A ferocious book, one hell of a ride, the loveliest nightmare I ever had.
Xiran Jay Zhao has gifted us with a character-driven story, an awesome and at the same time aweful world, presenting us battles and peaceful talks (okay, some are less peaceful) and main characters I desperately want to meet again.
I loved the combination of a futuristic setting with a culture heavily inspired by Chinese culture and history. I squealed when I recognized a name of historical importance even though I know nothing about them. Now I need some history books…
Besides, I adore Xiran Jay Zhaos witty writing. They give their characters a distinctive voice, a voice that doesn’t recoil from pointing out social evils. But they are not only blabbing, they fight for their beliefs, they really do. And they are far from being morally white, which makes it so much more interesting.
This is a YA novel that hopefully many will enjoy, just as much as I did. Oh, the twists and turns, I’m in for more!
