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A review by siobhanward
Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
NYT Notable Books 2021: 14/100
This started off really strong and then kind of dropped off, before ending on a strong note. I think that if Ge had focused on fewer beasts, the book might have been stronger. I loved the first chapter and thought the book would focus on only one kind of beast, but when each chapter focused on a different beast, things started to feel less focused and I wasn't as attached to anyone as I should have been. This book requires readers to feel pulled by the characters, and with so much changing in each chapter, it was hard to do that.
This started off really strong and then kind of dropped off, before ending on a strong note. I think that if Ge had focused on fewer beasts, the book might have been stronger. I loved the first chapter and thought the book would focus on only one kind of beast, but when each chapter focused on a different beast, things started to feel less focused and I wasn't as attached to anyone as I should have been. This book requires readers to feel pulled by the characters, and with so much changing in each chapter, it was hard to do that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death