Joan He excels at betrayal and tragedy and Strike the Zither continues that reputation. There were a lot of things in StZ that were easy to like. I felt well connected to the main character through her emotions and thought process. This allows the reader to anticipate her moves and decisions. The war lordessess were each their own individual identity who were easy to discern.
I can't really place what it was about the book I didn't like but there is a pivotal point in the book where you start feeling a bit disconnected. I felt like sometimes I didn't really get why things were happening anymore. I'm not familiar with the Three Kingdoms, so these things may have to do with my lack of understanding of the original tale. The events happening may have been important points in the Three Kingdoms.
I quick and short read I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, especially with court politics/strategies. Another great retelling and I am looking forward to reading the next installment.
Thank you NetGalley as well as BookishFirst for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.