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alibrarymouse's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? No
5.0
While this is a lot of heavy world building and like intense info-dumping at times, I also cried so hard at the end that it has to be a five star.
Like, okay. The writing is definitely standard Kristoff and it’s so engaging and beautiful that it’s easy to get sucked in. However, for as interesting and everything that it was to read, it was also so easy to put down at times because this is the set up to the rest of the trilogy and it definitely reads like one. I loved it, it was necessary, and it really did work to bring the reader to loving the characters in all their flawed glory. And they’re so flawed, but you love them anyway. Except Yoritomo. Screw that guy, he gets everything he deserves.
Okay, let’s get into this. The characters are so typical teen girl, and I love that for them. They’re excellently developed with motivations that make sense and, honestly, they’re easy to like. I wanted them to succeed. Some characters were a little iffy at the beginning, but the natural progression of the story does leave readers satisfied with redemption arcs and the deterioration of other characters’ morality. Do I have a want for Yukiko to fall in love with a certain character, yes? Do I have a fear it won’t happen? Also, yes.
But it’s amazing because the romance subplot was worked in beautifully. Every element that went into this story worked and got to live up to its fullest potential without taking anything away from other aspects. Was there a lot going on? Oh, definitely, but it all felt necessary and interesting.
So, why did this take me absolutely forever to read if I liked it so much? Honestly, I’m a slow reader and it was easy to put down, even though it’s absolutely worth every effort one could put into it.
Cry count: 3
I didn’t stop crying for the last like chapter of this book, so many tears were shed even though the amount of times cried were so few.
Spice: two instances, both fade to black, minor references.
I definitely recommend this for grimdark fantasy lovers, those interested in silkpunk, and pretty much everyone who doesn’t mind the trigger warnings because it ended up surprising me with how much I liked it.
Like, okay. The writing is definitely standard Kristoff and it’s so engaging and beautiful that it’s easy to get sucked in. However, for as interesting and everything that it was to read, it was also so easy to put down at times because this is the set up to the rest of the trilogy and it definitely reads like one. I loved it, it was necessary, and it really did work to bring the reader to loving the characters in all their flawed glory. And they’re so flawed, but you love them anyway. Except Yoritomo. Screw that guy, he gets everything he deserves.
Okay, let’s get into this. The characters are so typical teen girl, and I love that for them. They’re excellently developed with motivations that make sense and, honestly, they’re easy to like. I wanted them to succeed. Some characters were a little iffy at the beginning, but the natural progression of the story does leave readers satisfied with redemption arcs and the deterioration of other characters’ morality. Do I have a want for Yukiko to fall in love with a certain character, yes? Do I have a fear it won’t happen? Also, yes.
But it’s amazing because the romance subplot was worked in beautifully. Every element that went into this story worked and got to live up to its fullest potential without taking anything away from other aspects. Was there a lot going on? Oh, definitely, but it all felt necessary and interesting.
So, why did this take me absolutely forever to read if I liked it so much? Honestly, I’m a slow reader and it was easy to put down, even though it’s absolutely worth every effort one could put into it.
Cry count: 3
I didn’t stop crying for the last like chapter of this book, so many tears were shed even though the amount of times cried were so few.
Spice: two instances, both fade to black, minor references.
I definitely recommend this for grimdark fantasy lovers, those interested in silkpunk, and pretty much everyone who doesn’t mind the trigger warnings because it ended up surprising me with how much I liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Infidelity
Minor: Incest
palmkd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is an epic fantasy tale set in a world full of shogun and samurai. Honor is something you might die for, but few stop to question if the persons they honor and trust deserve it.
Yukiko has a special ability to communicate with animals, which would be a death sentence if the wrong people found out. This is a harsh world that's being controlled by the people's dependence on the lotus flower and there's a full blown clockwork driven industry. It's an interesting clash of technology and historical epic fantasy and I'm curious to see where the series goes.
The story has a slow build up overall, but it felt with the journey and I suspect will have an even better payoff with future books.
Yukiko's special ability is very interesting and I especially enjoy meeting the Thunder Tiger and way they work with her ability in the story. The caste system and society is very interesting and the dystopian elements are really well done.
I was not a big fan of the narrator for the UK audiobook (which is different than the US one) but it's the one I had access to when reading this.
Yukiko has a special ability to communicate with animals, which would be a death sentence if the wrong people found out. This is a harsh world that's being controlled by the people's dependence on the lotus flower and there's a full blown clockwork driven industry. It's an interesting clash of technology and historical epic fantasy and I'm curious to see where the series goes.
The story has a slow build up overall, but it felt with the journey and I suspect will have an even better payoff with future books.
Yukiko's special ability is very interesting and I especially enjoy meeting the Thunder Tiger and way they work with her ability in the story. The caste system and society is very interesting and the dystopian elements are really well done.
I was not a big fan of the narrator for the UK audiobook (which is different than the US one) but it's the one I had access to when reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Murder, and Colonisation
rafacolog's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation
noblecharley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual assault