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woolerys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Grief, and War
Minor: Sexual assault
lilo000's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
mlkao94697's review against another edition
- 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
The good things: I thought the premise was cool and I thought that the world was described beautifully and in a way that I could really imagine myself being there. Ok… moving on to what I didn’t like. The tell don’t show style of writing really got under my skin and didn’t improve throughout the book. I didn’t feel any attachment to the characters and the relationships felt stunted because of this. Some spoiler-y criticisms:
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death and War
krumanda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Confinement
avrija's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual harassment
katiefronk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and War
Minor: Sexual assault and Death of parent
lillygabriella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
hue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
The romance seemed rather. . . forced. They like each other because??? They were close? It didn't really work as well as the Author might've wanted, which was a shame because individually Liwei and Xingyin were interesting enough. Together? Not so much.
And then the addition of a rather awkward love triangle. Yeah, no.
However, I really did like Xingyin as a main character. She's strong willed and fierce, gentle and soft, and she stands up for herlsef and her choices.
It is a bit like the story itself doesn't know where the plot is going and why, which was why it felt so stilted and . . odd at times. The "missions"(?) she was sent on were so detached from the main story I wondered why they were there at all.
All in all, not a bad read just rather clunky and boring at times. I might still pick up the next volume since there is only the two. I'd like to know what happens next, especially with the Moon Goddess and Xingyin.
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The story is based on Chinese mythology, and Xingyin is our heroine. She has to leave home quickly one day when a representative of the celestial kingdom comes knocking on the door.
Xingyin is also the daughter of the moon goddess who is under house arrest for drinking an elixir of immortality when she was pregnant. Years later, unauthorised and uncontrolled magic is discovered emanating from the moon goddesse's palace, and Xingyin has to leave in a hurry lest she gets discovered. A big adventure begins.
Along the way, she meets Liwea the heiir to the celestial kingdom itself, and Jianyun, the enigmatic senior soldier in the celestial army, who spots her talent for archery.
I would recommend this for people like me who don't read a lot of fantasy as it is slow to medium paced overall. and the world is not that dissimilar to our owm. This is part of a duology, and I definitely want to read the next one. If like me, you like big long books you can fall into, then this one is for you, and it had a fabulous twist. I did not see coming.
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and War
maraavillaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Minor: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail