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shadow_cat94's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The first section - out of 3 - is a type of sewing contest that she enters to fulfill her lifelong dream. There are hints that there is more information in this world than we and Maia are given. Periodicall y there are writing mistakes such as movements not lining up with the previous action making it feel like the author forgot what they had just written previously, but it was easy to forget after that section of the scene has passed.
After she is given her quest to complete the 3 dresses of the goddess (the primary plot of this story) which kicks off section 2. This is where the major problems started popping up for me: the magic system is not ever very well defined other than us knowing that Maia's and Edan's are from different sources and there are different magical beings. Edan has magic limitations, but we don't know much about enchanters, his power limitation (caps) or magic in general in this world. When something magic related happens it feels like it is constantly asking me to be in a sense of suspended-belief because I know practically nothing and when Edan or Maia "wins" ir feels like a no-brainer because I don't know what they CAN'T do.
Section 3 is fairly short in comparison to the others and it wraps up the dress plot while continuing the magic plot for the next book. Maybe my concern about the magic worlbuilding will be addressed in the second book, but I'm not invested enough to read the second book. I enjoyed Edan's character and his flaws/character arc, but Maia didn't feel like she grew much. Her biggest flaw was that she was lost in grief over her dead family members, but in the end found happiness in love while still seeing her remaining family happy without magic? That doesn't sound like much to me nor did it address the grief as it was taken from her without choice. She didn't feel compelling compared to someone enslaved fighting against their master to help an almost stranger to survive then continuing a life of enslavement for life to save someone they love (something that was originally impossible/improbable).
After she is given her quest to complete the 3 dresses of the goddess (the primary plot of this story) which kicks off section 2. This is where the major problems started popping up for me: the magic system is not ever very well defined other than us knowing that Maia's and Edan's are from different sources and there are different magical beings. Edan has magic limitations, but we don't know much about enchanters, his power limitation (caps) or magic in general in this world. When something magic related happens it feels like it is constantly asking me to be in a sense of suspended-belief because I know practically nothing and when Edan or Maia "wins" ir feels like a no-brainer because I don't know what they CAN'T do.
Section 3 is fairly short in comparison to the others and it wraps up the dress plot while continuing the magic plot for the next book. Maybe my concern about the magic worlbuilding will be addressed in the second book, but I'm not invested enough to read the second book. I enjoyed Edan's character and his flaws/character arc, but Maia didn't feel like she grew much. Her biggest flaw was that she was lost in grief over her dead family members, but in the end found happiness in love while still seeing her remaining family happy without magic? That doesn't sound like much to me nor did it address the grief as it was taken from her without choice. She didn't feel compelling compared to someone enslaved fighting against their master to help an almost stranger to survive then continuing a life of enslavement for life to save someone they love (something that was originally impossible/improbable).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Minor: Death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
booksthatburn's review against another edition
The main character disguises herself as a (specific) boy with a disability she doesn't have. That was iffy enough, but my hell no point was when she bound her chest for five days with no breaks and then kept going through the pain. I'm not interested in watching a character either slowly distort her ribcage through unsafe binding practices, or mysteriously have it just be painful but have no other consequences.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Alcohol and War
chancients's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Alcohol
mengzhenreads's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really loved the concept of this book, but personally I think I would've liked it more if it hadn't focused on the romance and journey narrative in the second part of the book. The first section was super unique and interesting and I loved to see more focus on the main character's journey through the court and tailoring. I didn't hate the romance but I felt like it wasn't really necessary for it to become the main motivation for the rest of the story since it takes away from the themes that the story was trying to express. Overall, I loved the first third of it but afterwards it kind of fell flat which really sucks because I really thought I would have enjoyed this book more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
lexabrielle's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The book was really pretty and I enjoyed it but at the same time I wish Maia's relationship didn't take up as much of the second half as it did, however the action was still somewhat there!! The shift towards romance meant that the pace slowed down a whole lot, which was fine.
HOWEVER THE WORLDBUILDING????? SO SO GOOD!!!
HOWEVER THE WORLDBUILDING????? SO SO GOOD!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Alcoholism and Slavery
water_violin's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a really fun and somewhat challenging book; I’m definitely looking forward to the second one! I got very serious Tamora Pierce: the Immortals quartet vibes from the main characters in Spin the Dawn. Gaia shared several characteristics with Daine; Edan shared a surprising number of characteristics with Numair (and some of Daine as well). And their relationship definitely felt comparable as well. Super interesting premise and I’m excited to see where they go next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Violence
alo10014's review against another edition
adventurous
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism and Murder
sarah984's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I've seen this book advertised as "Project Runway meets Mulan" but that's unfortunately not very accurate. Yes, teenage tailor Maia disguises herself as a boy to enter a competition to become the next imperial tailor in order to protect her father and brother, but that set up is tossed out almost immediately in favour of standard YA foolishness.
Maia’s disguise barely factors into the novel as she's discovered almost right away, and presents as female for the majority of her page time. (Also for some reason she doesn't consider the fact that if she wins the competition she will have to live as a man forever until someone else brings it up??) I really enjoyed the idea of the competition, and the challenges were interesting. However, the competition ends less than halfway into the book. Afterward, Maia is sent on a very long and boring quest with her boring 500-year-old love interest and makes a bunch of stupid decisions.
This is the type of YA insta-love where it is impossible to see what the two characters see in each other and they reiterate how all-encompassing it is over and over. Maia constantly puts the love interest and his wellbeing ahead of herself and her family, which is annoying in a story comparing itself to Mulan.
Every problem that the characters encounter except for the sequel hook is solved almost immediately via wizard magic so the stakes feel very low. There is one singular interesting character and she's hardly in the book.
I really can't recommend this to anyone interested in it for the concept.
Maia’s disguise barely factors into the novel as she's discovered almost right away, and presents as female for the majority of her page time. (Also for some reason she doesn't consider the fact that if she wins the competition she will have to live as a man forever until someone else brings it up??) I really enjoyed the idea of the competition, and the challenges were interesting. However, the competition ends less than halfway into the book. Afterward, Maia is sent on a very long and boring quest with her boring 500-year-old love interest and makes a bunch of stupid decisions.
This is the type of YA insta-love where it is impossible to see what the two characters see in each other and they reiterate how all-encompassing it is over and over. Maia constantly puts the love interest and his wellbeing ahead of herself and her family, which is annoying in a story comparing itself to Mulan.
Every problem that the characters encounter except for the sequel hook is solved almost immediately via wizard magic so the stakes feel very low. There is one singular interesting character and she's hardly in the book.
I really can't recommend this to anyone interested in it for the concept.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Xenophobia
enakasone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Alcoholism