EDIT: reread the second half of the novel recently. such a good book. i'm so happy. her writing is wonderful and her characterization, is as always, impeccable. each character had their own cohesive narrative. i am blown away again by xielian's narrative. i think the character i enjoyed the most was actually the villain. loved the humor, the lore and the heart behind this one.

this is so good. i've been reading it nonstop for the past week or so. i love this book so much......... mxtx is a fantastic writer, i laugh and cry by turns. there are certain scenes that are so beautifully written that i feel so moved. it's also interesting and really cool to see the cultural differences / the differences from western narratives.

really love the characterization in this novel -- very thorough and i have a very good understanding of each character and their motivations.