shunchuu 's review for:

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

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for someone who says she was given assistance by a japanese foundation this book sure doesn't include a lot of actual knowledge about japanese language or culture in it, but rather a lot of made up or not fully understood stuff. i cringed so many times at the number of things she wrote that were just blatantly false. just so much nonsense about japan that seemed rather like a weeb writing fanfiction about japan than someone who actually cared enough about the country and culture to try to write it properly. there was also a lot of casual racism and whatnot against asians and irish people throughout the book, which felt very uncomfortable and like it was just put there to be put there? no discussion of whether it was wrong or anything (especially with regards to the irish; makes me feel like the author herself has some unresolved issues), it was just there. other than that i don't actually know how much i liked the book itself, but i did enjoy mori a lot and his relationship with thaniel. interesting enough for me to read most of it in one sitting i guess. overall i think i'm rather disappointed in this book.