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kultumirjam's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence and Trafficking
heispa's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, and Blood
heisiiri's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.0
However, as I progressed through the novel, it started to annoy me that the main character felt so passive in the story. He didn't go after what he wanted, he was just tossed around in the narrative by other people. This book doesn't really have a traditional adventure story structure or any sort of quest. Plot twist after plot twist threw the main character into new situations, but his own choices rarely drove the story. Yes, there are some moments where he makes huge decisions, but if anything, they just felt jarring and out of character for a boy who spent most of the story being very passive and simply experiencing events dictated by other people. I would perhaps enjoy reading about a protagonist like this in some contemporary fiction novel, but I did not find him to be a compelling fantasy protagonist.
This book is very sad and very violent. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, just something to take into consideration. It seems like whenever there's a happy scene, something very quickly goes wrong, and the overwhelming tone of suffering and melancholy takes over again. I like my fantasy and sci-fi stories more when they're emotional rollercoasters where you get a bit of everything.
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent
ok7a's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and War
anni_swanilda's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and War
sivujenhavinaa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Torture and Violence
keijuhylly's review
4.75
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, and Blood
vike's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence
allyexandra's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, and Gaslighting
elsary's review
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I have recently realised that I love YA books enough to name them as one of my favourite genres, though if asked why, I couldn't give you a clear answer. maybe it's the fact that they often have relatable characters, or a gripping plot which keeps you engaged, or questions about good and bad - but increasingly with blurred lines and grayness. Sang has all of these, and also something more special. Something that comes through in every page and every line, something that makes the world of Fusang so alive and vivid, something that made me laugh and gasp and scream in agony.
A special mention for the queer rep - as I voiced it in a teams message sent to a colleague: "it's written perfectly in the way that like, it's definitely queer, but there's more to it too, but at the same time it's a story where you couldn't take the queerness away. I mean as a queer person myself I think it's important to have those stories that only revolve around the queerness because it's such a big part of you and those stories help figure out stuff, but just as important it is to have stories where the queerness is a big part of the story but not the only one. Like it's a fantasy adventure scifi story with queer characters, not a queer story with fantasy and scifi action if that makes sense?"
Absolutely one of the best books I've read this year.
Graphic: Violence