>> January 2020 readalong for Books and Tea Book Club.

Holy wow, the premise and worldbuilding are absolutely brilliant. Basically none of my questions were answered — except

Spoiler

what will happen when the twins finally meet, though that's still a little bit up in the air too

— so I need the second book ASAP, please and thank you.

This is a really engaging adventure with a really cool dual aesthetic, but I initially had some trouble figuring out what was going on, then I found it a bit difficult to stay immersed: the chapters seemed relatively short and they kept jumping between the two storylines and four narrators. As much as I liked all the central characters, I felt like there may have been too many POVs going on, which sometimes made it difficult to differentiate them and added to my confusion.

It may have been the pacing or the aforementioned structure, but I feel like the book went by in a blink. It also may have been that I didn't really get a sense of urgency from any of the narrators, so the primary source of tension was character relationships, rather than

Spoiler

the quest to reach the Abyss or the mystery of the Breaking

.

But overall, The Never Tilting World is a solid beginning and I have reasonable hopes for [b:The Ever Cruel Kingdom|48612798|The Ever Cruel Kingdom (The Never Tilting World, #2)|Rin Chupeco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581368187l/48612798._SY75_.jpg|69283274]!

content warnings:

Spoiler

major character death(s), non-graphic sexual content, survivor's guilt & PTSD, implied past sexual assault, animal deaths (fictional creatures)

rep:

Spoiler

WLW MCs, F/F central romance, chronically ill MC, Asian-coded MC, amputee MC, diverse major & minor characters

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CONVERSION: 11.4 / 15 = 4 stars

Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 4 / 5

(Jan 2019 pick for Howl's Moving Book Club!)

This was amazing. I love all the different fairytale/folktale/mythology references — I won't list them out because a) spoilers and b) I'd definitely miss a lot of them — and how Novik managed to make them all fit together seamlessly without making the story seem cluttered or overly complicated, just as she managed to make each narrator's voice distinct even without clear chapter headings to differentiate them. (Though it's arguable whether they're all necessary to the plot.)

I love, love, love that our three top leads are all "strong" female characters. (We had an interesting debate about the usage of "strong" as a go-to label for female leads, but they're very different from each other so I'm still using it, for lack of a better descriptor that applies to them all equally.) I did feel that they had unequal shares in the narrative at different points, but I think it goes to that aforementioned balance so it only bothers me slightly. I won't get too deep into how exactly each of them takes control of their own story, because their journey is just as important as their destination and I wouldn't want to give too much away, but it's an incredible thing to behold.

And considering the limited cast and settings, it's amazing how much diversity there actually is in this book. Miryem and her family are Jewish (and it's extremely important to the narrative!), Wanda and her brothers are poor and being raised by a physically and verbally abusive single father, Irina is the daughter of a duke who has both a stepmother and a nurse as a mother figure, and the secondary/tertiary/minor characters are a mix as far as class (nobility/commoners/servants) and even race (Staryk/human/other), and the issues of bigotry, prejudice, and systemic inequality are examined throughout.

I'm realizing now that while I read a lot of fantasy/sci-fi, I lean more towards urban fantasy and historical fantasy rather than high fantasy, but yeah, in case you couldn't tell — I loved this book.

content warnings:

Spoiler

major character deaths, grief, on-page murder, fratricide, sororicide, mercy kills, suicidal ideation, queerphobia, dysphoria, unintentional misgendering, ableist language, mind control/manipulation, bullying, underage drinking

rep:

Spoiler

Asian-coded setting & cast; trans female major char [Likh], MLM major char [Khalad], trans F/M relationship, WLW minor characters [Zoya & Shadi], minor F/F relationship, diverse minor char's

Wow. Thank you, Rin Chupeco, for tearing out my heart.

The structure of this trilogy finally grew on me: in this final installment, the dual timelines run parallel for a while before they finally collide, with a final few shocking reveals and an explosive climax that had me in literal tears even though I knew certain character deaths were coming. (You know it's well-written when the same event(s) makes you cry multiple times.)

Considering that series finales and I don't tend to get along, I'm actually quite impressed with how satisfying I found this one. Loose threads are wrapped up, alliances shift and settle, yet more betrayals and deceptions are uncovered ... and goodbyes are said.

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CONVERSION: 11.1 / 15 = 4 stars

Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5

+ content warnings from the author

content warnings:

Spoiler

mind/memory manipulation & gaslighting, precanon loss of loved ones, serial killings, body horror

rep:

Spoiler

POC-coded major & minor characters, bi/pan secondary character [Aaros]

I received an advance review copy from Wednesday Books through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest. You can check out my blog tour post to see the moodboard I made!

As an avid fan of The Night Circus and Phantom of the Opera — though I've never seen Moulin Rouge — I was overjoyed to get my hands on an ARC then even to be asked to join this blog tour! And despite this recipe for getting my hopes up too high, on the whole Where Dreams Descend does not disappoint.

One of my earliest, strongest impressions was that the prose flows elegantly, so atmospheric that I actually literally held my breath. There were whole pages I wanted to highlight. I was torn between slowly savoring each passage and racing to learn more about this fantastic narrative I'd been drawn into. The setting and cast come alive, if you'll pardon the cliche. 

The writing style is consistent throughout, which is objectively a good thing ... but at some point I picked the book back up and suddenly found myself impatient with all the descriptions, poking holes in the metaphors. (An inexplicable experience probably unique to me, so make of it what you will.)

And the characters? Exquisitely crafted. Though the star is undoubtedly Kallia, each of the main players has thoughtfully developed independent motives and a satisfying development arc; rather than supporting cast members, they are equally strong candidates to carry the story.

Since romance and hearts mentioned in the synopsis, I wanted to talk a little about the relationships — skip the rest of this paragraph if you want to avoid potential (vague) spoilers! The draw of the opening chapters, for me, came in no small part from the sizzling chemistry between Kallia and Jack; however, as the story progresses Kallia's interactions with others, including Demarco, feel a little flatter by comparison. But the friendships and platonic partnerships are pretty solid, which help balance everything out and which I really appreciate.

My main critique: I did feel that Where Dreams Descend might draw a bit too heavily from the comps mentioned earlier: multiple scenes and symbols are very close parallels or mirrors (and they're specific and/or iconic enough that I don't believe they're general tropes). For readers who love homage and allusion this will probably be a plus; for readers who prefer memorably unique stories, less so.

Still, Where Dreams Descend is very well-paced with multiple subplots and organic developments that don't rely on shock value. It's an engaging, well-told show of a book with many surprises in store.

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CONVERSION: 11.13 / 15 = 4 stars

Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 8 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10

Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
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[pre-review]

This was a tricky one to rate — parts of it, like the worldbuilding and atmosphere and certain relationships, are incredible; others are so similar to elements of Phantom of the Opera or The Night Circus that I couldn't help comparing them disfavorably. At first I loved the flow of the prose, but then I looked a little closer and found several lines that (while conveying the intended meaning fine) don't quite make sense. There also seem to be too many subplots and character arcs, in that sometimes one ball or the other gets dropped.

But overall it's a spectacularly engaging narrative, with scenes that quite literally took my breath away and settings I want to inhabit and characters to remember.

RTC with the blog tour in August!

I received an advance review copy from Quarto Publishing Group through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.

3.5 stars

"It's that old story; boy meets girl, girl offers him sex, boy refuses, girl reveals herself to be an unfeasibly powerful war goddess."

First things first: the elegant art and eloquent storytelling in this book are definitely appealing. I was hooked from the beginning, and delighted to find a variety of figures from a variety of cultures, some better-known than others.

However, the illustrations and outside quotes often didn't match up with the text, which was jarring. I also felt like it was overall still very Eurocentric, from the actual legends being told — and I'm sure it was hard to just choose a few, considering how many wonderful women exist in folklore around the world! But I'm particularly disappointed that Mulan wasn't included in the Warriors section since in my opinion she's as classic an example as Artemis/Diana — and the analysis of each's impact focuses on the author's (modern, Western) views rather than their specific cultural context. I'm also not so sure about the inclusion of a canonically genderfluid deity in a book of female characters. And it's a small detail, but it honestly bugs me that the subsections of this book aren't even in the same order as the title.

So while I wouldn't be mad if someone gifted me this as a coffee table book, I probably wouldn't buy it for myself or any close friends/family.

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CONVERSION: 10.0 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 10
Credibility: 6 / 10
Organization / Structure: 8 / 10

Emotional Impact / Interest: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: N/A

★ 4.5 stars ★

This review (and more) can also be found on my blog, Nine Tale Vixen.

content warnings:

Spoiler

pregnancy scare, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, Orientalism, racism & xenophobia, white supremacist rhetoric, major character death(s), child death(s), off-page vehicular manslaughter, off-page gun violence, off-page murder/suicide, infidelity, self-harm (burn), physical abuse, medical stroke, blood, ableist language

rep:

Spoiler

bi/pan Vietnamese-American transracial adoptee MC [Jordan], bi/pan multiracial (Thai & Caucasian) major character [Nick], bi/pan multiracial (Chippewa & Black & Caucasian) major character [Gatsby], implied-possibly-asexual/aromantic major character [Daisy], queer relationships, Vietnamese characters [Khai, Bai & co], diverse minor characters

You’ve probably heard that The Chosen and the Beautiful is Gatsby, but queer and Asian and with magic. Impressively, Vo fully delivers on all four aspects, negotiating a tricky balance to create what might be one of my favorite retellings ever (and believe me, I’ve read a lot of them). To do justice to each, in this review I’m going to try something a little different and talk more in depth about each of these aspects.

I sat up just as we passed beyond the sightless, spectacled eyes of T.J. Eckleburg, and I saw that rather than being wide and wise, they were now closed and refused to look any further.

Gatsby: I honestly wish I’d reread and/or rewatched The Great Gatsby before starting on The Chosen and the Beautiful, because there are countless allusions and Easter eggs that I must’ve missed. Personally I prefer when a retelling sticks fairly close to the original in terms of basic plot and characters while exploring the implications of a few key changes, which I was delighted to find is the case here. A lot of the focus is on in-between scenes that fit neatly into the original narrative, which I felt enhanced the iconic scenes from the original by really giving us insight into how the story changes when you’re looking through Jordan’s POV instead of Nick’s: the basic details are the same, the fundamental characterization is consistent, but the narrator’s background and beliefs color the whole experience.

Vo also does an incredible job matching Fitzgerald’s writing style, for the most part; I often have trouble with historical fiction that tries to sound too old-time-y or period-appropriate, but that’s not really an issue here. And the atmosphere, man oh man. The joy and abandon of being twenty-something, in love, free in what feels like most of the ways that matter. The glitz and glamor of Gatsby parties. The creeping rot underlying all the shiny pretty things.

“Having a gay time now?”

Queer: As a bisexual reader, I absolutely love that almost all of the main characters are queer, and therefore almost all of the main relationships — and there are a lot of them, overlapping and intertwined — are also queer! (Regarding the quote above, I’d like to state for the record that I am aware that in older English “gay” means happy or carefree; that’s what makes it punny in this book.) Better yet, it’s not a big deal among the main cast or most of the company they choose to keep; it just is what it is. No matter who you ship, you’ll probably find at least a few moments to delight in.

I was clever enough to know that it was my exotic looks and faintly tragic history that made me such an attractive curiosity, and I was not yet clever enough to mind when they prodded at my differences for a conversation piece at dinner.

Asian: While I cannot speak specifically on the Vietnamese immigrant/ adoptee representation, or to the experience of being the only person of color in 1920s high society, I felt that Vo managed to present thoughtful representation, with all its accompanying effects on the big picture, without it “taking over” the novel. Examples of discrimination and bias span from Tom’s white supremacist rants to more subtle microaggressions (“But where are you really from?”) to systemic signs like anti-immigrant legislation. We see how other people see Jordan’s “foreignness” as well as how she sees it, and the ways it affects how she sees herself; it’s also related to the portrayal of magic, which I’ll explore more in the next section.

To avoid spoilers I won’t go into detail, but it’s also worth noting that Jordan isn’t the only major character of color; each of her compatriots adds to our understanding of their society and how it treats people unequally based on their perceived value.

Pinched between my thin fingers, the paper lion started to shiver as if in a breeze. It wiggled, it danced, and soon enough the four cut paws started to pedal in the air, churning for purchase before arching its rear legs up to scrape at my wrist. It was only paper and smaller than a kitten. It couldn’t have hurt me, but the way it moved made me flinch back, certain I would turn my arm and see four thin scrapes all in a row.

Magic: The incorporation of demon magic adds a pervasive dark backdrop to the razzle-dazzle of the Jazz Age, a subtle but constant reminder that not all is as it seems even as the characters continue to buy into the illusions that they want to believe. On the other hand, Jordan’s paper magic is more of a recurring plot point since, like Jordan herself, it doesn’t quite fit in with 1920s New York society; after its introduction, this element almost goes dormant until the late middle of the narrative when it makes a comeback. Still, I would say that overall the story is much more historical than fantasy, which I know some reviewers found a bit disappointing but I personally enjoyed.

- ★ -

With all of the above taken together, The Chosen and the Beautiful is an immersive reimagining of The Great Gatsby with charms and dangers that are all its own, following through on all the top-billed elements to tell a fantastic story. The setting is vibrant, the characters and themes complex, and it’s incredibly easy to get swept up in it all.

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CONVERSION: 12 / 15 = 4.5 stars

Prose: 7 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5