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sabrinaleaf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
3.75 ⭐️
I listened to this on audiobook but got so confused with the different characters and the plot. But the lyrical writing and the beautiful prose made up for my confusion.
I listened to this on audiobook but got so confused with the different characters and the plot. But the lyrical writing and the beautiful prose made up for my confusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, and War
rapitash's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I had high hopes for this one, and I can’t say that I felt like it hit the mark the way that it did for other readers.
This is a novella of 100 pages—and it’s a small book, so it’s a small 100 pages. There’s a lot crammed into this story: setting the scene in the present, and establishing Chih and their character and what a cleric does, and then Rabbit in the present, and where they meet, while Rabbit launches into her tale about In-yo, the now deceased Empress. The political context which frames In-yo’s arrival in Anh hints at a rich world with a long history. We pass through a few years of political intrigue, and as In-yo seeks to get revenge. Vo plays with the idea of a true protagonist, and the roles minor figures play in major historical events, as we learn about Rabbit’s relationship with the Empress she served, and the sacrifices she made that helped ensure In-yo’s victory. And all of it is super intriguing—it’s just that there isn’t really the proper time or space to properly explore all these elements, which leaves them feeling vague and underbaked. I struggled to get a proper foothold in the world; it was hard to really, truly care about the characters of the novella.
The way the story is written didn’t help matters for me, either. Moving between Chih’s POV in the present and Rabbit’s recounting of the past often felt jarring and made the pacing of the novel feel slow. We’d get a glimpse of a scene with Chih, and then we were launching back into Rabbit’s tale; once I was invested in that, we were drawn back out. It made it hard for me to remain engaged.
I do think that the last quarter or so of the novella was the strongest. I felt the climax, while not explosive, served as a really good way to tie the entire story together, and left me shocked with a revelation that felt out of left field for me.Rabbit’s relationship with Sukai, I felt, was a highlight of the novel, although i felt it could've been written for better emotional impact. The reveal that their daughter was the new Dragon Empress, passed off as In-yo’s miracle baby after Sukai’s death, was shocking to me, and I had a few questions as to whether the new Empress was aware that Rabbit had been their mother and what her upbringing had been like, but this was left vague and unexplored also.
When I think about the story as I’m writing this, I feel like there was a lot of cool elements, and a lot of potential, and that the ending was solid enough for it to be a good book. Other people might connect with it better and maybe understood the complexities of it more. But I personally came away from it feeling “eh”, and that it had been a lot to read. It’s not the feeling a 100 page novella should leave you with, imo.
This is a novella of 100 pages—and it’s a small book, so it’s a small 100 pages. There’s a lot crammed into this story: setting the scene in the present, and establishing Chih and their character and what a cleric does, and then Rabbit in the present, and where they meet, while Rabbit launches into her tale about In-yo, the now deceased Empress. The political context which frames In-yo’s arrival in Anh hints at a rich world with a long history. We pass through a few years of political intrigue, and as In-yo seeks to get revenge. Vo plays with the idea of a true protagonist, and the roles minor figures play in major historical events, as we learn about Rabbit’s relationship with the Empress she served, and the sacrifices she made that helped ensure In-yo’s victory. And all of it is super intriguing—it’s just that there isn’t really the proper time or space to properly explore all these elements, which leaves them feeling vague and underbaked. I struggled to get a proper foothold in the world; it was hard to really, truly care about the characters of the novella.
The way the story is written didn’t help matters for me, either. Moving between Chih’s POV in the present and Rabbit’s recounting of the past often felt jarring and made the pacing of the novel feel slow. We’d get a glimpse of a scene with Chih, and then we were launching back into Rabbit’s tale; once I was invested in that, we were drawn back out. It made it hard for me to remain engaged.
I do think that the last quarter or so of the novella was the strongest. I felt the climax, while not explosive, served as a really good way to tie the entire story together, and left me shocked with a revelation that felt out of left field for me.
When I think about the story as I’m writing this, I feel like there was a lot of cool elements, and a lot of potential, and that the ending was solid enough for it to be a good book. Other people might connect with it better and maybe understood the complexities of it more. But I personally came away from it feeling “eh”, and that it had been a lot to read. It’s not the feeling a 100 page novella should leave you with, imo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
schnaucl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.75
I really liked this novella.
I liked the idea of a monastery charged with recording things in minute detail and I can absolutely see how that would be a threat to people in power. I would imagine there would be multiple attempts to disband or burn down such a monastic order over the years.
I really liked Rabbit and Empress In-Yo.The way they passed information was really quite clever, as was the way they slowly replaced the shrine retinue with soldiers loyal to Empress In-Yo, to say nothing of Rabbit's child sitting atop the throne.
I'm really looking forward to reading more.
I liked the idea of a monastery charged with recording things in minute detail and I can absolutely see how that would be a threat to people in power. I would imagine there would be multiple attempts to disband or burn down such a monastic order over the years.
I really liked Rabbit and Empress In-Yo.
I'm really looking forward to reading more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Classism
itsbumley's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
It took me a long time to pick up this boom as the blurb on the back cover led me to expect the story of Rabbit and In-yo in the present. A couple years of the book sitting on my shelf later, I read an alternate blurb that foregrounded the roles of Chih and Almost Brilliant and the framing of the story as a recounting of memories for history's record. I found this immediately more compelling and easily devoured the book in one sitting. I adored the story, and the way it was written. I'm glad I waited so long to start reading as I can (and will) pick up more of the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
mary_c's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Gore, Violence, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and War
thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was everything I hoped it would be. Even this god awful reading slump that has been plaguing me all year couldn't stop me from deeply loving this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, and War
julesadventurezone's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.0
The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a fantasy novella set in a world with more than a passing resemblance to Imperial China, except it's queer and feminist, with an anti-empire/anti-monarchy message. The story within a story structure was initially a little confusing, but ultimately effective. I especially liked the intrigue of court politics, watching In-Yo learn to survive and thrive in an unfamiliar and often hostile environment, the relationship between Rabbit and In-Yo which crossed class lines, and the lush evocative writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infertility and War
angorarabbit's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TLDR;I think I am a sucker for stories of clerics and their familiars.
This is a hot chocolate comfy blanket fairy tale. It is so gentle but the ending plot twist still is a surprise. Told in third person it is lavish in it’s descriptions of place and characters. A lovely diversion from Ringworld and proof of the writers whose works we are so privileged to be able to read.
Yes, I am aware that I have complained about books being too fairytaleish. There are good ways and bad ways to tell a fairytale. Ms Vo does it the good way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Suicide, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Murder
not_another_ana's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The abbey at Singing Hills would say that if a record cannot be perfect, it should at least be present. Better for it to exist than for it to be perfect and only in your mind.
Chih, a young cleric from Singing Hills, is on their way to the capital when their curiosity takes them to a former residence of the Empress of Salt and Fortune. There they come across the Empress' former handmaiden Rabbit, who is willing to recount tales of life in the residence and the Empress' rise to power. It's a story within a story that slowly unveils something deeper and secret.
Very much enjoyed this, it was short but packed quite the punch. I am amazed with how much world building Nghi Vo manages to cram in 100 pages without infodumping or making it a tedious read. The story is engaging and draws you in and, perhaps, that was the only thing that bothered me: that I wished to know more about this world and was left hanging dry.
Chih was a solid character and a solid device to introduce the reader to this world, and Almost Brilliant quickly became a favorite. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed Cindy Kay's narration a lot, easy to understand yet full of emotion. Can't wait to keep reading this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, and War