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A review by autumnal_daydreams
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The empress is dead, a ghost in the wake of her rule, her successor readying for her first Dragon Court. Empress In-yo hailed from the north, her arrival heralding the Emperor’s desire to further his reach to the northern realms and finds herself in exile after producing an heir.
The story of the two empresses is told in vignettes by a woman named Rabbit to a non-binary cleric named Chih through personal objects and recorded by a magical bird.
The world building, the political systems, culture and history established in 100 ish words is astonishing. Political fantasy from the perspectives of those often erased. Vo and In-yo alike find ways to subvert patriarchal restraints, and repurpose them into powerful tools for revenge.
The story of the two empresses is told in vignettes by a woman named Rabbit to a non-binary cleric named Chih through personal objects and recorded by a magical bird.
The world building, the political systems, culture and history established in 100 ish words is astonishing. Political fantasy from the perspectives of those often erased. Vo and In-yo alike find ways to subvert patriarchal restraints, and repurpose them into powerful tools for revenge.