kiralovesreading's review
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
readsbymoonlight's review
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
Content Warnings
Minor: War, Violence, and Death
jarichan's review against another edition
4.0
Diese Geschichte las ich nur, weil sie den Hugo-Award gewonnen hat. Nach der Lektüre wage ich es zu behaupten: verdient!
Eine zartfühlige Sprache, die mehr versteckt als preisgibt. Eine nachvollziehbare und doch geheimnisvolle Welt. Asiatische Mythologie, für uns noch fremd und deshalb in dieser Art unverbraucht und neu.
Auf nur wenigen Seiten, mit nur wenigen Worten schafft Vo ein komplexes und tiefsinniges Universum, das es noch zu entdecken gilt. Als Westler fühlt man sich vielleicht ab und an ein wenig verloren, aber es ist immer noch leichter zugänglich als vergleichbare Titel, die ich gelesen habe. Was auch an der Kürze liegen könnte.
Die Novelle strahlt Ruhe aus, Geborgenheit, Zuversicht. Ein richtiges Zuhause, so kam es mir vor. So fühlte ich mich während des Lesens. So fühle ihm ich auh jetzt noch.
Ich habe mir extra Zeit für diesen Text genommen, denn auch wenn kurz, so sind stille Wasser doch tief. Und so fordert diese Kiurzgeschichte eine besondere Art von Aufmerksamkeit, die ich ihr nicht verweigern wollte.
Eine zartfühlige Sprache, die mehr versteckt als preisgibt. Eine nachvollziehbare und doch geheimnisvolle Welt. Asiatische Mythologie, für uns noch fremd und deshalb in dieser Art unverbraucht und neu.
Auf nur wenigen Seiten, mit nur wenigen Worten schafft Vo ein komplexes und tiefsinniges Universum, das es noch zu entdecken gilt. Als Westler fühlt man sich vielleicht ab und an ein wenig verloren, aber es ist immer noch leichter zugänglich als vergleichbare Titel, die ich gelesen habe. Was auch an der Kürze liegen könnte.
Die Novelle strahlt Ruhe aus, Geborgenheit, Zuversicht. Ein richtiges Zuhause, so kam es mir vor. So fühlte ich mich während des Lesens. So fühle ihm ich auh jetzt noch.
Ich habe mir extra Zeit für diesen Text genommen, denn auch wenn kurz, so sind stille Wasser doch tief. Und so fordert diese Kiurzgeschichte eine besondere Art von Aufmerksamkeit, die ich ihr nicht verweigern wollte.
elishasbookreview's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
starpalette's review against another edition
3.0
3 to 3.5 stars
wooow i’m so glad i found this!!
i have to say i was a little confused by the story and i’m not sure i completely got it . there’s a couple reasons i didn’t love this as much as i expected: first, i was expecting this novella to have a lot of different stories that chih was collecting, a lot of magic and world travels, but there’s one story the book is focused on and chih doesn’t move from this one place they are collecting info from. this brings me to my second point, which is that i’m tired of stories about bringing down the empire, especially in fantasy. women, i love and support u, but i’m a little tired of that trope. and lastly, it was a lot less sapphic than i was expecting.
but anyways! i’ve been looking for stories about magical tales for a long time, and i really loved the vibe in this. the writing was really pretty if a bit confusing, but this is the kind of story ive been wanting to read for a while, even if this particular one wasn’t exactly what i was expecting and i wasn’t that engaged. but i still enjoyed it and will definitely reread some day.
i cant wait to read the second installment, which is the one i actually wanted to read all along! lets gooooo
wooow i’m so glad i found this!!
i have to say i was a little confused by the story and i’m not sure i completely got it . there’s a couple reasons i didn’t love this as much as i expected: first, i was expecting this novella to have a lot of different stories that chih was collecting, a lot of magic and world travels, but there’s one story the book is focused on and chih doesn’t move from this one place they are collecting info from. this brings me to my second point, which is that i’m tired of stories about bringing down the empire, especially in fantasy. women, i love and support u, but i’m a little tired of that trope. and lastly, it was a lot less sapphic than i was expecting.
but anyways! i’ve been looking for stories about magical tales for a long time, and i really loved the vibe in this. the writing was really pretty if a bit confusing, but this is the kind of story ive been wanting to read for a while, even if this particular one wasn’t exactly what i was expecting and i wasn’t that engaged. but i still enjoyed it and will definitely reread some day.
i cant wait to read the second installment, which is the one i actually wanted to read all along! lets gooooo
tanah04's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.5
stoneteapot's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
hannahbelk's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
2.75
thoughtsstained's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Full review posted at Thoughts Stained With Ink:
My very first Nghi Vo book! But it certainly won't be my last, my gosh. How powerful this story was? I was fascinated by not only how it was written (the dual storytellers between Rabbit and Chih). But the story of Empress In-yo was heartbreaking. My heart yearned for her as much as I angered against those who went against her. And poor Rabbit!! Gods, I'm very excited to continue this novella series.
My very first Nghi Vo book! But it certainly won't be my last, my gosh. How powerful this story was? I was fascinated by not only how it was written (the dual storytellers between Rabbit and Chih). But the story of Empress In-yo was heartbreaking. My heart yearned for her as much as I angered against those who went against her. And poor Rabbit!! Gods, I'm very excited to continue this novella series.
missintermediatemilk's review against another edition
2.0
(Some Spoilers)
This isn’t a thought-out review; I am tired of this book and I just wanted to express my feelings. Which means that some facts could be wrong when I mention the plot because I didn’t understand a thing and I’m not going to look it up because I’m to tired.
First, I have to say that English isn’t my first language, but I read plenty books written in English. Everything from YA to biography’s, from classical literature to course literature, and simple baking instructions to master thesis. So, I would say I’m pretty fluent even though I mess things up sometimes (and that I do in my first language too. HA).
So, I read this book with my boyfriend and when we sat down to talk about it we both realized we had perceived it differently, and not in a good philosophical understanding way that opens up to discussion, but that we literally didn’t understand some scenes and we were just confused. I missed the whole plot about her taking over china(?) and my boyfriend missed the hbtq -relationships. Overall, it was a cool story but sadly it feels like the first draft of the book. I would have loved to read something longer and more developed.
…and this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I don't like to read about characters that are named after things that could be mistaken as “regular words”. I HAD TO READ THE FIRST LINE IN THE BOOK LIKE FIVE TIMES: ““Something wants to eat you”, called Almost Brilliant from her perch in a nearby tree, “and I shall not be sorry if it does”“. I was scratching my head just looking confused as I didn’t understand if she was calling herself almost brilliant or something like that, had I missed something? Where there pages torn out?? (First, I tough it was some kind of bad translation? Because different Chinese signs could mean different things but apparently this book is written in English? (if I’m wrong just tell me in the comments)) why couldn’t she just name it Bob or something? D:
Anyway, it was interesting but disappointing.
This isn’t a thought-out review; I am tired of this book and I just wanted to express my feelings. Which means that some facts could be wrong when I mention the plot because I didn’t understand a thing and I’m not going to look it up because I’m to tired.
First, I have to say that English isn’t my first language, but I read plenty books written in English. Everything from YA to biography’s, from classical literature to course literature, and simple baking instructions to master thesis. So, I would say I’m pretty fluent even though I mess things up sometimes (and that I do in my first language too. HA).
So, I read this book with my boyfriend and when we sat down to talk about it we both realized we had perceived it differently, and not in a good philosophical understanding way that opens up to discussion, but that we literally didn’t understand some scenes and we were just confused. I missed the whole plot about her taking over china(?) and my boyfriend missed the hbtq -relationships. Overall, it was a cool story but sadly it feels like the first draft of the book. I would have loved to read something longer and more developed.
…and this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I don't like to read about characters that are named after things that could be mistaken as “regular words”. I HAD TO READ THE FIRST LINE IN THE BOOK LIKE FIVE TIMES: ““Something wants to eat you”, called Almost Brilliant from her perch in a nearby tree, “and I shall not be sorry if it does”“. I was scratching my head just looking confused as I didn’t understand if she was calling herself almost brilliant or something like that, had I missed something? Where there pages torn out?? (First, I tough it was some kind of bad translation? Because different Chinese signs could mean different things but apparently this book is written in English? (if I’m wrong just tell me in the comments)) why couldn’t she just name it Bob or something? D:
Anyway, it was interesting but disappointing.