xian left a less impactful impression on me but he's also a good character. I liked seeing his growth, how he learns to be kinder, to forgive people while also upholding the values he has always believed in, I also liked his friendship with Feng. 

I have to say, the characters in this book - even if it isn't a character driven book - all have their own personalities and that was so refreshing. If you're looking for attaching characters, light but very intriguing fantasy, a fast paced action-packed read and lots of love for animals, you're going to enjoy this. 

Side note: I would LOVE an animated movie adaptation of this with the cover's color scheme, it would be so fun and pretty. Also in a mix of 2D and 3D would be so cool. And speaking of the cover, I am so in love with it: the details, the composition, the colors! Everything is so good and I highly recommend checking out the artist's work because all the pieces are stunning.