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A review by path_through_pages
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
SPOILERS
Okay so i really like Jin, he's my favorite character, his backstory is so well written, and you are both empathetic and intrigued by him. My favorite character for sure!
I ended up looking both Arthie and Flick more near the end of the book for sure, but getting there wasn't super great. But once I did get there I was a huge fan especially of Arthie!
I also love the blatant attacks on colonialism. It feels personal as it should and I think the bluntness is both needed and refreshing.
Here is where I struggle:
The only two FMCs are of course infatuated with the MMC. The dynamic buildup is simply not there. It's one of those books where suddenly noticing the MMCs collar bone means you 'can't get them out of your head' Which always kind of annoys me. Also there is literally zero need for both of them to have romance sub-plots. It feels like it's happening because the author thinks it's supposed to and not because its organic to the characters.
The addition of vampires is almost secondary until the end. It just feels like a tool for conflict and plot development than actual world building for the first 2/3 of the book.
There is apparently magic but only in like, a single item and there is zero back story on it until the last 1/3 and then suddenly there is a whole secrey magic rhelm? That no one even really questions?
Are we to believe this incredibly powerful monarchy had this magic shape-shifting weapon just, on display on some sword and the stone Disney contraption where it could be easily released by a child if they thought to stick around long enough to wait for maintenance? Did they have no idea what the weapon was? Even if they had no idea the design is so ornate it would clearly be valuable so why not just swap it with a cheap replica if they thought no one would ever release it?
They flip between POV but there is no tone change, no writing style change, and they aren't consistent with the narrative so I often forget I'm even reading a POV. Again this was all the way until the last 1/3 of the book which was a big contributor for why it was hard to connect with the characters.
There are also some continuity errors that pulled me right out of the story. One minute they are sitting, then standing, but then they have to stand up to leave? They are in a room, then not in that room, she gets her ankle grabbed but no description of it getting let go, he can't pick locks then pulls a lock picking kit out of his pocket?
Also the big revelations were pretty predictable for me.
This is so hard because the parts I loved I really loved, but then the rest was just so blah at times. I almost wish this book was broken into a novella instead of a novel.
P.s. no MC pregnancy tropes so that's good!
Okay so i really like Jin, he's my favorite character, his backstory is so well written, and you are both empathetic and intrigued by him. My favorite character for sure!
I ended up looking both Arthie and Flick more near the end of the book for sure, but getting there wasn't super great. But once I did get there I was a huge fan especially of Arthie!
I also love the blatant attacks on colonialism. It feels personal as it should and I think the bluntness is both needed and refreshing.
Here is where I struggle:
The only two FMCs are of course infatuated with the MMC. The dynamic buildup is simply not there. It's one of those books where suddenly noticing the MMCs collar bone means you 'can't get them out of your head' Which always kind of annoys me. Also there is literally zero need for both of them to have romance sub-plots. It feels like it's happening because the author thinks it's supposed to and not because its organic to the characters.
The addition of vampires is almost secondary until the end. It just feels like a tool for conflict and plot development than actual world building for the first 2/3 of the book.
There is apparently magic but only in like, a single item and there is zero back story on it until the last 1/3 and then suddenly there is a whole secrey magic rhelm? That no one even really questions?
Are we to believe this incredibly powerful monarchy had this magic shape-shifting weapon just, on display on some sword and the stone Disney contraption where it could be easily released by a child if they thought to stick around long enough to wait for maintenance? Did they have no idea what the weapon was? Even if they had no idea the design is so ornate it would clearly be valuable so why not just swap it with a cheap replica if they thought no one would ever release it?
They flip between POV but there is no tone change, no writing style change, and they aren't consistent with the narrative so I often forget I'm even reading a POV. Again this was all the way until the last 1/3 of the book which was a big contributor for why it was hard to connect with the characters.
There are also some continuity errors that pulled me right out of the story. One minute they are sitting, then standing, but then they have to stand up to leave? They are in a room, then not in that room, she gets her ankle grabbed but no description of it getting let go, he can't pick locks then pulls a lock picking kit out of his pocket?
Also the big revelations were pretty predictable for me.
This is so hard because the parts I loved I really loved, but then the rest was just so blah at times. I almost wish this book was broken into a novella instead of a novel.
P.s. no MC pregnancy tropes so that's good!