wingreads's reviews
314 reviews

The Funeral Cryer: A Novel by Wenyan Lu

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"There were stories and secrets that I would never have heard if I wasn't a funeral crier"

The Funeral Cryer is employed to cry, sing and emote at will during the local funerals she is employed to do so; this is a cultural practice in some Chinese provinces. However there is a lot of stigma attached; her friends, The Husband, The daughter utilises this to drift away, scorn and display dismay towards her. 

Little to no names are used in this story; within Chinese culture, names are often ascribed based on parents aspirations for their child, their family or what is auspicious. I found this refreshing as it focuses on the plot and behaviours of the characters.

I raged at the Husband, and wanted to nudge the Funeral Cryer to leave him and began a new life with the mysterious Barber. I loved her comebacks and the incremental push backs and acts of resistance to the Husband. 

I really enjoyed the dark and wry retelling of a woman during her mid-life, where her rich inner world acts as a buffer to the daily mundane reality and alienation within a small village. This is a fantastic story by a very underated author @wenyanlu. 
Eat Slay Love by Julie Mae Cohen

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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adventurous emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

"How fitting that the one who saved my life should now be the one to lead me away from it."

Xishi, a legendary beauty in the Yue kingdom has been asked to become a seductive spy to topple the conquering Wu kingdom. Along with her childhood friend Zhengdan who will become her palace maid, she is tutored by the handsome Political and Military advisor to the King Goujian of the Yue kingdom, Fanli. 

"The mind destroys; the heart devours"
As Xishi enters the Wu palace, peril is all around her. She makes alliances and also breaks them.
Although, aspects of the narrative did drag slightly; I understand there was a lot of growth for Xishi as a young woman in a dangerous world who is also falling in forbidden love. However aspects of the reflections didn't align with how badass her actions are. 

I really enjoyed this retelling; there was a lot of beauty in Liang's use of descriptors in her world building. Ann Liang usually writes YA; I believe this is her first venture into more adult Wuxia-esque genres. 
The Wandering by Intan Paramaditha

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon

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adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau

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adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

5.0

Thank you @netgallary and @dawbooks for this ARC, all view my own.

"We're slumdogs living deep in debt..all roads lead to despair..."
Lythlet and her friend Desil are trying to survive in the harsh city of Setgad. Between mounting debts and poverty, they take a chance and become the new combatants in the underground combat ring fighting sun cursed monsters. They meet the baffling Master Dorthilos, adorable duo Shunvi and Ilden, I imagine them as whimsically odd characters which I would also find in a famous Susanna Clarke book.
 
"There is nothing more dangerous than hope"
Throughout the narrative Lythlet and Desil leaned into their morals as guided by perceived justice and religious teachings, but also by circumstance of being at risk of homelessness, in debt and being 'unregistered' from society. Lau seems to have talent for weaving in social commentary within the story. My heart ached for Lythlets challenges, self doubt and survival instinct: this is a story of displacement, but also of friendship and growth. 

I have been deep diving into the fantasy and dystopian genres, so I couldn't resist this character driven story. There are good attempts at world building through character dialogue, the description of the cosmoscape, Lythlets' appraisal of her surroundings and circumstances, all of which I felt could be developed in richer detail as Lau develops her narrative.

I will leave you with this final quote. 
"They genuinely don't consider your dignity to be as important as their entertainment".

Overall, this was a great debut into the fantasy genre and I am looking forward to the next title in this duology. 

Thank you to @netgallary and @dawbooks for this e-arc, a really excellent pick for dystopian fantasy readers. If you are edging towards diversifying your book reads, this is a brilliant first step 💕