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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Sympathy for the Bones - 4 stars
The Briar and the Rose - 4 stars
Call Her Savage - 2.5 stars
The Last Dignity of Man - 3 stars
Where the Heart Lives - 4 stars
After the Blood - 3.5 stars
The Tangleroot Palace - 4 stars
The Briar and the Rose - 4 stars
Call Her Savage - 2.5 stars
The Last Dignity of Man - 3 stars
Where the Heart Lives - 4 stars
After the Blood - 3.5 stars
The Tangleroot Palace - 4 stars
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was ok, really. Some stories were cute ans some others were very badly slow but yeah 🦄
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
An absolutely lovely collection of stories, filled with dark forests, crows, ravens, monsters, and love, kindness, finding home. Connecting fiber of these stories are relationships in flux - forging new ones, reinforcing bonds and breaking them. The title story, Tangleroot Palace, is a standout, but each one was a true delight to read.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
An eclectic selection of short stories, each of which comes with a little note from the author about her motivation and situation at the time of writing.
I really enjoyed a couple of them but some of them really weren't my thing. Definitely a talented author with a wide range.
I loved the superhero/supervillain story the most.
I really enjoyed a couple of them but some of them really weren't my thing. Definitely a talented author with a wide range.
I loved the superhero/supervillain story the most.
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for an arc of this book.
As a fan of Monstress, this was a book I was looking forward to. Howeve, this collection of short stories was a mixed bag. Only a few of the stories really stood out to me. They were all written well but some just fell flat. The Briar and the Rose, and Tangleroot Palace were probably my favorite stories from the collection. It just felt like there was something missing from the rest of them. There was a sort of disconnect across all the stories and they felt odd to be grouped together. The collection was not as inventive as I felt it could have been or was trying to be. And although The Briar and the Rose was one of the stories that stood out, it felt too short. Its concept is one that I wish was expanded upon. The last story, Tangleroot Palace, was actually a novella and the length fit well. Overall, I would probably read other stories by Liu, but this collection just did not do it for me overall.
As a fan of Monstress, this was a book I was looking forward to. Howeve, this collection of short stories was a mixed bag. Only a few of the stories really stood out to me. They were all written well but some just fell flat. The Briar and the Rose, and Tangleroot Palace were probably my favorite stories from the collection. It just felt like there was something missing from the rest of them. There was a sort of disconnect across all the stories and they felt odd to be grouped together. The collection was not as inventive as I felt it could have been or was trying to be. And although The Briar and the Rose was one of the stories that stood out, it felt too short. Its concept is one that I wish was expanded upon. The last story, Tangleroot Palace, was actually a novella and the length fit well. Overall, I would probably read other stories by Liu, but this collection just did not do it for me overall.
Story 1: Sympathy for the Bones
7/10
I enjoyed this story. There was a good amount of horror and the atmosphere. I loved the details and I am a big fan of bone-instruments so the sewing needles, I really enjoyed.
Story 2: The Briar and the Rose
8/10
Possibly the most memorable story for me. I loved this romance and the story itself was heartbreaking but very interesting. It was such a good take on Sleeping Beauty. I do wish that it didn’t jump over such significant times, like skipping six months again with not much else having happened. I wished there was a bit more romance as that was what I enjoyed about this story.
Story 3: The Light and the Fury
4/10
Very forgettable. A lot of lore/worldbuilding that we couldn’t get into because it was a short story. I feel like the story itself didn’t have a lot of substance; I would have loved to hear the “backstory” that this story referenced.
Story 4: The Last Dignity of Man
8/10
This was so complex and intriguing and interesting and horrifying. I loved the main character’s complex inner thoughts. I enjoyed the story that he was set in and I liked the other characters that came into his life.
Story 5: Where the Heart Lives
9/10
I really enjoyed the relationship in this story. My mind almost immediately started comparing Barnabus to Kaleb from “Credence – by Penelope Douglas”. I believe having read that novel before this affected how I felt about this story because the relationship between him and Lucy was heaps and bounds healthier than of that in Credence and that really made me love it.
I loved the found family, the individual traumas and the growth together.
Story 6: After the Blood
2/10
I nearly DNF’d this book during this story. I found it very boring and I felt like there was a lot that just flew over my head. I wasn’t able to pay attention and because of this, I missed a lot of stuff that I think was supposed to be strong and emotional.
Story 7: Tangleroot Palace
8/10
Although one of my favourite, plot-wise, I think this story felt a little bit shallow-deep even considering it was the longest of the collection. I felt like this was told by someone who really loved the story but couldn’t remember all the details. I loved the romance, the story itself and the ending but I just wish we would have gotten a little bit more.
7/10
I enjoyed this story. There was a good amount of horror and the atmosphere. I loved the details and I am a big fan of bone-instruments so the sewing needles, I really enjoyed.
Story 2: The Briar and the Rose
8/10
Possibly the most memorable story for me. I loved this romance and the story itself was heartbreaking but very interesting. It was such a good take on Sleeping Beauty. I do wish that it didn’t jump over such significant times, like skipping six months again with not much else having happened. I wished there was a bit more romance as that was what I enjoyed about this story.
Story 3: The Light and the Fury
4/10
Very forgettable. A lot of lore/worldbuilding that we couldn’t get into because it was a short story. I feel like the story itself didn’t have a lot of substance; I would have loved to hear the “backstory” that this story referenced.
Story 4: The Last Dignity of Man
8/10
This was so complex and intriguing and interesting and horrifying. I loved the main character’s complex inner thoughts. I enjoyed the story that he was set in and I liked the other characters that came into his life.
Story 5: Where the Heart Lives
9/10
I really enjoyed the relationship in this story. My mind almost immediately started comparing Barnabus to Kaleb from “Credence – by Penelope Douglas”. I believe having read that novel before this affected how I felt about this story because the relationship between him and Lucy was heaps and bounds healthier than of that in Credence and that really made me love it.
I loved the found family, the individual traumas and the growth together.
Story 6: After the Blood
2/10
I nearly DNF’d this book during this story. I found it very boring and I felt like there was a lot that just flew over my head. I wasn’t able to pay attention and because of this, I missed a lot of stuff that I think was supposed to be strong and emotional.
Story 7: Tangleroot Palace
8/10
Although one of my favourite, plot-wise, I think this story felt a little bit shallow-deep even considering it was the longest of the collection. I felt like this was told by someone who really loved the story but couldn’t remember all the details. I loved the romance, the story itself and the ending but I just wish we would have gotten a little bit more.