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A review by littlepiscesreading
The Legendary Mo Seto by AY Chan
In the space of its first chapter Mo’s love for her dad is spotlighted so well that it carries through his absence for most of the book. Mo’s determination to prove herself to him and foray into Hollywood are fantastic. The action is exciting and fun and she was so easy to cheer for. I really appreciated that her attempts to improve for the auditions led her to another style of martial arts, one that took her on a journey through her family tree, into a language and culture that she was estranged from. It’s a fascinating mystery too and I was so eager to learn more about it.
That said, for me the cast is one of the book’s best strengths. Even in her dad’s absence the shape of their relationship is so clear and it’s heartbreaking to watch her try to grapple with that. With who he is and who she thought he was. And her more fraught relationship with her mom was really touching as they found common ground and began to understand each other better.
I loved Nacho, even if not his nickname. He was a great friend and their plotting together was great. The same goes for the wider cast. His gramps was so fun, and caring. The glimpse into who Dax really is was lovely though a little rushed. But I appreciate that it gave depth to most of its characters. I also loved this with one of the antagonists who I did really feel for.
It’s not a perfect book though. I did cringe at a mention of a historical figure who I really hope wasn’t meant to be James Barry. Towards the end it was quite rushed in comparison with the rest of the book. The tension was great but felt cut short. But ultimately these are slight issues in a fun, and excellent, action and adventure book. I look forward to seeing what else Chan writes.
Thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions and A.Y. Chan. I leave this review voluntarily.