So, funny story. I tried to reread this one in April 2020 while working on a blog post related to autistic characters, and I was so irritated by the writing style and characters that I gave up 14% in. Make of that what you will.

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[2018 review - 4 stars]

All in all, I’m not usually super into romance novels but I definitely enjoyed this one. My only complaint is that so much could have been solved if not for what my friends and I jokingly call a “lack of miscommunication.”

Goddamn, Michael is dreamy, and it’s not just because he’s surreally similar to my current boyfriend. This is the kind of guy I would want to marry: a genuinely good person, helpful and protective and domestically competent. (That said, I do feel like “raised by mother and/or grandmother and/or sister(s)” is kind of a trope for building a sensitive love interest, the gender-swapped version of “raised by dad and/or brother(s) so grew up tough and with something to prove”; however, it’s at most implied here so I don’t really take issue with it.) I especially loved that he (as well as Stella) had a fully fleshed-out storyline independent of the romance, in addition to, of course, his POV narrating the main plot.

My personal experience with high-functioning ASD (formerly called Asperger’s) is of the even more high-functioning type (eg, can pick up on social cues) but I did recognize quite a few symptoms (including sensitivity to textures and sounds) and the author based it on her own experiences, with a disclaimer in her end notes on top of that — so I think it’s safe to call this good representation. Stella was definitely likable and relatable, and I hope this book goes a long way in normalizing ASD. I love her clear ability to take care of herself, the way she doesn’t necessarily need Michael but still wants him and how that’s enough, the way she stands up for herself against Philip’s advances/harassment, her dynamic but ultimately healthy relationship with her mother. Even the econometrics sections were interesting; I loved imagining her lighting up with a new puzzle to solve.

I probably would've loved this more if I'd read it years ago (yes, I know it's a 2018 release, this is hypothetical); it's not bad, but my current self had trouble relating and sympathizing. RTC.

As an Asian-American and avid reader, it's hard not to notice the lack of representation for Asian mythology (and Asian culture in general, but this book focuses on mythology) in Western media. I really wanted so much more from this collection, even knowing it's unfair to expect it to measure up to Rick Riordan's or Tamora Pierce's work, though of course it's a first step. Weirdly, attempts at what I assume are making the legends more relatable and personal - primarily through modern "twists" and settings, and often filtered through a heterosexual romance - bothered me, especially reevaluating each story in the context of its inspiration. (Honestly, I probably would've been happier if the authors had stuck to retelling the original myths; there are so many versions, after all, and you can modernize them without distorting the details.)

Possible spoilers below, in my brief reviews of the individual stories:

Forbidden Fruit: 3 stars. Short, but beautifully written enough that I found myself disappointed that the rest of the stories didn't match it in tone.

Olivia's Table: 4 stars. Everything I could want in an Asian-American story about family (including ancestors to be honored!), food, and growing up. Also, I think this was the only story with LGBTQ representation.

Steel Skin: 3 stars. I spent most of this story confused, and I'm just generally not a fan of AI rebellion/takeover stories; it also seemed like a stretch from the original folktale.

Still Star-Crossed: 3 stars. The premise was interesting, if distinctly creepy, though I felt the execution was a little lacking.

The Counting of Vermillion Beads: 4 stars. If this was a full-length novel, I would read it; I love the relationship between the sisters, the specific incarnation of magic, honestly everything about this setup.

The Land of the Morning Calm: 4 stars. I had a pretty significant Sword Art Online phase, and I just generally love anime (and books) about video game immersion. Sunny and her family really come to life, as does their love for each other.

The Smile: 3.5 stars. Well-written, and addresses issues of class and power; too short to have made a very strong impression.

Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers: 2 stars. The main character and her friends just seem petty; I really didn't like the abrupt heteronormative rivals-to-lovers twist; I only skimmed the passages retelling the original myth because they were so long and drawn-out.

Nothing into All: 4 stars. Strong sense of setting; the tradition of folktale is well-preserved even in the face of minor modernization.

Spear Carrier: 1 star. The protagonist annoyed me from the beginning, and I'm not sure if the story was extra long or just felt that way. The main theme is an intriguing one, but it didn't really come through until I read the follow-up.

Code of Honor: 1 star. Honestly, this is pretty much your typical supernatural YA story, loner new-girl with secret powers versus preppy popular girls, except that the supernatural part is based on creatures from Asian myths. Also, the overt tie-in to the author's other books feels more than a little self-indulgent.

Bullet, Butterfly: 2 stars. I actually know this story; the butterflies gave it away. The new setting is interesting, but the transitions are too abrupt. Also, I'm not sure the author understands how Chinese full names work, because the characters were referred to consistently by their surnames in both the story and the explanation.

Daughter of the Sun: 2.5 stars. Feminism, as so lauded in the follow-up, is actually for guys too - taking away his choice to return to his family because you can't stand being alone (read: misunderstood) any longer is therefore not actually feminist, even if it demonstrates the heroine's empowerment. Consent issues aside, though, the story is well written.

The Crimson Cloak: 3.5 stars. The constant interjections of "Dear Reader" get old really fast, but this is basically the Asian equivalent of modern retellings that give Persephone agency in the choice to stay in the Underworld, though that one change is shoved down the reader's throat several times.

Eyes like Candlelight: 4 stars. Folktale in its purest form, or close to it; conventional setup and progression, which I found comforting and familiar.

I’m so glad I pushed through the exposition — while Clara starts off as a too-cool-for-school (both literally and figuratively) cynic who seems to dislike other girls on principle, the character development she undergoes is very real. I just wish it wasn’t so explicit; readers should be trusted to notice the shift on their own, the difference between her old and new friends, her new willingness to get invested in things unironically.

There is a significant amount of fluffy teenage summer romance, a good bit of “he’s not like any boy I’ve ever dated,” but Hamlet’s a sweetheart and his relationship with his grandparents is so pure. Equally emphasized, though, is that Clara’s relationship with her mother, a social media influencer who’s constantly traveling, is less straightforward than she acknowledges initially, but her father is her rock — and it’s so fitting that it’s his food truck and restaurant dream that Clara gets genuinely invested in. And the development of her friendship with Rose (who starts off as the token goody-two-shoes tryhard school nemesis) makes me so happy.

There’s a lot of good representation in this book: Clara’s Korean-American with Korean-Brazilian parents, Hamlet’s Chinese-American with parents in Beijing and Chinese-American “grandparents” (one by birth, one naturalized), Rose is African-American, Felix (Clara’s friend and ex) is Mexican-American. All of these cultures are more than mentioned; they play a part in the LA setting as Clara interacts with it, most notably through the themes of family and food. Sometimes Clara’s inner dialogue is overly politically correct and, on the other hand, I do wish there was LGBTQ+ representation, but otherwise this was a great read in terms of diversity.

3.5 stars.

Everything about the setup appeals to me: clan rivalry, strong family ties, magic that requires discipline and training. It did take a while to really get into it, to figure out which of the many characters I should be rooting for and how they're all connected to each other, but once I did — man, I would kill and/or die for the Kauls. (Not literally; I'm a Ravenclaw.)

The fast-paced action isn't entirely my cup of tea, but the fact that I didn't even skim the fight scenes is a testament to Lee's storytelling ability. I think I experienced secondhand fight-or-flight reflexes throughout most of the story, and wow I don't think I'm ready for the next book. Though of course I'm going to read it, I have to know what happens to the Kauls.

(Fun fact: every time I see "SN1" I am forced to think about organic chemistry reactions and I am not happy about it.)

3.5 stars.

"Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is." And Yoda's wise words also apply to the minds of those magical authors who can recreate the experience of being a child: optimistic, confident, determined.

The concept is fascinating, but I just wanted more from the execution.

This falls more under the umbrella of "meandering, self-indulgent" memoir — not a bad thing in and of itself, but really not my cup of tea.

3.5 stars

"How trite, but true: things change. Some all at once, some over a lifetime."

disclaimer: I'll be talking about the hyphenated-American rep as a Chinese-American reader; I can't speak to the portrayal of mental illness as I do not have psychology knowledge beyond a college intro course or personal experience in the realm of BPD or schizophrenia, and I certainly don't want to talk over reviewers who do.

With that said, overall I felt that Lee manages to avoid romanticizing or demonizing mental illness; the depiction is sympathetic but not sugarcoated. It might, however, be construed as a "mental illness is a burden on the loved ones" narrative — this is after all a major part of the premise, of the relationships that are at the center of the story. Many viewpoints are presented, ranging from it's her own life and you have to live it to isn't it an older sister's/partner's responsibility to protect her from herself to can there possibly be a middle ground, and it is a genuine moral conundrum that gives rise to many what-ifs.

I didn't know going in that the sisters have different Chinese-American experiences (the older sister, Miranda, immigrated as a child with their mother and learned English as a second language; the younger sister, Lucia, was born and raised in the US); honestly I didn't notice any significant impact from this difference, but thought it was an interesting detail. Although I don't want to dismiss the rep as bad, it felt very much in line with the mainstream portrayal: Chinese wisdom, nasty Chinese medicinal herbs that might or might not work, even a couple lines about eating dog penises (I am not making this up).

The prose is very stream-of-consciousness and conversational. Which means on the one hand, it flows really well and was difficult to put down; but on the other, I felt emotionally distanced from the characters (whose vocabulary varies, but the syntax/structure is similar so it's not always easy to keep straight who's narrating). An interesting contrast is created with their very different beliefs and cultures — you could put it towards an interpretation about the commonalities of the human experience, probably.

The plot also feels very stream-of-consciousness. One thing follows another; you're not always sure where the story is going but you know we're going somewhere. While I wouldn't say that it kept me on my toes per se, there were never moments where I felt bored because I knew what was coming next.

All in all, this was a thought-provoking read and an interesting exercise in empathy. Perhaps that's a bit glib, but really, I'm still working through the themes and not sure how else to put it.

content warnings:

Spoiler

major character death(s), precanon & during-canon parent death, terminally ill characters (cancer), manic-depressive episodes, postpartum depression, mentions of infant death, miscarriages, infidelity, explicit sexual content, ableism (including the r-word), past abusive household (uncle), child neglect, animal (bird) injury and death, butchering animals for food, self-medication, mentions of suicide, fat-shaming

rep:

Spoiler

Chinese-American MC with anxiety, Chinese-American MC with mental illness (conflicting diagnoses, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia; postpartum depression), Russian Jewish amputee MC/love interest, Ecuadorian undocumented immigrant MC/love interest, biracial Chinese-Ecuadorian-American major character, diverse minor characters

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CONVERSION: 10.5 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: N/A
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5