I really enjoyed this book! I had a few issues with it, so that's why it got 4 stars, but I really did like the end.
My main issue was the pace of the book. Overall, it was a little off for me. We didn't get to the sailing/pirate part of the adventure until almost 200 pages, or halfway through the book. Some of the details of Xiang's time in Canton, at least in my opinion, could've been omitted and these issues would've been resolved. It was around this point where I found myself struggling to motivate myself to read a bit. On the other end, the pacing of the last 70 or 80 pages was quick, and I loved it! I read it all in one night.
My favorite part of the books were the characters, because they were all so complex. Xiang was an enjoyable narrator. She became less sheltered and learned to stand up for herself. I loved the complexity of the relationships between her, her mom, and Master Feng (and there were plot twists intermingled in the story that were completely unexpected!).
The romance in the book was interesting as well. It was a bit of a slow burn, especially on one end, but the end was really satisfying! I also didn't mind the ambiguity of the end. I think that it leaves room for a sequel, even though this series is all standalones.
My main issue was the pace of the book. Overall, it was a little off for me. We didn't get to the sailing/pirate part of the adventure until almost 200 pages, or halfway through the book. Some of the details of Xiang's time in Canton, at least in my opinion, could've been omitted and these issues would've been resolved. It was around this point where I found myself struggling to motivate myself to read a bit. On the other end, the pacing of the last 70 or 80 pages was quick, and I loved it! I read it all in one night.
My favorite part of the books were the characters, because they were all so complex. Xiang was an enjoyable narrator. She became less sheltered and learned to stand up for herself. I loved the complexity of the relationships between her, her mom, and Master Feng (and there were plot twists intermingled in the story that were completely unexpected!).
The romance in the book was interesting as well. It was a bit of a slow burn, especially on one end, but the end was really satisfying! I also didn't mind the ambiguity of the end. I think that it leaves room for a sequel, even though this series is all standalones.