tien's reviews
3860 reviews

A book written my teenage self but one I still loved. It is a retelling of Grimm's <i>The Six Swans</i> with an Asian bent. As you gathered from the title, we have cranes instead of swans and while the main arch of story is as per the fairy tale, there were quite a few twists which made this a story of its own and I just loved having my imagination run wild with kimono-style dresses and all.

Shiori is immediately likeable even if you find her very immature to start with but she grew so much throughout the book. She is the very heart of the book. The ending made me cry - it was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I just couldn't put this book down.

More than anything, I love that it was such an easy read (language wise) after a slump (DNF-ed 4 books in 1 week!). The protagonist was likeable. The story just flows. And what's not to love when humanity just comes together in time of distress. Unfortunately, there were exceptions. Unfortunately, we aren't known to do the same in good times.

Mercy Wong has finished all the schooling available in her side of town. But how is she to prosper, to get out of this hell of laundry business, and make sure her brother's health do not suffer, without further education? Where is the opportunity for her and her family and friends to prosper? She believed further education is necessary and she would scheme and risked all for it. And then, the world fell apart; an earthquake broke everything into a million pieces. What's Mercy to do but her best?

This book touched many issues from racism, diaspora, feminism, etc. However, I feel that was that. Just a touch of different issues with not much depth or exploration. In a way, that makes it easier to read as I just follow along the plot. I believe this book is more of a heartwarming read about friendship and human fellowship than anything else. It just has enough of reality (issues) and best of all, the bff to lovers trope. This for me is a win.

 I really enjoyed the first story; Women Without Mercy, but really did not like the second one, Truth or Dare. This is the way its set out in the audiobook. 

Historical police procedural in Fiji!! A fascinating choice of setting for both time and place, I think, but seeing author's backgroun being Fijian Indian Australian, I can see her reasoning.

Akal Singh is a fairly new arrival in Fiji. His meteoric rise in Hong Kong suddenly came to a halt when he made a mistake. He is keen to prove himself in Fiji so he may return to metropolitan Hong Kong. However, as he will find out, there may be more important things to do & save.

I listened to the audiobook so I think the narrator did a pretty bang up job with all the accents from British to Indian to Fijian. I don't particularly have the best ears for accents so for me to identify them, this was a job well done.

With the setting comes historical factor when Indian coolies were 'contracted' and shipped to Fiji to work in plantation as no local Fijians could be employed. This fact I have heard of but there wasn't much to read (fiction-wise) out there so having a mystery shrouded in this particular setting was rather interesting. And even more so, when you have a Sikh who was seen just as low as the coolies by the whites while he, the Sikh, sees himself above the coolies. Prejudices all around... I am looking forward to the next instalment and hope to see Akal Singh developed better and better as protagonist.