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A review by abby_ace_of_books
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
5.0
Don't mind me; I'll be lying on the floor for a while, thinking about the inevitable outcome of Mata and Kuni's friendship and the angst of the allies to friends to brothers to enemies arc.
The Grace of Kings is a historical fantasy with roots in the history of Chinese dynasties, but with silkpunk vibes and on an epic scale. I added it to my TBR because the tropes between Mata and Kuni sounded interesting, but from the moment I picked it up, I was hooked. I don't think this book is for everyone; it can be messy at times (switching POVs multiple times a chapter, and you never know who is important or who will die by the next chapter). I've also seen reviews noting a lack of strong female characters, and while I noticed it as well, I didn't mind it too much? I'm hoping there will be more important women in the next book.
Because this book takes place over the course of nearly a decade, it encompasses a LOT of different plot points. The story mostly focuses on a series of rebellions, the first against an oppressive empire and the second against the rebel leaders. I don't really know how to describe it, only that there were a lot of plot twists, a lot of angst, and a lot of character deaths that made me sad. I will say that the pacing was mostly slower, but there were some sections that went by more quickly.
What really drew me into the story were the characters. The book focuses on two main characters: Kuni Garu and Mata Zyndu. Kuni is a thief turned rebel leader after he wins the hearts of the men who follow him. I think I liked Kuni better than Mata, but he had a lot of flaws that made me mad at him, too. Mata is a warrior hailing from a fallen house, and he rebels to restore honor to his family name. I liked Mata, especially with his character design, but he was very impulsive. Jia is Kuni's wife, and I thought she was very interesting, especially with her arc when Kuni is away with the rebellion. Lady Risana, Gin Mazoti, and Princess Kikomi were also super cool to me, so even though there were limited female characters, they were definitely my favorites. I liked the arc between Ratho and Dafiro as well, and I thought the few interludes with the commentary of the gods were neat, too.
The Grace of Kings is an enchanting historical fantasy about how power and corruption tie together to bring tragic ends to all involved.
4.5/5
The Grace of Kings is a historical fantasy with roots in the history of Chinese dynasties, but with silkpunk vibes and on an epic scale. I added it to my TBR because the tropes between Mata and Kuni sounded interesting, but from the moment I picked it up, I was hooked. I don't think this book is for everyone; it can be messy at times (switching POVs multiple times a chapter, and you never know who is important or who will die by the next chapter). I've also seen reviews noting a lack of strong female characters, and while I noticed it as well, I didn't mind it too much? I'm hoping there will be more important women in the next book.
Because this book takes place over the course of nearly a decade, it encompasses a LOT of different plot points. The story mostly focuses on a series of rebellions, the first against an oppressive empire and the second against the rebel leaders. I don't really know how to describe it, only that there were a lot of plot twists, a lot of angst, and a lot of character deaths that made me sad. I will say that the pacing was mostly slower, but there were some sections that went by more quickly.
What really drew me into the story were the characters. The book focuses on two main characters: Kuni Garu and Mata Zyndu. Kuni is a thief turned rebel leader after he wins the hearts of the men who follow him. I think I liked Kuni better than Mata, but he had a lot of flaws that made me mad at him, too. Mata is a warrior hailing from a fallen house, and he rebels to restore honor to his family name. I liked Mata, especially with his character design, but he was very impulsive. Jia is Kuni's wife, and I thought she was very interesting, especially with her arc when Kuni is away with the rebellion. Lady Risana, Gin Mazoti, and Princess Kikomi were also super cool to me, so even though there were limited female characters, they were definitely my favorites. I liked the arc between Ratho and Dafiro as well, and I thought the few interludes with the commentary of the gods were neat, too.
The Grace of Kings is an enchanting historical fantasy about how power and corruption tie together to bring tragic ends to all involved.
4.5/5