Reviews

Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao

daisyfriesen's review

4.0

Definitely more YA immature MC. Lady Jing is the ward of the king of Hell after her mother pawned her off as a child. She likes to misbehave because she doesn't belong anywhere. She's half-vampire and half fox spirit.

readerinthefog's review

adventurous funny lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

books_tea_and_fantasy's review against another edition

1.0

1.5 ⭐️

Characters: 0
Atmosphere: 2
Writing: 2
Plot: 3
Intrigue: 1
Logic: 4
Enjoyment: 1

How is this adult? All the 100 year old protagonist does, is whine like a petulant child.
❌ DNF at 35% (p. 122)
❌ Unhaul

francescadececchi's review

3.0

Mi ha divertito come poche cose al mondo.

clairbear1989's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

There were times when I enjoyed this book. The writing wasn’t bad, and there were sweet moments. I also liked the setting.

However the plot seemed kind of pointless; it felt like it was there as a background excuse to visit certain places. The main character was quite immature and annoying (this feeling wasn’t constant but repeated often). It would have been better listed as a straight up YA book. 

shmadsie's review against another edition

4.0

3.5.

mehrish's review

4.0

I was initially a little sceptical of Lady Jing. I understood why she was so defensive but her behaviour was annoyingly juvenile at times. She ended up growing on me. The story had a great plot and I liked a lot of the characters. Everything was described in such a way that I could picture it in my head and I appreciate when an author can do that. It allows me to fully immerse in the book. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

mrtvavrana's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

3.5

 

At first, I did not know what I felt like after reading Shanghai Immortal. While I enjoyed the story and came to like the characters, there are things I definitely did not like. 

 

What excited me the most was the century-old female main character with a younger love interest, as we usually see the opposite. Unfortunately, my hopes were kind of crushed. I expected a grown-up, serious woman, but instead Lady Jing is a rude and annoying kid. She constantly swears, spits, and acts recklessly, causing trouble not only for herself but for everyone around. 

 

I am not saying I disliked Lady Jing—I actually grew fond of her as the novel progressed. I simply hoped for something else. I liked the other characters from the start, and I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Lee was a clumsy, shy dummy. I am so fed up with all the alpha-macho man bullshit we are seeing in romance and fantasy lately. 

 

The pace of the book was nice and very steady up until the end. I loved the storytelling; A Y Chao´s descriptions are captivating, and I was sucked in immediately. I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and I was worried about how it would affect the story. Honestly, I can´t say I enjoyed it (I was shouting “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!” every few chapters), but it was not the worst I have encountered. I am also not a fan of the first-person narrative, but I think it went well with the story. 

 

Also, when picking up the book, I had no idea there would be a sequel next year. I am already so excited to read it. I really hope we will see more growth and much less spitting.

yars_reading_corner's review against another edition

5.0

You don’t get to read about a half vampire running the entire netherworld Shanghai with her butt naked carrying a mortal man on her back everyday, seize the chance and read this funny but cozy and amazing Asian fantasy book, the world building is amazing and I can’t wait to read more from A. Y. Chao

artsorcrafts's review

funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

2.5

This book has so much potential, and the world is extremely interesting. This is what makes it so much more of a disappointment, as nothing is fleshed out. The beginnin is a slog and the ending is rushed and boring. This book would be a fantastic young adult, if it had been proof read by an editor.