Reviews

Did not enjoy the first 40% very much. I felt quite bored and a little frustrated because the strategy was very weak. I felt like there were twists and thought processes that weren’t fully formed or weren’t as surprising as they were made out. I also found it very hard to remember the court characters/officials/ministers (who was who etc). A character also disappeared without explanation for a chunk of the book? In a way that didn’t make sense and was noticeable.

But there was always something that made me want to read on, find out what was happening next. I’m not sure what exactly it was.

I really loved the last 60%. It really picked up and I felt very excited. I also liked the pacing. I liked the legends, religion and mythology. The ending and epilogue were also filled with so much heart and felt very right. They were the right endings. I was also surprised, come to the end, how much the characters meant to me (even the small ones)

nillech's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated

2.25

Sluggish. An underwhelming conclusion to what should have been a fascinating experience.

Content Warnings

haidi's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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

lucy_jane's review against another edition

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5.0

I really enjoyed this book and how Kang got a pov. The magic was delightful throughout both the first and second book. I also enjoyed all the food scenes in the book as it is an element I rarely read about but felt immersive and even has me wanting to try a number of the dishes.

nniikkaa's review against another edition

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adventurous

3.0

amsreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring tense 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? Yes

4.25

neriumslibrary's review against another edition

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4.0

This duologly was beautiful. I loved the aspect of tea as magic and learning so much throughout the series. I felt the ending was abrupt and I am left wanting a little more.

✨️SPOILERS OKAY✨️

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