sleepylizard's reviews
86 reviews

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really liked the concept and the premise. The little tidbits about Chinese mythology and history can be a little forced into the narrative every now and again but they're still interesting to read about. Sums up the experience of 1st generation immigrants very well, and the overwhelming process of trying to reconnect to your culture despite being a stranger to it.

Bonus points for the main character being Muslim Hui Chinese and queer, drawing attention to the Chinese government's horrific treatment of Muslim Chinese people, and Miao Chinese rep.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Azula in the Spirit Temple by Faith Erin Hicks

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Babel by R.F. Kuang

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adventurous challenging dark inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

One of the best books I've ever read

I wish I could collate all my favourite quotes together but there'd be too many! What a fantastic book - I especially loved the chapters where Kuang goes deep into the etymology side of things. It's definitely a read for anyone who's a bit nerdy about languages and etymology but it's fun amentally a powerful political book.

The only criticism is that it takes so long for the characters of Letty, Victoire and Ramy to be built up, we only really get that satisfaction towards the second half of the book. But I'm sure that's done intentionally.

Content Warnings