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A review by marginmuse
A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang
3.5
From the start, A Palace Near the Wind pulled me in with its breathtaking world-building. The Feng people, with their bark-like faces and braided limbs, were so vividly described that I could practically feel the wind shifting around me. The setting was rich and haunting, and it was clear Ai Jiang poured so much care into crafting this unique world. But as much as I loved the atmosphere, I couldn’t help but feel let down by the rest of the story.
Lufeng’s journey—her struggle between duty and rebellion—had so much potential, but it never quite hit home for me. I wanted to connect with her, to feel her love, fear, and defiance deeply, but her character felt flat. She was more of a vessel for the themes of the story than a person I could truly root for. And the supporting characters? They were barely there, more like shadows than actual people. I kept waiting for the moment when they would come alive, but it never happened.
The plot itself felt rushed, like it was trying to keep up with the world-building but never managed to find its footing. Major moments flew by so quickly that they barely had time to land emotionally, and by the end, I realized I cared more about the world than what was actually happening in it. It felt like the characters and the story were just vehicles to showcase the setting, rather than the other way around.
Don’t get me wrong, Ai Jiang’s writing is beautiful, and the world of the Feng people is unlike anything I’ve read before. But for me, the imbalance between the lush world-building and the underdeveloped characters and plot left the story feeling hollow. If you’re someone who prioritizes atmosphere over narrative, you might enjoy this more than I did. For me, though, it just didn’t quite come together.
✧˖°. ⤷ I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Lufeng’s journey—her struggle between duty and rebellion—had so much potential, but it never quite hit home for me. I wanted to connect with her, to feel her love, fear, and defiance deeply, but her character felt flat. She was more of a vessel for the themes of the story than a person I could truly root for. And the supporting characters? They were barely there, more like shadows than actual people. I kept waiting for the moment when they would come alive, but it never happened.
The plot itself felt rushed, like it was trying to keep up with the world-building but never managed to find its footing. Major moments flew by so quickly that they barely had time to land emotionally, and by the end, I realized I cared more about the world than what was actually happening in it. It felt like the characters and the story were just vehicles to showcase the setting, rather than the other way around.
Don’t get me wrong, Ai Jiang’s writing is beautiful, and the world of the Feng people is unlike anything I’ve read before. But for me, the imbalance between the lush world-building and the underdeveloped characters and plot left the story feeling hollow. If you’re someone who prioritizes atmosphere over narrative, you might enjoy this more than I did. For me, though, it just didn’t quite come together.
✧˖°. ⤷ I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.