First I have to mention: those looking for a fast paced, heart racing, whirlwind of a romance are going to be disappointed. Thousand Autumns is more about the political story, martial arts, and the character development of the main leads. The romance is very, very slow burn.

The pacing is slow to medium. For the most part, I found no issues with this. I believe with all the heavy politics going on in the story line, a slower pace was needed or I’d found myself very confused. That being said, this story requires a little more of your focus to keep track of all the different characters, sects, and regions.

If you’re going to write a slow burn romance, then the story needs to be strong enough to carry the interest, and Thousand Autumns certainly does so. I found the political drama intriguing. Showing the different schools: Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism along with the Demonic Sects kept my interest.

What stood out was the character development especially of the two main leads. I absolutely love the character of Shen Qiao and his dilemma he must endure throughout the story. Though he is viewed as a saint by others, he is shown his flaws right to his face and accepts that there is still much he needs to learn and work on. The character of Yan Wushi is likable in his own way even though he is cruel and heartless towards Shen Qiao. Both characters seem like they’re at opposite sides of the spectrum. I can’t wait to see how they eventually bridge the gap and come together more intimately. There are so many good messages, many subtle that one can skim over if they’re rushing through the story.

The author doesn’t gloss over the story elements, as the politics, the martial arts and the sects, and the characters all have depth. The slower pace allows all of this to breathe and unfold at a natural pace.

If you like slower paced, slow burn romance with a solid story and characters with depth, then check this out.