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A review by popthebutterfly
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
4.0
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Heck ya! Support your authors!
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Book Series: The Blood of Stars Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: July 9, 2019
Diversity: Steeped in Chinese culture!
Recommended Age: 15+ (sewing lol, some violence, some slight gore, some magic)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Review: For the most part I thought this book was so magical and amazing! I loved the spin on the classic Mulan tale and I loved how it was part Project Runway too! I felt that the book was well written, the story was intriguing, the characters well developed, and the world development within the first part of the book was fantastic.
However, I did have some issues with the book. I felt like these were two totally different books with the same characters. The plot of the first half finished so well and so cleanly, but then the plot of the second book was a bit of a mess. The romance felt a bit rushed for me and honestly Edan gave me some creeper vibes. The magic of this book also went a bit haywire in the second half of the book. I think the second book will clean things up but it was a bit of a weird turn from the first part of the book to the second part of the book.
Verdict: An enjoyable book!
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Book Series: The Blood of Stars Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: July 9, 2019
Diversity: Steeped in Chinese culture!
Recommended Age: 15+ (sewing lol, some violence, some slight gore, some magic)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Review: For the most part I thought this book was so magical and amazing! I loved the spin on the classic Mulan tale and I loved how it was part Project Runway too! I felt that the book was well written, the story was intriguing, the characters well developed, and the world development within the first part of the book was fantastic.
However, I did have some issues with the book. I felt like these were two totally different books with the same characters. The plot of the first half finished so well and so cleanly, but then the plot of the second book was a bit of a mess. The romance felt a bit rushed for me and honestly Edan gave me some creeper vibes. The magic of this book also went a bit haywire in the second half of the book. I think the second book will clean things up but it was a bit of a weird turn from the first part of the book to the second part of the book.
Verdict: An enjoyable book!