I thought the book fizzled. The opening "part" was much stronger than the final three, and when he suddenly went "and now I will give you historical commentary from a hundred years from now" on us, I went "is this REALLY necessary?"
The book didn't ever feel like it built to a climax to me. It just STOPS.
Things I appreciated:
The book does a great job of making me think Kay is going to fall into "here, have a typical trope character." and then making it NOT so. Jian, for instance. I had her pegged as "empty headed concubine". then I pegged her as "ambitiously evil". Wrong, wrong, wrong. I appreciate that, and I felt bad for her, in the end.
As you say, they aren't people of cardboard. People we are inclined to dislike because they are not nice to Tai (whom we are supposed to like, and I do, for the most part) are shown to not be EEEEVIL. And I LOVE this.
The White Elephant nature of the gift was fascinating.
I have a deep love of Wuxia film. Which meant I was inclined to like this book. Which also meant, sadly, I wanted to see more running up walls and chop-socky. I mean, we have established Kanlins can run up walls. I DEMAND SOMEONE RUN UP A WALL REGULARLY IF THIS IS SO.
Things I didn't:
The book FIZZLES OUT. it's like it goes "Here is some stuff. here are some ponies. The ponies are important. There will be great political maneuvering about the ponies. Then suddenly there won't be. Then there will be a bit again. And then the ponies are dealt with. And then the book ends, even though there's still a war going on, ect ect."
I also had little tolerance for the "here, have some historical analysis, even though we haven't bothered with it before." yes, yes, I get it. You're showing me how history varies from actual events or how people don't understand the streams of history that flow around them or whatever. Do it from the start, or do it at the epilogue, don't start doing it three fourths of the way through the book.
I also didn't feel that the characterization of some of the main characters was that deep. I saw the Song bit coming, of course...but I didn't care. She wasn't INTERESTING and I didn't KNOW her.
On the whole I liked it. I'm glad I read it. But it definitely has its flaws.
The book does a great job of making me think Kay is going to fall into "here, have a typical trope character." and then making it NOT so. Jian, for instance. I had her pegged as "empty headed concubine". then I pegged her as "ambitiously evil". Wrong, wrong, wrong. I appreciate that, and I felt bad for her, in the end.
Yes, absolutely!
Actually I think we're in agreement (so far) on your thoughts. Though I know nothing of Wuxia film, and therefore have no commentary. :)
will actually have productive notes later, but as for Wuxia, think "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." That's a Wuxia film.
Though my favorite that got a big American release was "Hero"--very Rashamon in its narrative structure and just beautiful to look at. I'll have to find out if it's available blue ray.
I've seen both of those, though my experience with Crouching Tiger was weird, because the coloring on my grandmother's tv was going to hell, so I didn't get the full effect of the film. :(
I thought the book fizzled. The opening "part" was much stronger than the final three, and when he suddenly went "and now I will give you historical commentary from a hundred years from now" on us, I went "is this REALLY necessary?"
The book didn't ever feel like it built to a climax to me. It just STOPS.
Things I appreciated:
The book does a great job of making me think Kay is going to fall into "here, have a typical trope character." and then making it NOT so. Jian, for instance. I had her pegged as "empty headed concubine". then I pegged her as "ambitiously evil". Wrong, wrong, wrong. I appreciate that, and I felt bad for her, in the end.
As you say, they aren't people of cardboard. People we are inclined to dislike because they are not nice to Tai (whom we are supposed to like, and I do, for the most part) are shown to not be EEEEVIL. And I LOVE this.
The White Elephant nature of the gift was fascinating.
I have a deep love of Wuxia film. Which meant I was inclined to like this book. Which also meant, sadly, I wanted to see more running up walls and chop-socky. I mean, we have established Kanlins can run up walls. I DEMAND SOMEONE RUN UP A WALL REGULARLY IF THIS IS SO.
Things I didn't:
The book FIZZLES OUT. it's like it goes "Here is some stuff. here are some ponies. The ponies are important. There will be great political maneuvering about the ponies. Then suddenly there won't be. Then there will be a bit again. And then the ponies are dealt with. And then the book ends, even though there's still a war going on, ect ect."
I also had little tolerance for the "here, have some historical analysis, even though we haven't bothered with it before." yes, yes, I get it. You're showing me how history varies from actual events or how people don't understand the streams of history that flow around them or whatever. Do it from the start, or do it at the epilogue, don't start doing it three fourths of the way through the book.
I also didn't feel that the characterization of some of the main characters was that deep. I saw the Song bit coming, of course...but I didn't care. She wasn't INTERESTING and I didn't KNOW her.
On the whole I liked it. I'm glad I read it. But it definitely has its flaws.
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Yes, absolutely!
Actually I think we're in agreement (so far) on your thoughts. Though I know nothing of Wuxia film, and therefore have no commentary. :)
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Though my favorite that got a big American release was "Hero"--very Rashamon in its narrative structure and just beautiful to look at. I'll have to find out if it's available blue ray.
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Both very good though!
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