candypop's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
bookswithcori's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ohboysidd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
jfrostking's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lennon_delapaz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
What if a book was perfect
barbarajean's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bridrizzle72's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
fallolina's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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
emilypauw's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
llmacrae's review against another edition
5.0
We return to Cleric Chih (although Almost Brilliant is not currently with them, which I am sad about) as they continue their work to catalogue histories and stories from the people and places of their world.
They end up with a mammoth-riding “scout” called Si-yu who helps them traverse a mountain on the next leg of their journey. As night rolls in and they hurry to a way station to rest, they are ambushed by a trio of tiger sisters.
And my goodness, the magic starts here and does not let go.
These are the kind of “old world” style fables that I ADORE. The tigers can speak and take human form when they wish, and have such magnificent pride and confidence that it is no wonder there is a love story woven in here.
To keep themselves alive until help comes, Chih recites a story of a tiger from history to appease their pursuers - though the tiger sisters have plenty to say when the story is different to the one they tell.
This story is of the scholar Dieu and Ho Thi Thao - a tiger who I was perfectly captivated by.
“I’m a tiger, I am invited wherever I care to go,” replied Ho Thi Thao.
With so few pages, Vo manages to capture an incredible amount of world building (wonder and horror), emotion, characters, and that feeling of awe that I long for every time I read a fantasy book.
This book is short but utterly captivating. Thematically, it has so much to do with storytelling. About how a story changes with the teller and over time. The damage it can do. Truth and lies, and how liking or disliking something doesn’t mean it is right or wrong.
In essence, the story is a magical tale of romance, and I utterly adored every word.
“They were Dieu's favorite lines, and she was almost afraid to look up to see how the tiger took them. When you love a thing too much, it is a special kind of pain to show it to others and to see that it is lacking.”