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A review by donie
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Personally torn about how many stars I should give bc I admit that books like this aren't really my thing so I feel like many of my unsatisfactions stem from the fact that I'm simply not a middle-grade fantasy person (I was intrigued when I found out the character was a Chinese muslim so I gave it a try).
The book shows a lot of interesting glimpses into Chinese history and legends. It also conveys that, contrary to popular belief or lack of understanding, Chinese people are very diverse. As a muslim, I didn't think that the writing on Zach's muslim identity was the best representation but I won't say too much on it bc it wasn't the main point of the story and I give kudos to the author for trying.
The book shows a lot of interesting glimpses into Chinese history and legends. It also conveys that, contrary to popular belief or lack of understanding, Chinese people are very diverse. As a muslim, I didn't think that the writing on Zach's muslim identity was the best representation but I won't say too much on it bc it wasn't the main point of the story and I give kudos to the author for trying.