Started: 11/08/20
Finished: 12/08/20
Spoilers: No
I’ve been on an Asian inspired fantasy kick lately, and my obsession doesn’t show signs of stopping. So when this Malaysian-inspired novella popped up on my radar, I had to try it.
First off, I have to praise the title because, damn, that’s a gorgeous book title.
Second, how stunning is that cover art?
Okay, now let’s talk about the actual book. Set in a war-torn, Malaysian inspired fantasy world, this is a story of a nun who joins a group of bandits simply because she has nowhere else to go after her temple is destroyed and she loses her job at a cafe when attempting to live a regular life. But these bandits aren’t quite who Guet Imm first perceives them to be.
This is only a very short story, being a novella, but I think the author does a good job developing a friendship between the two main characters despite the small page count. Though the synopsis makes this story seem like a fast and fun action adventure story, it actually has a lot more nuance than that. Though there was action and adventure, this story is mainly about the characters and the relationship and trust that grows between. It also has some great LGBT rep, including a trans main character.
Despite the war and violence happening on the periphery of this story, there’s something quite gentle about the way this is told. Such focus is given to the growing bond between the two MCs. The world-building is fascinating, but I would’ve loved to have seen so much more of it explored. I love seeing cultures I’m less familiar with shine through the medium of the fantasy genre, and it just proves that the genre deserves more books based outside of Europe.
I liked this a lot, and the only reason I’m not rating this higher is cause I would’ve liked a bit more. Sure it’s a novella, but worlds and cultures like this are so amazing to read about that I just wanted more from it. Not to say that what this book offers is lacking in any way, but it perhaps wasn’t enough to satisfy my appetite for more Asian fantasy.
Though little, this book packs a punch, and I’d recommend to any readers looking for something a little different that showcases some excellent representation.
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