I’m going to start this review by answering the big question of “can this be read as a standalone?” And the answer is “Yes, but I could feel the references flying over my head.” I definitely intend to reread this once I’ve read the original duology.
This book is a really good example of a self-contained story. I was able to get a feel for the characters, setting, and magic, all under 300 pages, which is impressive for a YA fantasy, which are usually 350+ pages.
I loved the character arcs Bao and Lan went on throughout this story. There is very clear change in character throughout their journey. Lan was such a different YA protagonist as she really wanted the arranged marriage at the beginning, and Bao was so sweet and kind; I loved both of them. This book does have a wide cast of characters, but there is a directory with pronunciation guides, which was very much appreciated.
The romance was phenomenal! It’s a weird, strangers-to-one sided hate-to-friends-to-lovers and I loved it. The ending especially had me flailing, which not every romance does for me. There was a good amount of tension and romance as well as recognition of how their past acts were bad. One review I saw claimed that one of the characters did not apologize for something terrible they did earlier, but that has absolutely been changed and it makes the romance arc much more enjoyable.
My final rating is 3.75 out of 5 stars! It was a wonderful, self-contained journey that I’m already planning to reread to better appreciate!
This book is a really good example of a self-contained story. I was able to get a feel for the characters, setting, and magic, all under 300 pages, which is impressive for a YA fantasy, which are usually 350+ pages.
I loved the character arcs Bao and Lan went on throughout this story. There is very clear change in character throughout their journey. Lan was such a different YA protagonist as she really wanted the arranged marriage at the beginning, and Bao was so sweet and kind; I loved both of them. This book does have a wide cast of characters, but there is a directory with pronunciation guides, which was very much appreciated.
The romance was phenomenal! It’s a weird, strangers-to-one sided hate-to-friends-to-lovers and I loved it. The ending especially had me flailing, which not every romance does for me. There was a good amount of tension and romance as well as recognition of how their past acts were bad. One review I saw claimed that one of the characters did not apologize for something terrible they did earlier, but that has absolutely been changed and it makes the romance arc much more enjoyable.
My final rating is 3.75 out of 5 stars! It was a wonderful, self-contained journey that I’m already planning to reread to better appreciate!