AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Rep: Chinese cast, bi mcs, polyamorous mcs, mc who uses a wheelchair

I loveddddd this book. I’ve been in a annoying reading slump for the past month or so and this is the first book I’ve binged in so long and it felt so good. This book was fantastic! Zetian my beloved <3 (I have a thing for unhinged female characters. See Spensa from Skyward, Rin from the Poppy War, and now Zetian).

The polyamory was *chef’s kiss* it was so nicely handled and just! Yes! Triangles are the best shape !!

I will say this has a whole ton of trigger warnings, it’s a very dark book. This book contains: suicidal ideation, heaping loads of sexism, torture (gore, murder), addiction (alcoholism), and abuse.

If I had to nitpick anything, it would be a couple things about the world building. It was a little bit jarring to see some words that have a heavily character history on earth being used here casually without elaboration, especially since this is explicitly not earth (glaring example would be the use of the word karma).

While the comparisons are good, I’m actually going to see (in my opinion) that this is much closer to The Poppy War x The Gearbreakers (keep in mind I’m biased and comparing it to my five star reads <3)

Why?

Poppy War: Chinese inspired fantasy, poor female protagonist fighting against gender norms, mc is absolutely unhinged and I love her to bits

Gearbreakers: Mechas, queerness everywhere, low-key found family, literally just the vibe idk man

In conclusion, please read all of these books <33333