“the young will continue their hope the fight for democracy won’t die his books the words the notes the letters the hope cannot ever end. It is a l
“the young will continue their hope the fight for democracy won’t die his books the words the notes the letters the hope cannot ever end. It is a love from which we never recover.”
I will never recover from this book. It has all the mix of political elements with the bittersweet love story that fits perfectly with the plot. This is the kind of story that embodies how we gain as much as we lose in life and how most of the time, it really isn't our fault or there's really nothing we could have done to change what happened no matter how much we blame ourselves/each other.
The pacing was done perfectly and it's incredibly well written. I didn't find myself cringing with the romance which is a winner for me. If I had a critique, it would be that the ending didn't blow my mind as I think all books I rate 5 star should make me feel. This does not mean that I did not love it, I really did, and it pulls of the war romance realistically. The characters were well-written but I felt they were a little too perfect in their roles or everything just fell into place too nicely. Even then, the way it was written distracted you from the reason all the chaos was happening in the first place and I think that's what makes it feel well rounded even when it seems predictable post-read.
That said, this was heartfelt as much as it was tragically dragging my heart and I know this is staying with me.
pre read: i saw a quote from this book that sounded lovely and i’m shelving this for when i feel like reading a book indoors with a good hot drink...more
Disclaimer: If you are in it for a structured magic system that has all the rules set out, this might not be for you. This is if you are able to appreDisclaimer: If you are in it for a structured magic system that has all the rules set out, this might not be for you. This is if you are able to appreciate magic systems that have no clear origin explained and are in it more for the characters.
“You must have been happy." She puffed a soft breath between her lips, shrugged. "I was free. That's better than happy. Happy came later. Are you?" "I will be," I said firmly. "Both.”
Siren Queen is a dark adult historical fantasy set in the golden age of hollywood. Parts of the plot reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo if Evelyn Hugo had shape-shifting humans, immortality, dark bargains, and a lot more wild metaphors that i’m not sure are still metaphors at some point. And yes, it is most definitely Queer.
“I would much rather be a monster than a victim.”
If there’s a list of books that holds the trophy for complex characters, this is one of them for sure… especially for characters that I'm not even sure are entirely human. The feeling Nghi Vo leaves me with her books is always worth the struggle of my last two braincells to comprehend what's happening in the beginning.
It felt so nuanced and empathetic while being incredibly thought provoking. This is a somewhat intense book that borders on poetic-whimsical and revolves around the intricacies of the behind the scenes of movie productions. Though I cant speak on it’s accuracy or if it even means to be accurate, it sure is incredibly captivating. There is a lot of social commentary on the romanticism of media and sexism there. Which is written in the most deliberately metaphorical-like way but it's funny that a lot of the metaphors aren't actually metaphors (which is how the fantasy aspects come in). I just love it.
“You better know who you are,” she said, “because you don’t look strong enough to be me.”
Nghi Vo depicts so well the initial wonder, awe, confusion, and all the emotions in between of youth. Especially when faced with something that changes them. She uses a lot of lines that play with contradictions in the writing but they make so much sense relating to the nuance of the media and film industry. Especially adding to the commentary of white washed media and prejudice against Asians in films.
Fair warning, I do think this is the kind of book that you need to be AWAKE reading and it wasn’t something that I could passively read. Not that it’s a bad thing.
"You are already betting on a small piece of forever,"
The way the word "forever" in this context also meant her image as a superstar made everything hit harder.
The magic system doesn't have that much of an explanation so if that's something that you're looking for, that isn't really what the story is about. It's certainly more focused on the characters and the message. I don't really need a plot to fall in love with a story nor do the characters need to be exactly "good" for me to enjoy the story. So this is perfect if you are the same and are looking for the kind of poetic-whimsical story with the atmosphere of old Hollywood. In classic Nghi Vo style, there are scenes within scenes and their skills of being able to tell a story within a story only gets better with each new release she puts out.
↣ This is for sure my favorite Nghi Vo book yet. If dark fantastical Evelyn Hugo sounds intriguing to you... I humbly offer you this book. ↢
*ARC sent by the publisher -Tor/Macmillan- for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s ability to jump from genre to genre, write completely different stories, but still have the same touch, astounds me.
This has tSilvia Moreno-Garcia’s ability to jump from genre to genre, write completely different stories, but still have the same touch, astounds me.
This has the echos of the likes of Cassandra Clare’s The Infernal Devices and The Last Hours but make it a little more magical realism than fantasy. I would have wanted more magic and nuance that explores the socialite society but this was the historical romance I needed before reading Jade Legacy and I thank it for it's service.
the first 70% of this book is 4 stars for the yearning and pining *chef's kiss* I was so SOLD... but the ending got a lil bit too cringey and dragging. I still loved it for the most part though.
I ABSOLUTELY ATE THIS UP. The way this is exactly what I love: dark and lyrical... and I'm surprised that I loved it... (do know what you’re getting iI ABSOLUTELY ATE THIS UP. The way this is exactly what I love: dark and lyrical... and I'm surprised that I loved it... (do know what you’re getting into before you pick this up though, content warnings at the end as usual)
This review is a mess but this book grinded up my brain cells
“You could have kissed me or slit my throat and either would have made as much sense.”
This book is for you if a dark and lyrical, queer retelling of dracula’s brides but the brides are f/f/m and they fall in love with each other sounds interesting to you.
“Through her eyes, I was able to experience the story for the first time all over again.”
THE WRITING. The fact that the name "Dracula" wasn't actually mentioned the whole book was really interesting from a reader's perspective and given that it's told from second POV just made the narrative that much easier to drown myself in. It really sold the vampiric passage of time on me, a little change here and there but not really enough for it to make a big difference. Given the plot and it’s a little more about the “romance”, I love that it focused more on the agelessness of vampires rather than other supernatural abilities.
I love dark stories that pack emotion, nuance, and still sends the right hopeful message while still being whimisical. So if you are like me, and 'light' horror is your thing, you really will enjoy this. That saying that “the best villains are the ones you secret love” was depicted so well with the story while still maintaining the idea that… well, it’s gaslighting and manipulation. I got so sucked into the narrative that I really felt all the emotions and contradictions that you would expect to feel from a story about dracula’s “wives”.
“I want to live. But I want to live in the world, not on the outskirts of it.”
I do kind of feel like it was cut short but if i look at it through the lens of horror, it’s a common trend in the horror I’ve read. When I say horror, it's not jumpscare horror in case that's what you were wondering. It's just a little more on the extreme of dark, which is exactly my kind of horror. I still do wish we got more of the trio living their lives together because it would have pushed this to be a new fave. In short, I needed more Alexi.
If I were you, I would go into this more for the the lyrical writing than a grand plot in case that’s something you’re expecting. It’s more focused on character relationships and dynamics, which isn’t a problem for me but it might affect you.
“The people only call me cruel because it’s easier to think of a woman as cruel than competent.”
↣ If you’re a sucker for dark and savory words, that promise a lifetime of sweetness that feels too good to be true… please read this. The longer I am apart from this book, the more I feel embroidering a blanket from S.T. Gibson's words. ↢
— 4.0— ⇢ content warnings// Depictions of: Emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner abuse, Gaslighting, War, famine, and plague, Blood and gore, Consensual sexual content, Sadomasochism, Self harm, Body horror, Violence and murder, Alcohol use, Depression and mania, Sexual assault (not directed at any named character), Drug use, Drowning, Child abuse (off-page), Death
⤜ pre-read review ⤛
queer reimagining of dracula's brides ft. polyamorous relationship/s... yes, thank you....more
*ARC sent by the publisher -Tor/Macmillan- for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This is the queer epic fantasy we all needed.
At its hea*ARC sent by the publisher -Tor/Macmillan- for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This is the queer epic fantasy we all needed.
At its heart, this book was about grief and perseverance... and how both can mean something different and is showcased differently on individual people.
“However tired I am, however hard it is: I know I can keep going, because I’m alive.”
Before reading, I didn’t know what exactly to expect with “Mulan meets The Song of Achilles” but it is just that, while being so painfully aware of it’s own setting that reminds me more of The Poppy War with its brutal nature. Accompanied by a unique perspective, charming yet complex cast, lyrical prose, and immersive writing style that hits all the right emotions.
— overall thoughts: 4.5 — if you are sensitive to triggering content please read the end of this review for content warnings
This did still feel like it was opening to a broader world and I honestly cannot wait to see where Shelley Parker Chan goes with the rest of the books. If you are looking for an in-depth and intricate magic system, I should say that you won't really be getting that for this first installment at least. There's still a magical/fantastical element to it but it's more on the backdrop and used to propel character development.
She Who Became the Sun is a character-driven story that explores the internal politics of a ruling body and economics of war that highlights the journey these characters experience and while it does deal with heavy and dark themes— this read like a historical c-drama (in the best way possible) packed with a truck load of thought provoking moments that was brilliantly tied together while being so unflinchingly queer
At it’s core, it’s about people trying to believe in their own fate in a society that sees them different ⚔️ The way discussions on gender roles and gender identity were weaved into a plot about war was just *chefs kiss* with nuanced conversations that will keep you reading
The dual POV was incredibly intriguing since you get to see the conflict progress from both sides progress. One of my favorite aspects was the fact that our two main characters weren't each other’s love interest. Shelley Parker Chan could have so easily made it a star-crossed lovers scenario and I’m so happy they didn’t. It benefitted the war narrative and made for way more interesting romances anyway.
some other details you can find: -morally grey characters... villain origin story style -14th century china -yearning generals -forbidden romance -platonic relationships -complicated relationships -family drama -ghosts
↣ If you're looking for a fast-paced, emotional, and dark fantasy that revolves around war (just the way I like it) that is built on solid themes, high stakes, and will keep you turning the page while entrancing you the whole way through... here you go ☀️ I have too many words and I don't know if I got across how much I loved this book but I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story plays out ...more
“Everything changed then nothing changed. And I was still, frustratingly enough, nothing more than myself.”
I have such mixed feelings about the ma
“Everything changed then nothing changed. And I was still, frustratingly enough, nothing more than myself.”
I have such mixed feelings about the majority of this book but that ending with Nghi Vo’s writing style… gave me a new perspective on everything that it brought this book up from 2 stars to 3 stars.
The dark, magical, and lyrical writing of The Chosen and the Beautiful sold me so quickly at the start but as the story progressed it was a little disappointing that the story focused more on everything except Jordan, the main character. I feel like the main character’s background, complex personality, and intriguing personal relationships were wasted on a story that didn’t really revolve around her most of the time. She was very much an observer but I have heard that it pays homage to how the original was written. Even then, I feel like even a retelling should be able to stand on it’s own even with readers who have not read it in it's original form. Especially since this is supposedly an Asian Queer retelling, bringing something new and refreshing, I feel like this could have done so much more than it did. Don't even get me started on the fantasy and magic... it barely added anything to the story except made me continue the book in the beginning.
“I hadn’t even reached the bottom of learning what I wanted. And even if he couldn’t give those things to me, maybe I liked that he wanted to try.”
The drama and nuanced socialite society kept me going but the casual cheating at the beginning bothered me a little too much. I get where it’s coming from and I do like how everything tied together in the end but I was just too bothered by how emotional cheating was tackled. It kept me from enjoying the story and it’s sad because I so badly wanted to love this book. It also felt a little weird how majority of the lgbtq+ rep was related to the casual/emotional cheating.
I knew absolutely nothing about The Great Gatsby (i haven’t read or watched it) when I started this but reading the reviews makes me think that I might actually like the original story still. Especially since it intrigues me that the story was from Nick’s perspective, which what the original piece was in, apparently.
“The world was on fire but we could only smell the smoke.”
↣ Medium paced, socialite society, friendship, drama, and about finding yourself. There’s not that much magic, which was a little disappointing but I feel like I would still recommend this to people if you find that it calls out to you. There’s just something about that ending that pulled at my heart more than I thought it would and I wouldn’t want to discourage those that might find this life-changing. ↢
Kuang is a ruthless Queen. Are you expecting closure? *evil laugh*
There are too many things to discuss and I am emotionally unstable.
You know what, I Kuang is a ruthless Queen. Are you expecting closure? *evil laugh*
There are too many things to discuss and I am emotionally unstable.
You know what, I feel like I've said all I need to say for this series in my The Poppy War and The Dragon Republic reviews. Read those if you feel so inclined and still need a push to read this series or the other reviews because I need... err.. space.
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— overall thoughts: 4.5 —
Admittedly, I had some problematic parts with the build up in the middle and how the Trifecta storyline was handled, but I'll look over that because of the character dynamics and execution of the the ideas that went into the series. Kuang achieved what she wanted to achieve.
---------------- I haven’t finished it yet but you know what we should be talking about: THE PLATONIC LOVE CONTENT ...more
mmmm yessss delicious i didn't even read the synopsis but i know it's about a house party with family drama, all i needed to know was that the author mmmm yessss delicious i didn't even read the synopsis but i know it's about a house party with family drama, all i needed to know was that the author was Taylor Jenkins Reid :)...more
Something has been nagging me ever since I finished reading this and I finally know what it is:
1. the plot twists didn't surprise me because they feltSomething has been nagging me ever since I finished reading this and I finally know what it is:
1. the plot twists didn't surprise me because they felt sort of cliche. I guess I expected something more unique than a sort-of-but-not-really deus ex machina. But I do have to admit that I still think the metaphors of (view spoiler)[how their powers works with these gods possessing them (hide spoiler)] is a different take on (view spoiler)[another pyrokinetic (hide spoiler)] 2. the pacing of part 2 and part 3 felt off to me with the tone change. Especially part 3 because I feel like the infamous chapter was just added for the shock factor? that I didn't get shocked. Certain aspects felt too abrupt.. but then again this is war so I have a feeling Kuang meant for it to feel that way.
Okay that's it. I still loved this book and this is just a reminder to not let the hype get to you.
—————————————— ORIGINAL REVIEW:
This book is Mistborn + Nevernight but make it historically asian inspired, then add about a dozen trigger warnings (this includes but not limited to: drug abuse, drug addiction, rape, genocide, animal death, misogyny, death of a loved one, ++) just so that you're aware and prepare because R.F. Kuang will write it without any sugarcoating of any kind
Which basically describes the writing style of this whole book: YA with no sugarcoating... so basically New Adult? Adult with YA characters?
Very immersive, especially to someone like me who loves academy/military-esque settings that ends up building up to something more. At this point, the world is so alive in my imagination that it now has it’s own compartment in my head.
The fact that this was so well-researched bleeds into the prose and the writing. I don’t want to go into detail about the history because I could be very wrong in a lot of parts but I suggest that you do your own little research while reading or after you have read this book about the historical significances. (I highly recommend Tiffany's blog post: https://readbytiffany.com/2020/11/15/...)
You can of course just read it like any other high fantasy and you’ll be fine. I just appreciate it so much when an author takes the time to research on the finer details in historical fiction and it always shows in the book itself.
”But how does the existence or nonexistence of the gods affect me? Why does it matter how the universe came to be?”
“Because you’re part of it. Because you exist. And unless you want to only ever be a tiny modicum of existence that doesn’t understand its relation to the grander web of things, you will explore.
The fact that that quote could be interpreted both metaphorically and literally and still hit hard either way.
I loved how flawless the transitions were from scene to scene and from part to part. It's a very technical thing but it was executed so well in terms of storytelling. There is a whole lot of world-building going on, especially in part I and the rest of this series is us just kind of going through war through the eyes of Rin. I appreciated how much each scene was fleshed out without it ever being dragging. Dynamic.
The mix of different asian culture was also a huge selling point to me. Everything that went into the writing of this book was not in vain.
I am going to be honest that a big chunk of this still felt YA to me in terms of the plot and overall tone despite the very graphic/dark scenes. But I just might be immune to those at this point. Nonetheless, be warned if you are easily triggered. The themes are still very dark if you think about it and I have no doubt the levels will increase as the series goes on.
There were times when the writing tended to info dump and become more “telling” rather than “showing”. But there were still so many elements that made me keep reading (*ahem* Nezha) that I just kept absorbing the info dumps and storing it in my head.
"If there is a divine creator, some ultimate moral authority, then why do bad things happen to good people? And why would this deity create people at all, since people are such imperfect beings."
This quote spoke to me just because of how much it sounded like something that we have talked about in my religion classes. These are very common questions used in discussions in academic settings especially with those who study certain religions, like Catholicism. Particularly, in asian countries since a lot do believe in gods/God, which is a subtle touch that I really liked because of how prevalent it is in the modern world. Especially when you think about how this plays into the build up of the Lore of the fantastical kingdom in the book.
I love it when fantasy books are able to grasp the ideas of abstract concepts from real life, like religion and politics, and use it as a solid foundation in their world building (i.e. this book and Mistborn).
“Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers.”
It took me some time to be attached to the other characters around Rin but the build up there is also just simply well thought out. I think we'll be getting more character dynamics and relationships in the next book though because this was mainly about Rin and getting familiar with the world (which was done to near perfection, I have quite literally run out of words to express my appreciation for this world building).
↣ Read this if you like dynamic epic fantasies, especially asian-inspired ones, that are rich in culture with a dash of historical fiction AND GODS. And of course, everyone's personal favorite: morally grey characters. ↢
I do think this is still building up to more things but at the same time I was just left feeling so empty (in a good way) that the only way I can fill the gap in my heart is by starting the next book.
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.”
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