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What Members Thought
Wow, this went some dark places. Rin flailed about a lot and really didn't want to accept responsibility but sorta did at the end.
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What's the point of this novel besides reliving past jingoism, national stereotypes and the worst brutalities that we've not yet forgotten but can't bear to relive since they were beyond the pale of tragedy. It seems like the main character is a both literally and figuratively a pyrrhic figure whose only thoughts are an eye for an eye with no hope of redemption. To continue the manic depression with a second book is just sad.
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Bailed out at 82%. I understand what the author is trying to do, but removing most of the characters that I had any investment in made the final third of the book meaningless.
I'm probably not the right audience for this. ...more
I'm probably not the right audience for this. ...more
This was a longer book, but it didn't feel like it! I cracked it open and devoured it in one sitting. It was that good! The main character, Rurin, is just SO determined that it's endearing. The plot, in many ways, is a trope: the quintessential underdog works her way up through sheer determination and hard work. However, the Chinese flavour of the setting, the political undertones, and the philosophy behind it all, make it refreshing. I only intended to read this book for the Reindeer Readathon,
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May 22, 2018
Jen
marked it as to-read
Mar 06, 2019
Beth
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Jul 23, 2019
John
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Oct 03, 2019
Lara
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Aug 15, 2020
Laurie
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Jun 16, 2022
Mary Stephanos
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Jun 16, 2022
Andrei Rybin
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Jan 03, 2023
Sarah
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Apr 22, 2023
Jeremy Kane
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Aug 19, 2025
Susan
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