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A review by dinibharadwaj
The Girl King by Mimi Yu
3.0
Note: I received a free digital ARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Unfortunately, I had hoped to love this book but it ended up underwhelming me. An Asian-inspired world with a sibling relationship at its core - the synopsis sounded very much like something I would enjoy. However, the execution fell short of my expectations.
I found it very difficult to relate to both the main characters in the book. I wanted to root for Min, the quieter sister, but her story arc left me disappointed. It looked like there was some mental health rep hidden in there but that wasn't developed later on.
Lu, on the other hand, was ambitious and headstrong but she didn't make the smart decisions that I would normally expect from a character like hers. I wasn't invested in either of the characters, so the book became a chore to get through. It was also pretty predictable for someone who has read their fair share of YA fantasy.
The only aspect I could get behind was the world-building. But even that wasn't enough to convince me to give the sequel a chance. Overall, a disappointing book that those new to YA fantasy may enjoy but this is not one for the ardent fans.
Unfortunately, I had hoped to love this book but it ended up underwhelming me. An Asian-inspired world with a sibling relationship at its core - the synopsis sounded very much like something I would enjoy. However, the execution fell short of my expectations.
I found it very difficult to relate to both the main characters in the book. I wanted to root for Min, the quieter sister, but her story arc left me disappointed. It looked like there was some mental health rep hidden in there but that wasn't developed later on.
Lu, on the other hand, was ambitious and headstrong but she didn't make the smart decisions that I would normally expect from a character like hers. I wasn't invested in either of the characters, so the book became a chore to get through. It was also pretty predictable for someone who has read their fair share of YA fantasy.
The only aspect I could get behind was the world-building. But even that wasn't enough to convince me to give the sequel a chance. Overall, a disappointing book that those new to YA fantasy may enjoy but this is not one for the ardent fans.