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A review by lauren_miller
Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had not previously read anything by Fonda Lee before picking this up, but if her other works are like this one, I know I'm in for an incredible ride. Fonda and Shannon have crafted a vivid and heart-wrenching tale of exile, betrayal, resilience, and faith. In a lot of ways, the middle bits reminded me immensely of Yu Yu Hakusho—a deadly tournament, odds NOT in favor of the protagonist(s), and friendships that somehow develop and strengthen in the most difficult of circumstances. Though to be clear, Jun is not the Yusuke you expect; in fact, Yin Yue gives me those vibes, I think. Jun feels like a really strange mix of Kuwabara and Genkai—somewhat foolish and self-absorbed but with an incredible heart and self-awareness strong enough to recognize the wisdom being imparted by those around him. It made for such an interesting, complex character arc.
And as someone who reads a lot of romance alongside fantasy, I was also surprised how much I did not care about the lack thereof. The little hints here and there were nice emotional pauses, but the lack of focus on it, and the supposed love triangle developing, was so refreshing. I love that Jun and Yin Yue's friendship was ultimately not impacted by their affections. I hope this remains the case in future installments.
Speaking of which, I am in physical pain thinking of how long I will have to wait for book 2!!! I cannot wait for more.
4.75 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had not previously read anything by Fonda Lee before picking this up, but if her other works are like this one, I know I'm in for an incredible ride. Fonda and Shannon have crafted a vivid and heart-wrenching tale of exile, betrayal, resilience, and faith. In a lot of ways, the middle bits reminded me immensely of Yu Yu Hakusho—a deadly tournament, odds NOT in favor of the protagonist(s), and friendships that somehow develop and strengthen in the most difficult of circumstances. Though to be clear, Jun is not the Yusuke you expect; in fact, Yin Yue gives me those vibes, I think. Jun feels like a really strange mix of Kuwabara and Genkai—somewhat foolish and self-absorbed but with an incredible heart and self-awareness strong enough to recognize the wisdom being imparted by those around him. It made for such an interesting, complex character arc.
And as someone who reads a lot of romance alongside fantasy, I was also surprised how much I did not care about the lack thereof. The little hints here and there were nice emotional pauses, but the lack of focus on it, and the supposed love triangle developing, was so refreshing. I love that Jun and Yin Yue's friendship was ultimately not impacted by their affections. I hope this remains the case in future installments.
Speaking of which, I am in physical pain thinking of how long I will have to wait for book 2!!! I cannot wait for more.
4.75 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail