Member Review

This was such a fascinating world and the characters are fabulous! I loved Zetian so much. She was strong and smart and totally unapologetic about it, in an environment where girls are supposed to be meek and subservient. Zetian refuses to conform to societal norms and I loved her for it. The relationship between her, Shimin and Yizhi felt authentic and honest and brought a sense of hope to what is, in essence, a very dark story. Zhao doesn't shy away from difficult topics here and forces the reader to examine their own prejudices, which makes for a difficult but rewarding reading experience. My only criticism is that the first part of the book feels a bit rushed and there is a lot of information to take in during the opening few chapters, which meant that it took me a while to get fully invested in the story. Overall, however, this was a thrilling read and I can't wait to see what happens next!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.