isleoflinds's review
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
leahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
CONTENT WARNING: death of a parent, murder, grief, gore, prejudice, torture, blood, violence
I’ve had this book checked out of the library for quite some time, and I finally got around to reading it because I couldn’t renew the loan any more times. But I’m really glad I did, even if it wasn’t quite what I expected.
The story is a quieter one than I expected, more focused on political intrigue and courtroom drama than fantasy elements that shout for attention. Hesina is a princess who is thrust into taking over the rule of a kingdom that is much less stable than she thought. While her primary focus is figuring out who killed her father, since she’s convinced that he was murdered, she realizes that there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.
To start with, the kingdom was built on a system of equality and a set of principles set for by the Eleven. They criminalized soothsayers, practitioners of magic, but haven’t quite managed to wipe them out completely. And this is exactly who Hesina turns to for help in solving her father’s murder, knowing that she is committing treason. But the more she digs, the more she winds up uncovering. They’ve feared the soothsayers so much that society doesn’t have a problem killing them outside of the legal system, because they don’t see them as people. They call them things like “maggots,” and completely dehumanize them, which is one of the biggest steps on the path to genocide. And it’s clearly stated here:
“They feared the things they didn’t know. They made them less than human.”
Along with that is another subplot, which involves Hesina’s family. She has several siblings and some seriously dysfunctional family dynamics. Two of her brothers don’t get along, and her relationship with each of her siblings is dramatically different. It was interesting to see how she interacts with each of them, and how they are each involved with her role as queen. But at the heart of how she relates to everyone is her relationship with her mother, who was cold and withheld her affection for Hesina, openly preferring her brother.
“But the closer she grew to Caiyan, the further she grew from Sanjing, and Hesina had to wonder—was everyone’s heart like her mother’s? Was love a resource to be split, sometimes unequally?”
The main plot was to find her father’s killer, and to do that she needed to enlist the help of a convicted criminal named Akira, someone she knew nothing about. His character was an intriguing one, especially as a potential romance started to develop between the two of them.
“A knot would form in Hesina’s own chest, and she’d keep an eye on him until his brow smoothed and his head settled. He was no more than a boy, really, a boy with powder-stained fingertips and hair that was always falling out of its tie, begging to be brushed back by a careful hand.”
Threaded through this was a threat of war building on the border with Kandi’a, and a bevy of advisors that Hesina isn’t sure that she can trust. I was so intrigued throughout the course of this story, and couldn’t stop reading. He is the master of plot twists, with them coming quickly and out of nowhere, so that they were never predictable. There's a fair bit of historical Chinese information worked into the story, and it was done really well, although as someone who isn't familiar with Chinese, I did find myself looking up a lot of the undefined terms. While there were a lot of subplots running throughout the story, it wasn’t hard to keep track of everything going on, and it only added to the enjoyment of the story, keeping me reading on to find out what happened. That ending killed me though, with a cliffhanger for a standalone novel! This book is a masterpiece, even though I will probably always hope for a sequel for this one.
I’ve had this book checked out of the library for quite some time, and I finally got around to reading it because I couldn’t renew the loan any more times. But I’m really glad I did, even if it wasn’t quite what I expected.
The story is a quieter one than I expected, more focused on political intrigue and courtroom drama than fantasy elements that shout for attention. Hesina is a princess who is thrust into taking over the rule of a kingdom that is much less stable than she thought. While her primary focus is figuring out who killed her father, since she’s convinced that he was murdered, she realizes that there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.
To start with, the kingdom was built on a system of equality and a set of principles set for by the Eleven. They criminalized soothsayers, practitioners of magic, but haven’t quite managed to wipe them out completely. And this is exactly who Hesina turns to for help in solving her father’s murder, knowing that she is committing treason. But the more she digs, the more she winds up uncovering. They’ve feared the soothsayers so much that society doesn’t have a problem killing them outside of the legal system, because they don’t see them as people. They call them things like “maggots,” and completely dehumanize them, which is one of the biggest steps on the path to genocide. And it’s clearly stated here:
“They feared the things they didn’t know. They made them less than human.”
Along with that is another subplot, which involves Hesina’s family. She has several siblings and some seriously dysfunctional family dynamics. Two of her brothers don’t get along, and her relationship with each of her siblings is dramatically different. It was interesting to see how she interacts with each of them, and how they are each involved with her role as queen. But at the heart of how she relates to everyone is her relationship with her mother, who was cold and withheld her affection for Hesina, openly preferring her brother.
“But the closer she grew to Caiyan, the further she grew from Sanjing, and Hesina had to wonder—was everyone’s heart like her mother’s? Was love a resource to be split, sometimes unequally?”
The main plot was to find her father’s killer, and to do that she needed to enlist the help of a convicted criminal named Akira, someone she knew nothing about. His character was an intriguing one, especially as a potential romance started to develop between the two of them.
“A knot would form in Hesina’s own chest, and she’d keep an eye on him until his brow smoothed and his head settled. He was no more than a boy, really, a boy with powder-stained fingertips and hair that was always falling out of its tie, begging to be brushed back by a careful hand.”
Threaded through this was a threat of war building on the border with Kandi’a, and a bevy of advisors that Hesina isn’t sure that she can trust. I was so intrigued throughout the course of this story, and couldn’t stop reading. He is the master of plot twists, with them coming quickly and out of nowhere, so that they were never predictable. There's a fair bit of historical Chinese information worked into the story, and it was done really well, although as someone who isn't familiar with Chinese, I did find myself looking up a lot of the undefined terms. While there were a lot of subplots running throughout the story, it wasn’t hard to keep track of everything going on, and it only added to the enjoyment of the story, keeping me reading on to find out what happened. That ending killed me though, with a cliffhanger for a standalone novel! This book is a masterpiece, even though I will probably always hope for a sequel for this one.
thechaoshour's review against another edition
3.0
I think the first half of this book was a 2/5 and the last a 4/5 so I kind of rounded it off. In the beginning everything was so shaky. I didn't feel like I knew the characters at all, some were randomly introduced with no explanation, and I didn't find them very interesting until the second half.
Plus I honestly had no idea what was going on with the plot at first. Why did this man with a cane randomly come into play? I get the seer told her about him but she just goes and gets him and he agrees easily. All too smooth. And all too boring. I didn't really have any clue about the Eleven they kept talking about because there was really no details given. I didn't feel like I was immersed in the world, just skimming over it.
The second half got better though. More action, a better plot, some twists and turns. Everything you'd want in a fantasy. I didn't find that the promised "Chinese inspired" world was seen until the second half. Maybe because the lack of plot and character depth threw it off but I was glad to see at least a little of it.
A decent start to a series and I'll probably continue with hopes that the writing gets better.
Plus I honestly had no idea what was going on with the plot at first. Why did this man with a cane randomly come into play? I get the seer told her about him but she just goes and gets him and he agrees easily. All too smooth. And all too boring. I didn't really have any clue about the Eleven they kept talking about because there was really no details given. I didn't feel like I was immersed in the world, just skimming over it.
The second half got better though. More action, a better plot, some twists and turns. Everything you'd want in a fantasy. I didn't find that the promised "Chinese inspired" world was seen until the second half. Maybe because the lack of plot and character depth threw it off but I was glad to see at least a little of it.
A decent start to a series and I'll probably continue with hopes that the writing gets better.
ektambo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.0
katykat3's review against another edition
3.0
3 wistful stars?
It was just OK for me, but I wanted it to be more. Part of my personal issues were that I read this over way too long a time period, and it was really easy to set it down and not want to pick it up due to it being a different genre than I normally read and the fact that there were a wide cast of characters that were difficult to remember after an extended break. I also I also was under the impression for some reason that it was a solo book but the author actually hopes to make this into a series, so please keep that in mind! (as in the ending doesn't necessarily feel like an ending, but the publishing status of future book is uncertain right now)
Due to my break in reading, I just had a hard time really getting into the book. This book is trying to separate itself from other YA books with teen queens by having many morally complex decisions/situations, a small journey that didn't take the whole book, inquests/legal court drama, and magic, but I think they all the plot points didn't necessarily meld very well together and then the pacing was off (it was easy for me to set it down for so long). And while I liked that Joan He was trying to differentiate this book from other YA books, it was then difficult to get through because every plot or next focus was not what I expected, and there is something nice about knowing what to expect while reading. Also the magic in the world got more and more important as the book got on but still wasn't explained all that well, and that frustrated me. I also probably wouldn't have picked it up if I had known that there was this much magic, due to my own personal reading preferences.
I did like how it was different from other YA books in that romance took a back seat overall and it was very clear that Hesina was focused on being queen and was thinking about her people quite a lot.
So basically if it sounds like it's up your alley, pick it up! Otherwise I don't think I can really give a strong recommendation, except that you should probably read it a little quick so characters and events stay close in your mind. Joan He seems like a really lovely person and I wish her the best in getting the rest of the series published! With a better idea of what this world feels like after reading this, I would definitely think about picking up future installments~
It was just OK for me, but I wanted it to be more. Part of my personal issues were that I read this over way too long a time period, and it was really easy to set it down and not want to pick it up due to it being a different genre than I normally read and the fact that there were a wide cast of characters that were difficult to remember after an extended break. I also I also was under the impression for some reason that it was a solo book but the author actually hopes to make this into a series, so please keep that in mind! (as in the ending doesn't necessarily feel like an ending, but the publishing status of future book is uncertain right now)
Due to my break in reading, I just had a hard time really getting into the book. This book is trying to separate itself from other YA books with teen queens by having many morally complex decisions/situations, a small journey that didn't take the whole book, inquests/legal court drama, and magic, but I think they all the plot points didn't necessarily meld very well together and then the pacing was off (it was easy for me to set it down for so long). And while I liked that Joan He was trying to differentiate this book from other YA books, it was then difficult to get through because every plot or next focus was not what I expected, and there is something nice about knowing what to expect while reading. Also the magic in the world got more and more important as the book got on but still wasn't explained all that well, and that frustrated me. I also probably wouldn't have picked it up if I had known that there was this much magic, due to my own personal reading preferences.
I did like how it was different from other YA books in that romance took a back seat overall and it was very clear that Hesina was focused on being queen and was thinking about her people quite a lot.
So basically if it sounds like it's up your alley, pick it up! Otherwise I don't think I can really give a strong recommendation, except that you should probably read it a little quick so characters and events stay close in your mind. Joan He seems like a really lovely person and I wish her the best in getting the rest of the series published! With a better idea of what this world feels like after reading this, I would definitely think about picking up future installments~
breadedbookpages's review against another edition
2.0
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Is there a sequel?
Is there a sequel?
faefolkreads's review against another edition
3.0
In trying times, truth is the first thing we betray.
Hesina must take the throne so she can unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father's death. She believes that her father was murdered, but in times of peace, who would murder a beloved King?
Hesina must make unlikely alliances, face corrupt politicians and question everything she has have believed in to uncover the truth.
There were parts of this book I liked but for the most part I was...bored. There was the occassionaly passage where a characters personality would break through the monotonous drudgery, but these moments we few and far between.
Hesina must take the throne so she can unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father's death. She believes that her father was murdered, but in times of peace, who would murder a beloved King?
Hesina must make unlikely alliances, face corrupt politicians and question everything she has have believed in to uncover the truth.
There were parts of this book I liked but for the most part I was...bored. There was the occassionaly passage where a characters personality would break through the monotonous drudgery, but these moments we few and far between.
anmaridocarmo's review against another edition
3.0
Read the full review on thebooktrovertblog.wordpress.com
This book left me with so many mixed feelings. At first I loved it; I loved the concept, I loved the fact that it was Chinese inspired, I loved the richness of the world, I loved the main character, Hesina. But the further I read, the more conflicted I became as problems arose.
Hesina was my favourite part of this book. She is gutsy and smart and a true queen; not just a little girl. She understands politics and diplomacy and scheming and yes, she makes mistakes, but she matures over the course of the novel and her actions impressed me again and again. I felt so much love and admiration for her as a character.
The world of Descendant of the Crane is rich and imaginative and I love the Chinese elements, which is a refreshing change from the majority of fantasy worlds based on Western cultures.
I liked the whole concept and the plot, for the most part, was well paced and kept me interested. There were several plot twists that stunned me and I was intrigued by the entire story.
Sadly, the ending left me feeling disappointed. An open ending is fine, but there still needs to be a certain level of closure. The ending of this book felt like the end of a first book in a series – not like the end of a standalone, which this is.
Another problematic element was the lack of character development. Aside from Hesina, all the other characters were unconvincing and should have been much more fleshed out. Unfortunately the lack of depth to many characters resulted in many scenes that should have packed a huge emotional punch falling flat.
As a whole this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely read a sequel if there was one, as I loved the story world and I feel the ending leaves a lot (too much?) room for further exploration.
This book left me with so many mixed feelings. At first I loved it; I loved the concept, I loved the fact that it was Chinese inspired, I loved the richness of the world, I loved the main character, Hesina. But the further I read, the more conflicted I became as problems arose.
Hesina was my favourite part of this book. She is gutsy and smart and a true queen; not just a little girl. She understands politics and diplomacy and scheming and yes, she makes mistakes, but she matures over the course of the novel and her actions impressed me again and again. I felt so much love and admiration for her as a character.
The world of Descendant of the Crane is rich and imaginative and I love the Chinese elements, which is a refreshing change from the majority of fantasy worlds based on Western cultures.
I liked the whole concept and the plot, for the most part, was well paced and kept me interested. There were several plot twists that stunned me and I was intrigued by the entire story.
Sadly, the ending left me feeling disappointed. An open ending is fine, but there still needs to be a certain level of closure. The ending of this book felt like the end of a first book in a series – not like the end of a standalone, which this is.
Another problematic element was the lack of character development. Aside from Hesina, all the other characters were unconvincing and should have been much more fleshed out. Unfortunately the lack of depth to many characters resulted in many scenes that should have packed a huge emotional punch falling flat.
As a whole this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely read a sequel if there was one, as I loved the story world and I feel the ending leaves a lot (too much?) room for further exploration.
virgosgroove's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
Although Hesina was a little annoying to me, I'm giving this book 5 stars, anyway. The plot was incredibly immersive and fun to read. The world building wasn't too much, but gave you enough to feel like you're in the palace with all the characters. I audibly gasped at certain points.
Hesina, while irrational and far too immature for the role she played here, was still a lovable lead. How this ended, I firmly believe we're getting a second book, and I can only assume in the sequel we'll get the character development for her I assumed we would get in this book.
With that said, the ending! The twists! I almost wish this wasn't a YA novel, I think we would've gotten a bit more had it been marked towards adults. Nonetheless, 5 stars. Would read again.
Hesina, while irrational and far too immature for the role she played here, was still a lovable lead. How this ended, I firmly believe we're getting a second book, and I can only assume in the sequel we'll get the character development for her I assumed we would get in this book.
With that said, the ending! The twists! I almost wish this wasn't a YA novel, I think we would've gotten a bit more had it been marked towards adults. Nonetheless, 5 stars. Would read again.
northernfleabag's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Beautiful cover by Feifei Ruan and an engrossing story, looking forward to the next instalment.
Beautiful cover by Feifei Ruan and an engrossing story, looking forward to the next instalment.