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richincolor's review against another edition
Review copy: ARC via publisher
I’m not too sure what I expected from this novel, but I did not anticipate such a moving novel that not only was beautifully written and fantastical, but also a deep reflection on identity, fate, and oppression.
The novel, told through three POV’s give a complex story that is more than just a “heroine who falls for the cold prince” story. The addition of Akira, who is yōkai like Mari, changes the feel of the story at times as he is more the voice of the outside world, of what is happening outside of the Palace of Illusions while the competition takes place. I found this additional storyline to be intriguing as many fantasy stories, where the heroine ends up in the palace for some reason, focuses only on palace intrigue and I often wonder what is happening to the people, the citizens of the country, as changes happens with their leadership. It was one of the aspects of Crown of Thunder that I really liked, so I was extremely happy to have Akira’s narrative be included in the story.
Another aspect of the novel that I loved was the world building that Jean created. Jean included brief vignettes that gave the mythology of her world, such as the creation story, and brief stories about the various gods & goddesses that make up the world of Honoku. I really loved these passages because they grounded the world but also somewhat served as a brief foreshadow of what was to come. Jean book ends the novel with these mythology vignettes and the last one is particularly lovely, especially in light of the way Empress of All Seasons ends. Speaking of the end, Jean subverts the classical “Happily Ever After” trope and I am here for it. It was so unexpected and wonderfully executed that I was left wanting to stay in the world a bit longer after I finished the story.
I really enjoyed Empress of All Seasons as it felt different from any other fantasy novel that I’ve read. The story moved at a quick pace, not much time passed between Mari’s time in the seasonal rooms, and the action in the story pulls the reader in. If you love fantasy, you need to read this novel.
I’m not too sure what I expected from this novel, but I did not anticipate such a moving novel that not only was beautifully written and fantastical, but also a deep reflection on identity, fate, and oppression.
The novel, told through three POV’s give a complex story that is more than just a “heroine who falls for the cold prince” story. The addition of Akira, who is yōkai like Mari, changes the feel of the story at times as he is more the voice of the outside world, of what is happening outside of the Palace of Illusions while the competition takes place. I found this additional storyline to be intriguing as many fantasy stories, where the heroine ends up in the palace for some reason, focuses only on palace intrigue and I often wonder what is happening to the people, the citizens of the country, as changes happens with their leadership. It was one of the aspects of Crown of Thunder that I really liked, so I was extremely happy to have Akira’s narrative be included in the story.
Another aspect of the novel that I loved was the world building that Jean created. Jean included brief vignettes that gave the mythology of her world, such as the creation story, and brief stories about the various gods & goddesses that make up the world of Honoku. I really loved these passages because they grounded the world but also somewhat served as a brief foreshadow of what was to come. Jean book ends the novel with these mythology vignettes and the last one is particularly lovely, especially in light of the way Empress of All Seasons ends. Speaking of the end, Jean subverts the classical “Happily Ever After” trope and I am here for it. It was so unexpected and wonderfully executed that I was left wanting to stay in the world a bit longer after I finished the story.
I really enjoyed Empress of All Seasons as it felt different from any other fantasy novel that I’ve read. The story moved at a quick pace, not much time passed between Mari’s time in the seasonal rooms, and the action in the story pulls the reader in. If you love fantasy, you need to read this novel.
susan_j's review against another edition
4.0
Intriguing, beautiful, a little heartbreaking, and ultimately very satisfying.
jethplain's review against another edition
3.0
Men are conditioned to take. Women are conditioned to give, Mari’s mother once told her. Long ago, our clan decided to stop giving and start taking.
I am the only person who decides if I am beautiful or not if I am worthy or unworthy.
From the quote above you can tell that this book is about women empowerment. Mari lives in a village on top of a mountain. Unlike the rest of the inhabitants of the village, she is not preternaturally beautiful so her mother trained her to be something else, something more.
I this books is for readers who like to read about strong female characters. I appreciate how Mari was written and how she realized that only she can determine her worth. There's a love triangle which others might be turned off by since it's such a YA trope but at least Mari knows whom she loves and makes it clear and if you like slow-burning love, you won't find it here too. Taro, whom I thought had so much potential, instantly fell in love but in his defense, I seemed like their line was destined to fall head over heels since their very first ancestor. The last thing that bugged me a bit was how we go to the ending. I mean, I like how the story ended but it felt rush like it skipped some chapters of stories. In the end, I did enjoy the book and looking up various kinds of Yokai on the internet to see what they look like.
This is true freedom, to love oneself enough not to care what others think
I am the only person who decides if I am beautiful or not if I am worthy or unworthy.
From the quote above you can tell that this book is about women empowerment. Mari lives in a village on top of a mountain. Unlike the rest of the inhabitants of the village, she is not preternaturally beautiful so her mother trained her to be something else, something more.
I this books is for readers who like to read about strong female characters. I appreciate how Mari was written and how she realized that only she can determine her worth. There's a love triangle which others might be turned off by since it's such a YA trope but at least Mari knows whom she loves and makes it clear and if you like slow-burning love, you won't find it here too. Taro, whom I thought had so much potential, instantly fell in love but in his defense, I seemed like their line was destined to fall head over heels since their very first ancestor. The last thing that bugged me a bit was how we go to the ending. I mean, I like how the story ended but it felt rush like it skipped some chapters of stories. In the end, I did enjoy the book and looking up various kinds of Yokai on the internet to see what they look like.
This is true freedom, to love oneself enough not to care what others think
danifeatherstone's review against another edition
4.0
As far as I know this book is a standalone, and it can be read as a standalone. However, saying that, the end of the book could have easily been made into a sequel. Other than that, this was a really original book based on Japanese mythology, something I haven't seen before in any book based on mythology. I enjoyed all the characters, hated the plot twist at the end (those that have read the book know what I'm talking about) and was overall a very good book. The end was kind of lack-luster though. I really do hope there is a sequel in the future.
eringoodygood's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. Feminism all over the damn place! Asian-inspired characters and mythology! Even a smattering of LGBTQ representation! And the ending? Damn. Loved that. Give it a read. It’s refreshing to get a good story that I really enjoyed in only one book for once!
chlolovesyou's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vannb's review against another edition
4.0
Really loved most of the book, but the way it ended was quite the let down for me. I will knock my rating down to give it the four stars, because I really dont care for how it ended.
Overall this really is a beautifully written book about Humans and Yokai. Love how there were the chapters featuring the Gods, I thought that it was an awesome touch that made the book feel almost historic. Would recommend to people who love Japanese culture and don't mind some pretty big plot twists!!!
Overall this really is a beautifully written book about Humans and Yokai. Love how there were the chapters featuring the Gods, I thought that it was an awesome touch that made the book feel almost historic. Would recommend to people who love Japanese culture and don't mind some pretty big plot twists!!!