I feel so lucky I got to read this early (and thank you both to Tor and NetGalley for sending). It took me a while to get into it. Epic fantasy is hard for me when it's dense because I get confused and the story isn't moving fast enough. In the Tiger's Daughter, which is based on Japanese and Mongolian cultures, it seemed like every character had six names and I couldn't keep track of them all. BUT STICK WITH IT, which I did, because the writing was so beautiful. The beating heart of the book is the relationship between Shefali and Shizuka. It felt similar to books like THE SONG OF ACHILLES in that way; yes there's war and problems and politics but it all seems slightly peripheral to the relationship at the center. It's not what I'd call a page-turner: suspenseful, fast-paced, etc. It's just beautiful. Take your time with it. (As for recent criticisms... I'm not part of the cultures represented in the book, so I can't speak to that definitively, but to me, the representations never felt disrespectful or ignorant.)

<i>The Tiger's Daughter</i> is a fascinating work of Asian-inspired fantasy, following the adventures of two impetuous young women with divine abilities: Shefali, a woman of horse-bonded people of the steppes, and O-Shizuka, a spoiled royal. The world-building intrigued me with its thorough immersion in these different cultures. As the two women grow up, they become far more than friends--a major taboo--and then disaster befalls them. Their relationship is passionate and genuine (though as a reader, I really wanted to shake sense into Shizuka sometimes). Normally, I can predict how a plot develops, but this novel is full of genuine surprises right up to the very end.

That said, it was not an all together smooth read for me. Much of the book is told in the form of a letter written from Shefali to Shizuka, which means it's extensively in second person. At times, the narrative returns to Shizuka in the present. I found this back and forth to be confusing at times, especially through the first half of the book.

I was also puzzled by the use of familiar Asian place names and some items in this world. The names are slightly twisted but still recognizable. Since the world is otherwise so fresh and unique, I wasn't sure why the names were used in this way. It made me wonder if this is a far-future Earth or space colony; total guesses on my part. A map might have clarified this issue for me. My galley didn't include one, but perhaps the final published version will.

In all, a good read that brings a unique setting and strong passionate partnership to the epic fantasy genre. I am curious as to where the series will go from here.

This read made me uncomfortable. It was violent. This was not for me.