Despite its (many) flaws, I did really enjoy the book. It wasn’t for its prose or worldbuilding or aesthetic. All of the issues I mention below are present and noticeable, but the story at the heart of this kept me hooked. The concept of finding humanity even in a monster, of to understand someone is to love them, was something I was moved by.

I’ve seen this book marketed as a romance. It is not and I’m so glad it is not. But it is about love. It’s about seeing the humanity in evil and defeating it anyway. It’s about two brothers, and what shapes a person into a monster. It’s about doing what’s right even if it kills you, and the means we justify for our ends.

Some critiques I have:

Quick summary version: I think the book suffers from its length and its author’s skewed interest in the core story of the book, leaving the rest of the plot and characters to hang. The author should have just written what she clearly wanted to write, which was about brothers and monsters.

More detailed:

• The MC is more like a lens you are viewing the world with. She is way more of a vessel through which the story unfolds than the active main character the summary would have you believe. Personally, I liked that quite a bit but I know many people did not and I can’t fault them. She felt like my eyes, and I agreed with her actions, so the decision gelled with me, but if you’re expecting Wei to be completely central to the story, you’ll be disappointed.

• Aside from the issues with the Ancient China inspired elements of this book, which many other reviewers with more authority on this have talked about, there are general flaws in the world building. It is a rather concise book for a plot that does not require conciseness. Everything develops too quickly, and the politics and courtly scheming is incredibly minimal. Some logistics, such as her newfound reading and writing abilities, seem too incredible.

• The shallowness of other characters doesn’t bother me as much as long as the central theme or plot is developed well, but the side characters are most definitely poorly developed. Many characters are introduced with the air of being important or significant, and then sidelined quickly or made into plot tools to serve the story. The core of the story was compelling enough to me to look past it, but it’s certainly noticeable.

This book seems to be a hit or miss with people. If you’re unsure you really just have to read it for yourself.