jarshi's Reviews (189)

This book gave me a gender crisis. NEON YANG YOU KILLED A BABY YOU MONSTER LMAOOOOO!

The way I joked about Touchstone and Sabriel getting together and then it actually happened. I do not appreciate being jump-scared, Mr. Nix.

I cannot prove it, but I think Sei Shonagon might have been a lesbi—

Maybe like a third of your way through this book, you’ll be asking, “Does Genji have a thing for his mom???” And then he kidnaps a kid. It’s all good fun really.

One of the most famous and romantic waka in all of Japanese history comes from these stories.

Maybe Ariwara no Narihira is a mood. I mean, I too fall in love with every other woman I meet.

This story was so genuinely endearing and heartbreaking at the same time. I don’t even know how to describe what I’m feeling right now.

I thought the sci-fi backdrop for this story to be really interesting and beautiful. The writer does that thing where they don’t bog you down with endless world-building and exposition like a lot of sci-fi media does, and instead sprinkles a little in and lets your brain fill in the rest. *chef’s kiss*

Mia and Grace’s relationship is so sweet and Mia’s progression as a character is really fun to read. 

One thing I would’ve liked from this books: I would’ve liked a chapter from Grace’s point of view regarding her time with Mia, maybe. I know this is essentially Mia’s story, but I feel like Grace, considering she’s such an important character, doesn’t get a lot of time to shine.

Overall, a really quick, fun read!

The last 5 or so chapters of this book had me giggling nervously like, “Girl, what the fuck?” Everything just started popping off FOR NO REASON!

I feel like comparing this book to Song of Achilles is unfair to both stories. While SoA’s ending was bittersweet but hopeful, SwBtS’s ending felt foreboding and left me on edge. Someone super important is dying in the next book and I think I know who it is.

Now I understand what Shelley Parker-Chan meant in that interview.