I had extremely high expectations considering the side of the internet I find myself is absolutely obsessed with this book. And it met those expectations beautifully. Wang weaves a story of motherhood, and war, and growth just absolutely beautifully. The only reason this is not 5 stars for me is because I personally struggle with fight scenes and envisioning them, and this book was no exception unfortunately. The entire middle portion was difficult for who I am as a reader, but it was still beautifully written.