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dragongirl271's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Murder
Minor: Child death and Rape
matcha_pages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
Depsite being one of the most successful pirates in all of history, a lot of people don't know about Shek Yeung. She's a badass female pirate from Canton (now called Guangzhou) who commanded fleets of pirates. I wish there were more books written about her or this period in time.
While there are some battle scenes, this book is not a swashbuckling adventure. Rather it's foucsed on Shek Yueng's journey to keep her power, struggles with traditional feminie roles, and choices we make to survive. Interestingly, I enjoyed the slower moments of the book as Shek Yueng grappled with her place in the world. And I loved the exploration of non-traditional motherhood.
The author tries to draw parallels between goddess Ma Zou and Shek Yueng with mixed results. When it worked it was powerful payoff. When it didn't work it was clunky and felt like filler material. You can tell the author injected some modern day sensibilities into 1800's China, making character's actions feel out of sync at times. I can't fault this book too much for it as this is the trend with female POV retellings.
While there are some battle scenes, this book is not a swashbuckling adventure. Rather it's foucsed on Shek Yueng's journey to keep her power, struggles with traditional feminie roles, and choices we make to survive. Interestingly, I enjoyed the slower moments of the book as Shek Yueng grappled with her place in the world. And I loved the exploration of non-traditional motherhood.
The author tries to draw parallels between goddess Ma Zou and Shek Yueng with mixed results. When it worked it was powerful payoff. When it didn't work it was clunky and felt like filler material. You can tell the author injected some modern day sensibilities into 1800's China, making character's actions feel out of sync at times. I can't fault this book too much for it as this is the trend with female POV retellings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Rape
mari_library's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is was not what I was expecting. But it was still enjoyable and a great read. It had the perfect blend of information and intrigue. While I wasn't itching to pick the book back up every time I put it down, I still felt compelled to read it and never felt a dull moment. It takes a bit of time to get into it but it is worth it.
I don't think this book was trying to be revolutionary, it said what it was going to do and it did it flawlessly. I loved the conversations on womanhood, girlhood, and motherhood with the cultural implications. Coming from the west, the difference and similarities in the conversation was interesting to hear. I loved the commentary on the complex relationship women have with the culture of Imperial China at that time, and how a woman who breaks away from it also has a complex relationship with themselves regarding the way they grew up. I do wish some more aspects were delve in deeper, but since this was not a plot-focused book and instead character-focused, everything that happened felt organic to the character we were following. To be frank, I could probably have read 100 more pages of it and not have gotten tired. Shek Yeung is such an interesting characters and up there as one of my favorites.
I don't think this book was trying to be revolutionary, it said what it was going to do and it did it flawlessly. I loved the conversations on womanhood, girlhood, and motherhood with the cultural implications. Coming from the west, the difference and similarities in the conversation was interesting to hear. I loved the commentary on the complex relationship women have with the culture of Imperial China at that time, and how a woman who breaks away from it also has a complex relationship with themselves regarding the way they grew up. I do wish some more aspects were delve in deeper, but since this was not a plot-focused book and instead character-focused, everything that happened felt organic to the character we were following. To be frank, I could probably have read 100 more pages of it and not have gotten tired. Shek Yeung is such an interesting characters and up there as one of my favorites.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
jinmichae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's really well written, and an interesting story of the main character warring with her identity and what she's become. But it just wasn't for me. I'm too much of a romantic who wants happy endings after succeeding against the odds, and this is a tale of how cruel reality can be. There isn't always a happy ending, and sometimes the sum of all your scheming is just emptiness and a polite defeat.
My main problem I should have seen coming: it's hard to feel sympathy for or connected with a main character who's a fairly ruthless pirate, even if she internally struggles with her actions, or isn't as terrible as others she nonetheless allies with. She wants to fight against the emperor's stranglehold on the country, but what does that mean to the individual peasants? They either die of the emperor's famine, or the ones caused by her raids.
I guess that's part of the book's message about the cruelty of society and fate, so go into the book expecting such. It was my own hope for something more like Robin Hood that disappointed me, not the actual story.
My main problem I should have seen coming: it's hard to feel sympathy for or connected with a main character who's a fairly ruthless pirate, even if she internally struggles with her actions, or isn't as terrible as others she nonetheless allies with. She wants to fight against the emperor's stranglehold on the country, but what does that mean to the individual peasants? They either die of the emperor's famine, or the ones caused by her raids.
I guess that's part of the book's message about the cruelty of society and fate, so go into the book expecting such. It was my own hope for something more like Robin Hood that disappointed me, not the actual story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexism, and Trafficking
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Vomit, Abortion, and Alcohol
ra22ouille's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As much as these characters weren't "likeable," I did love them—Shek Yeung particularly so. I was greatly moved by the depth and complexity of this book's emotional journey, and I was utterly absorbed and invested in Shek Yeung's trajectory.
The story covers around 2 years in it's actual timeline, and it also recounts time from Shek Yeung's pre-pirating years. Rita-Chang Eppig does a great job with this narrative that jumps into Shek Yeung's past throughout the book, succeeding in weaving everything together into a compelling plot line.
Shek Yeung and Chung Po's relationship had me feeling so many ways. I didn't know what I wanted for them and it seemed like Shek Yeung didn't totally know either. And who knows what Chung Po thought. They were both so smart and so opaque and closed off. Getting to know them both was like being shown a secret. I think their character development was suuuuper. And at times very surprising. I loved hearing Shek Yeung's internal voice that showed her own conflicting feelings about her development as a person. And even though I was inside her head she remained so hidden in lots of ways, which so reflected how she hid parts of herself even from her own eyes.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and I didn't love some of the character voices the reader did. But I did like Shek Yeung's voice and how the narration was read. I've also seen some reviews saying that the language was wordy, monologues overdone, etc., and I wonder if listening to it be read helped to immerse me in the writing style. I didn't anticipate that people would have those complaints so 🤷🏻♀️
Reas if you're interested in political adventures, explorations on the effects of power, gender politics, classism, and brutal stories of survival (especially survival as a woman).
The story covers around 2 years in it's actual timeline, and it also recounts time from Shek Yeung's pre-pirating years. Rita-Chang Eppig does a great job with this narrative that jumps into Shek Yeung's past throughout the book, succeeding in weaving everything together into a compelling plot line.
Shek Yeung and Chung Po's relationship had me feeling so many ways. I didn't know what I wanted for them and it seemed like Shek Yeung didn't totally know either. And who knows what Chung Po thought. They were both so smart and so opaque and closed off. Getting to know them both was like being shown a secret. I think their character development was suuuuper. And at times very surprising. I loved hearing Shek Yeung's internal voice that showed her own conflicting feelings about her development as a person. And even though I was inside her head she remained so hidden in lots of ways, which so reflected how she hid parts of herself even from her own eyes.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and I didn't love some of the character voices the reader did. But I did like Shek Yeung's voice and how the narration was read. I've also seen some reviews saying that the language was wordy, monologues overdone, etc., and I wonder if listening to it be read helped to immerse me in the writing style. I didn't anticipate that people would have those complaints so 🤷🏻♀️
Reas if you're interested in political adventures, explorations on the effects of power, gender politics, classism, and brutal stories of survival (especially survival as a woman).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Classism
hausedgerton's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An extremely well written historical fictions story that drew me in immediately. Rather than a wash buckle adventure many have stated they wish had been present, I am happy that it focused rather on the character, power, and life. Will happily recommend the book to anyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence
anniehayez's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.0
I think this book was done a disservice by the marketing. I came in expecting a high adventure book about a pirate queen. Instead I got a literary and reflective story about what it means to be a woman without defining yourself by men. It was a beautifully written story with a lush backdrop of piracy in the south china seas. And the piracy very much is a backdrop rather than a focus. Most of the book is politics and introspection. Which I enjoyed but was not expecting. By the second half I was fully invested and found the story poignant and satisfying. I only wish I had come in with more accurate expectations. I might have liked it even more than I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Slavery
poemsandponds's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I felt like I was expecting something different than what I got. I expected a lot more action and adventure in the story, and it was much slower paced and more introspective than I expected. The plot or the characters never fully hooked me. I enjoyed the book, but I never felt a strong connection with where the story was going or with the characters, since the main character has been through so much trauma that she is very numb and closed off to any form of human connection. She can’t feel, so it makes it hard for you to feel too. It was such an awesome premise but I felt like the execution (or at the the way the book was marketed) fell short. It was interesting to learn more about this period in time, about pirates, and to see a women leader’s perspective and experience as a fearsome pirate fighting for survival. Overall, it was ok.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Torture
Minor: Abandonment
anniestar's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Listen, I wanted to like this, but I found it incredibly boring. Shek Yeung feels reduce from her historical power, more of a victim than someone who rises above the circumstances she was forced into. The ending was also very abrupt and dissatisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation
kwirkman's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy