Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

93 reviews

spootilious's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

 

Read: December 12, 2023
 Title: The Empress of Salt and Fortune 

Series: The Singing Hills Cycle #1 

Genre: Fantasy 

Rating: 3 / 5
 Review: 

This was a very beautiful read. It wasn’t exciting or thrilling. It was a simple and beautiful story with a wonderful aesthetic and a folklore feel. The writing was soft and the imagery stunning. No real twists or turns but a story that is meant to be admired like a painting rather than devoured like a meal. 

QUOTES: 

“Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves.” 

“Honor is a light that brings trouble. Shadows are safer by far.” 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Grief, Classism, and Pregnancy

auudrey's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Violence

indeedithappens's review against another edition

mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Infidelity, Suicide, Abandonment, Infertility, Violence, Classism, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, War, Colonisation, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Murder

readsbymoonlight's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-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

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Content Warnings

Minor: War, Violence, and Death

christine_s's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-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? Yes

5.0

Wonderful novella, actually wished that it was longer! Loved how the story unfolded.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Murder

zinlizzie's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Death, and War

growintogardens's review against another edition

2.75

Was it pretty at times? Yes. Was I lost often? Also yes. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Death, and Murder

Minor: Pregnancy, War, and Suicide

kingcrookback's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-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? No

I've (as of writing this review) only read one other work of Vo's, Siren Queen, and I find that I much prefer Empress of Salt and Fortune. They're both frame stories that dip in and out of the embedded narrative, but there's something to Empress's setting and pacing that does it for me in a way that Siren Queen didn't. Empress moves along deftly (though I wouldn't necessarily say that it's swift), and the Vo treads the line between detail and ambiguity. Neither detailed to the point of bogging anything down nor ambiguous enough to be called vague. Rabbit's story is both touching and gripping, albeit hazed by time and memory. A nice little capsule.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Death

Moderate: Colonisation, War, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Grief

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book is incredibly well written and the story is simultaneously unique and familiar. The world building is vibrant and deftly done. The writing and story have a way of drawing readers in from the beginning. I look forward to reading as much written by Nghi Vo as I can.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: War

emimli's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and War