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A review by bobshmob
After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang
2.5
The lack of plot and focus made it seem like it was supposed to be a more deep and thought-provoking book, but it didn’t deliver. The characters were not that subtle or well developed, and the central thematic issues (in my mind, dealing with fatal illnesses, accepting help, the point of trying to make change in the face of impossibly large issues), just weren’t particularly developed. If the author had leaned deeper into exploring these themes, or had leaned more into a plot-based fantasy novel, it could have been a success.
Additionally, while the author’s writing was solid, I expected a bit more for this kind of a book. A lot of the descriptions read as cliched, and she didn’t leave space for you to read in between the lines of things. Wouldn’t have been a big a deal for a more straightforward fantasy, but it didn’t hold up in a book that tried to be more literary.
Additionally, while the author’s writing was solid, I expected a bit more for this kind of a book. A lot of the descriptions read as cliched, and she didn’t leave space for you to read in between the lines of things. Wouldn’t have been a big a deal for a more straightforward fantasy, but it didn’t hold up in a book that tried to be more literary.