Welcome to Litsy!

What a sprawling and unexpected epic journey this was. Zhu‘s tale is equal parts breathtaking, persevering, and tragic. Definitely recommend.

War epics are not my cup of tea, but if they're yours you might enjoy this one! Set in ancient China and packed with destiny, epic battles, political intrigue, betrayal, the occasional ghost, and clashes between Chinese and Mongol powers, this book tells the epic story of a girl who didn't starve to death claiming a name and destiny that might not have been hers. #HistoricalFiction #China #AsianHistory #LGBTQ

Knowing the cause of their suffering, the peasants cursed their barbarian emporer in his distant capital in the north. As with any two like things connected by a thread of qi, whereby the actions of one influence the other even at a distance, so an emporer's worthiness determines the fate of the land he rules.

While reading this book, I was quite sure that my final rating for it would be three stars, however, the last few chapters left me speechless and unable to put the book down, hence the higher rating. I really liked the setting of this book but most of all, I loved the writing style and the way it was written. (I am also just a sucker for historical fiction in general, and this did not disappoint)
4⭐️

“Even the most shining future, if desired, will have suffering as its heart.”

The bonfires and drums roared all night long. It was the voice of the end of the world—or perhaps the new one, already come.

Understanding fire doesn‘t mean it can‘t still burn you.

“But that‘s the difference between us. Nobody expected anything of me. Nobody ever cherished me.”
To Zhu‘s surprise, the acknowledgment left her feeling lightened. It had never occurred to her how much strength she was expending on the effort to believe herself someone else. She realized: He‘s made my path harder, but without knowing it he‘s made me stronger—
After a long pause Ma said, low, “I cherish you.”

“Let me tell you my name: Zhu Chongba.”
He answered coolly, “Should I know it?”
“One day you will,” she said, and drew her sword.

Don‘t look down as you‘re flying, or you‘ll realize the impossibility of it and fall.

“There are no kind solutions to cruel situations.”

As long as I want to find it, there‘s always another way.

Destroying what someone else cherished never brought back what you yourself had lost. All it did was spread grief like a contagion.

She wanted everything Zhu was offering with that promise of difference. Freedom, and desire, and her life to make her own. And if the price of all of that was suffering, why did it matter when she would suffer no matter what she chose?

“A world of terror and cruelty? I don‘t want that either, not if there‘s another way. But I can‘t see that other way by myself. So join me, Ma Xiuying. Show me.”

Stop doing this to me, she thought, anguished, as she turned and fled. Don‘t make me want to want.

Why insist on chasing the shadow of something lost, when you could make something new and even greater?

“Learn to want something for yourself, Ma Xiuying. Not what someone says you should want. Not what you think you should want. Don‘t go through life thinking only of duty. When all we have are these brief spans between our nonexistences, why not make the most of the life you‘re living now? The price is worth it.”

“I thought monks teach that desire is the cause of all suffering.”
“It is,” he said. “But you know what‘s worse than suffering? Not suffering, because you‘re not even alive to feel it.”

“What someone is means nothing about what kind of person they are. Truth is in actions.”

I'm excited to start my annual reading of the Hugo nominees! There is a lot to get through before the voting deadline, including all the Best Series nominees. I have no hope of reading it all, of course, but I try to cover as much as I can.

#hugo2022 #hugoawards

You may have ended this, but you haven't ended me.

“It isn't strength, but knowledge, that will be our best tool for surviving these difficult times ahead.“

You won't be the one to make me nothing. Her determination was as clear as the sound of a bronze bell. I refuse.

The warrior was a girl. Her face, as bright and delicate as a polished abalone shell, brought to life every description of beauty that Zhu had ever read in poetry.

She knew that when it came down to it, you survived and died alone.
But perhaps there was still a comfort in having someone at your side while it happened.

Look at all the free spaces in a row! I have high hopes for a #bookspinbingo this month. Also, I really like my options this month. A few are library books I already have borrowed which makes things easier. My #doublespin is the #authoramonth so maybe I'll finally finish one.

Thank you @thearomaofbooks!

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. I really enjoyed the first half of this book. I felt it started dragging a little and I became less invested. The eunuch‘s story line became the most interesting to me. By the end I didn‘t really understand the motivations of the characters and felt conflicted about the ending.

I really enjoyed this look at gender identity and the claiming of personal power. The main character is not wholly likable but I still was plenty interested in her journey. It ended in a good place with no real cliffhanger but I still would like to know more about the world and its characters.

I decided to take a break from Mote in God‘s Eye because it was taking so long. The tagged is a much faster pace and I‘m enjoying it so far. Today I‘m lucky enough to have all three reading buddies. Sierra and Callie on the bed with me and Simon next to the bed in the desk chair.
#CatsOfLitsy

Tea and book coordination 🔥

After my scepticism, I'm actually enjoying this book. A Mr B's pick.

Born into desperate poverty in the 1500s, Zhu is treated as less than nothing while her brother is prophesied to greatness. When her brother and father die, Zhu first tries to simply survive by taking her brother‘s identity, then aspires to achieve his prophecy. Very satisfying feminist take on history!

Oh my this was delicious. It's historical fantasy based on the rise of the first Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang -- except this future emperor was born a girl and assumed her brother's identity in a bid to survive. It's more about politics and character than magic, and was exactly the kind of absorbing, thought-provoking read I needed just now.

Zhongli village lay flattened under the sun like a defeated dog that has given up on finding shade.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

Staggeringly good. Stately, epic, ruthless, beautiful. It is here to conquer, and oh boy was I laid waste. I was particularly impressed by its slow unravelling of internalised patriarchy (and how it contrasted that with Zhu‘s outward rejection and undermining of patriarchy) and the way it upheld non-traditional forms of masculinity and eviscerated notions of fate. Just brilliant.

Wow this was good. Carefully crafted with brutal and complex characters, it's hard to imagine this story didn't actually take place long ago. You don't even know who you're rooting for because the second you pick one, the character reveals something truly unexpected, good or bad. Looking forward to the next book when it comes out.

A 4.5 from me! This book reminded me of Mulan meeting the Butterfly Lovers creation. It was addicting and I couldn‘t put it down!

Mulan meets Song of Achilles meets Game of Thrones. Zhu must take on her dead brother‘s identity for survival but also bc being him feels right. A queer re-imagining of the rise of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. 2 main queer characters who become each other‘s catalysts (and nemeses) driving them for power, one for destiny fulfillment, one for revenge..

My new #gettbr recommendations are in! Some books I haven‘t heard of - I‘m so excited to dig in!

I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. I kept comparing it to The Poppy War which I don't think helped my opinion. I enjoyed the eunuchs storyline but I never became attached to the monks. She didn't have much of a personality, she used everyone and I never believed in her motivations. Unsure if I'll continue this series.

Another amazing fantasy read. I get so excited when I read back to back 5 star books! This is being described as Song of Achilles meet Mulan, but it's so much more. Zhu and Ouyang are the two main characters and they're on opposite sides of the Mongols vs Rebels conflict in China. Zhu took her brother's fate as her own and is rising through the Rebel's army. Ouyang is the Mongol's general and he is full of rage. Also, there's ghosts. I loved it!

🎧 📚 ** unpopular opinion **

Also not for me. Written fine & great scenery but the main character was unlikable.

Brother & sister are given their fortune. Brother will rise to power while sister is nothing. Brother dies, sister takes over his identity & heads to the monastery where she worries about taking a bath for TOO LONG! She is brutally cutthroat in her rise thru the ranks to achieve the power she deserves

In a moody book slump

⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://wellreadneck.wordpress.com/2021/07/20/she-who-became-the-sun-shelley-par...

Mini-book haul. 📚
So excited to read them all.
I have a few reviews to post but I'm being lazy. 😂

For another time. The political maneuvering and military strategizing just isn't doing it for me right now. I'll probably revisit closer to the sequel being released.

Up next. Part Mulan, part history and part magic, I have no idea where this book is going.

Brand new book :) I swear buying books and reading them are different hobbies XD