I thought this was a strong world with really well-developed characters. I couldn't decide who to root for and who to hate--for the most part. There were characters I absolutely hated. It was great. Highly recommend for fantasy fans.

3.5 stars

It was hard for me to rate this one.

So prepare yourself for a big, rambly review that will make no sense whatsoever as I try to unscramble my thoughts.

On the one hand, I enjoyed the premise and liked the varying points of view. I loved the setting, the different beings, and the theme of colonialism/conquerorism that predominated the narrative.

On the other, I never really connected with any of the characters. Are any, aside from sweet, soft Nok, supposed to be likable?

Lu's character arc felt shallow and barely there, as if she never changes from brash, arrogant princess to a more nuanced leader of an empire, who really understands the consequences of the destruction her father and grandfather had wrought upon innocent kingdoms in their quest for new lands. I felt myself emphasizing with Set of all people—who had actually commanded people and politicked and made allies instead of Lu who thought that because of her blood and weapons training she had the right to be Emperor.

Min's arc was...interesting. She begins as a timid, naive girl who has spent her entire life ignored by her sister and emotionally abused by her mother. Then she meets Set and a really one-sided infatuation begins.

Nok was interesting at well, and I wish that his character had been more fleshed out. He was a good fit to Lu's brashness—he wasn't a warrior, was deeply scarred by the destruction of his family and the death of his sister, and he was soft. He didn't want what was happening to him and was too unsure of what was coming, so unsure and uneasy with it that I just wanted to smack him across his face and snap, "Think of saving your people!"

Overall, my main complaint was that the book felt both too rushed and too slow all at once! The pacing felt off, and it resulted in a lack of connection with the characters, and a lack of me really caring about their fate despite what should have been a really riveting plot.

Okay, enough of me complaining and whining.

I really, really did love the setting, and I love the Asian representation. I really felt like plot and concept was fantastic, but for me the execution could have been a little stronger if the romance element was nixed and some character arcs strengthened up a bit.

This is a big, epic fantasy and there is so much that needs to be resolved.

I'm curious what the sequel will look like, and what the future will bring for Min, Lu and Nok.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was fine, yet nothing special? I can't say I hated it, I did end up flying through it, but nothing really happened. The rivalry between sisters wasn't really a thing here, I'm hoping we'll see more of that in a sequel. I didn't really have any strong feelings on the characters, I of course favored Lu seeing as she was the smarter of the three POV. The romance was annoyingly there, yet I wouldn't really call it a romance in the first place? I do have hopes the sequel will be better, but this was a bit of a trial to get through.

Starting this book I was hopeful and the concept was amazing, two sisters, a throne, an evil cousin sounded right up my alley. At first it was a good start, but then the world building was lacking, the plot didn't move and got a little boring at times. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters, they were fine, but just lacked getting my attention in any way which made it difficult. I liked the idea, but in the end it wasn't a favorite or something I would highly recommend.

Mimi Yu’s debut novel The Girl King is an Asian-inspired fantasy that is filled to the brim with political intrigue, sibling rivalry, betrayal, rebellion, and of course, magic. It follows Lu and Min, two sisters who are as different as night and day, and who are princesses of the Empire. Lu, the more outspoken and rebellious of the two, believes that their father (against their mother’s wishes) is about to name her as his successor, which would make her the Empire’s first female ruler. Min, the more docile and reserved sister, also believes that Lu is destined to be Empress and that her own role is simply to continue being the meek and dutiful daughter that makes their mother happy.

It’s also not only the sisters who expect Lu to be named the next ruler. Most of the citizens of the Empire expect it as well. So, when the unthinkable happens and their father names their cousin Set as the new Emperor instead and proclaims that Lu’s destiny will be to marry Set, chaos ensues on all sides. Lu feels betrayed and Min is utterly bewildered. Determined to reclaim her birthright at all costs, Lu sets out to find allies who will help her take back the throne. In doing so, however, she leaves her sister Min behind. Min’s future has also been up-ended, both by their father’s proclamation and by Lu’s desertion. What role will Min play now that everything has been turned upside down?

The three main characters of The Girl King were the story’s biggest draw for me.

I really liked Lu’s fierceness and determination, and that she’s a bit of a rebel. Most of all though, I liked her self-confidence. She truly feels that she is more than capable of taking her father’s place as ruler of the Empire. The fact that she would be the first female ruler doesn’t faze her in the least. Some may find her arrogant, but I just found it refreshing that she knows what she wants and feels ready for the responsibility. My heart broke for her when her father announced that Set, a cousin that Lu despises, would be named the next ruler instead of Lu.

Min was a little harder to get to know, mainly because she’s so quiet and retreating compared to Lu. She functions as little more than a secondary character while Lu is around. Even relegated to the background, however, Min still got to me. I still found myself really caring about her and feeling protective of her. It seemed like no good could come from her being left behind at the palace without Lu there as a buffer between her and anyone else who might try to take advantage of her meek nature. I don’t want to give away anything too spoilery but I will say that the transformation Min undergoes throughout the course of The Girl King wins her the Most Shocking Character award. It’s amazing what can happen when someone is just pushed way too far!

Nokhai (or Nok) was actually probably my favorite character. As much as I enjoyed the sibling dynamic between Lu and Min, I just found Nokhai’s story equally, if not more, compelling than theirs. Nok is a wolf shapeshifter, and thanks to Min and Lu’s father wiping out his people, Nok is the last surviving one of his kind. Unable to master this shapeshifting power that he has, Nok has been in hiding and would prefer to stay that way, However, when he and Lu meet up out in the forest, he finds himself drawn into an awkward alliance with her and vows to help her reclaim the throne. I love how the author infuses this character with so much complexity and inner turmoil. On the one hand, he hates the Empire and everything it stands for, but on the other, there’s something about Lu that makes him believe he can trust her to be a just ruler. Add to that Nok’s immense frustration that he cannot master his power and that there is no one left to teach him how to do so and we have ourselves an emotional mess of a character. Nok just needed a hug so badly.

Aside from the characters, I also thought the worldbuilding was wonderful too. Everything is just so detailed and vivid. There’s a complex and very cool magic system of course, but there’s also spirits, shapeshifters, prophecies, and even a hidden city and temples. I do wish I was more familiar with Asian folklore and history so that I could have appreciated it even more, but I was still quite captivated by the world the author has constructed.

The author also strikes a nice balance between action and emotion. While much of the story feels quite character driven as Lu, Min, and Nok are each battling their own inner demons, there is also a very strong plot that is filled with political intrigue, betrayal, and epic fight scenes.

Overall, I found The Girl King to be a very entertaining read. My only real complaint was that I wish the story had felt a little more original. I guess I’ve just read too many stories where the rightful ruler goes into exile and has to come back and fight for their throne. It was a nice twist to have that rightful ruler be a female this time though.

There were also a couple of plot twists regarding Nok that I found somewhat predictable. Predicting how things would turn out didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story, although I always prefer to be kept guessing for as long as possible to build suspense.

If you like fierce heroines, sibling rivalries, vivid worldbuilding, and political intrigue, I think you would find The Girl King to your liking. I found it to be a very solid debut for Mimi Yu and look forward to seeing where the second book in the series takes me.

I didn't enjoy this very much, and there also were a few questionable things. Like the attempted rape. There was no point to it, and the fact that it was a male guard and that was the only hint of same sex relations was very disturbing. It didn't need to be there at all. I also was very disappointed by the lack of sibling feels. I wanted to have sibling related or family related feelings because there are sisters mentioned but they seemed very distant from each other. Also just everything about Min's characterization felt weird. And I had a hard time buying in.

Princess Lu is ready to be named her father's heir and become the first woman to rule their empire with her sister, Min, hiding in the shadows. But when their father names their cousin, Set, as the heir instead, a series of events are put into place that puts their empire into mortal peril. Lu abandons the palace in order to take her rightful place as heir, making an unlikely alliance with Nok, a survivor from the labor camps up north. Little do any of them know that they have set events into motion that will wake long sleeping magic--leaving none of them the same.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bloomsbury YA for giving me an early copy of this book to read and review! I'd been seeing this book everywhere on Twitter it felt like, so I'm glad I got to nab a copy before it was released. Fantasy has been the genre where more diversity is slowly being included, so it's refreshing to have an Asian protagonist that can fit into the likes of characters like Katniss or Aelin.

We'll start with my favorite aspect of this book: the magic. I though the system that Yu created was unique, giving this book an edge when put alongside other YA fantasy books. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the sort of sibling rivalry that's included in the book; we don't see many YA fantasy books where sisters are pitted against each other, and just having a strong female power on both sides of the narrative adds another element to the book that makes it that much more enjoyable.

We were also given a large variety of points of view that also gave the reader a larger picture of the war that was quickly escalating. And there was a lot going on, between Lu, Min, Nok, and the various wrongs that the empire had committed. The multiple points of view helped some in keeping these events straight, but I do think a map would have made a huge world of difference (at least for me). I couldn't keep straight where everyone was going and who was moving to fight where. Maybe there will be one in the final version?

Despite the magical and mystical elements, the world building here fell a bit flat to me, as did some of the character development. While I enjoyed the different types of magic included here, I didn't feel like I got a good sense of the world as a whole. I wanted more detail, more information about the lives that Lu and Min lead, more about Nok's background. I feel that this would have made the book more immersive--and easier to follow. By the end, I was inundated with characters and places that it was difficult for me to follow what was going on. Instead of including so much in the first book, save some of the events and people for later books; this would allow the first book to breath, as well as creating a more immersive world building experience.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read that I think many YA fantasy fans will enjoy. Despite falling into similar tropes of the genre, Mimi Yu is still able to create a compelling narrative that I think will bring fans back for book 2 (because there's obviously going to be a book 2).

3.5/5 stars

I wanted to like this book.
In fact, I wanted to love The Girl King. Sisters! Rivals! Betrayal! Family! War! Mimi Yu's debut smells of an action-packed adventure with sibling rivalry, magic and court politics that would be hard to put down. Bonus points for #OwnVoices.

But much disappointment has occurred.
Bookwyrms, much disappointment has indeed occurred. I spent loads of time deciding if I should continue trekking my way through The Girl King or calling it quits. Eventually, at 50% through, I decided to call it a day because we don't have time for books that aren't enjoyable.

We're not going to talk much about the problems involved.
"Slipskin" feels awfully weird for a shifter/werewolf influence, bookwyrms. Sure, it's "slipping" out of one's "skin" and into another "slipping" into another "skin." But is it just me, or do I think of something gross and slimy at the thought? 🤔

And let's not get started with "pink." I legit thought of newly born babies.

Vicky from Vicky Who Reads has this covered in more detail in her review. (I guarantee you her post is 100x more professional.)

I didn't connect with anything in The Girl King.
Sure, I went to at least halfway through the book, but it was a whole lot of back and forth reading between this book and another one. I didn't care about the storyline or the world, even though I could relate to some of the cultural influences included. Despite enjoying Lu's fierceness, I ultimately didn't care about Lu or any of the other characters involved. I found myself interested in continuing the book at some points, but at the same time, I didn't really care.

This is an impressive debut novel and Mimi Yu is one to watch. The Girl King is a Chinese inspired fantasy with a fully fleshed world, nuanced characters, magic, unexpected twists, and a dash of brutality. Royal sisters Lu and Min have always been opposites. Lu is brave and fierce, raised to be her father's heir and skilled in combat. Min is quiet, pushed toward traditional femininity, and often overlooked. But when their father instead betroths Lu to her cousin and makes him the heir, a series of events will lead to the sisters becoming rivals in a battle for the throne. Lu allies herself with Nokhai, a wolf shapeshifter, while her sister must contend with their cousin and the creepy priest who advises him.

Lu and Min are fascinating characters, and we get to see their arcs develop through the story in interesting ways. Nokhai and Lu dislike each other at first, but eventually learn from each other and become close. I don't want to say much about Min's arc, but she has several disturbing yet compelling interactions at court. I did think the book was a tad long and meandered at times, but overall the author has crafted an interesting and compelling story that sets the stage for future books in the series. I received a review copy of this book via Net-Galley. All opinions are my own.

An Asian-inspired fantasy novel about two sisters on opposite sides of the fight for the throne. Lu and Min are the only daughters of the emperor, and when he declares their cousin, Set, as heir, Lu is determined to fight for her right to rule. But political intrigue and betrayal run rampant at court and Lu is forced to flee after an attempt on her life. An old friend could make for an unlikely ally in her quest—if he can overcome his hatred for all royals for the role they played in wiping out his people. Min, meanwhile, pledges her loyalty to her cousin while discovering some unknown gifts of her own—magical abilities that were forbidden long ago, but may prove invaluable in the fighting ahead.
I love stories about sisters, and this was such an interesting one because of the really complicated relationship between Lu and Min. They do love each other in a way, but their personalities and loyalties are so polarized that they find themselves becoming enemies. Min’s descent toward darkness and both sisters’ desire to save the other were really fascinating elements to me. I’m also a big fan of fantasy stories inspired by cultures outside of Europe—and specifically medieval England / France—so I really enjoyed that element of this book, as well.
The first half felt pretty slow to me, which is why this book only gets three and a half stars from me, but ultimately I did still enjoy it. A fun and interesting read.

Hello, I will be adding this review to my blog, Instagram, and Goodreads two weeks before the release date. I will also add the review to Amazon and Barnes & Noble on the release date. I will add links once they go public, thank you.

Title: The Girl King
Author: Mimi Yu
Publication Date: January 8th, 2019
Rating: 5 stars
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley

The Girl King is about an empire thrown into mayhem when the oldest of two siblings decides that she will create her own fate no matter the cost, leaving the younger sister with the consequences of her older sister's decisions.

Lu, the oldest sister is strong-headed and knows what she wants. Min, the youngest, is very quiet and does as she is told but with such restraint comes a breaking point. They are both relatable since we have all had to decide at one point if what we want has too high of a risk and if we are willing to keep going despite the damage it has on others. We also have had times of being in someones shadow and wanting to break through. The characters are well developed and you really connect with them through her writing as she adds a few PoV which adds another layer to her already in depth characters. 

The sibling rivalry was something I enjoyed because they didn't really start off as rivals per say. Over the course of the book it builds and we get to see another side of the characters when everything begins to fall apart. The writing is wonderfully detailed as it adds depth to the world she surrounds us in. The one small thing I didn't care for was the relationship building between two of the characters. It felt a little pushed but it's such a minor thing that it didn't make me love the book any less.

Filled with mystical beings, sibling rivalry, and secrets this book is nothing short of incredible. If you are a fan of Three Dark Crowns, Shadow of the Fox or just love fantasy, I would recommend this book. I have already ordered the UK version and a US signed copy because I love this book so much! I will anxiously be waiting for the second book. Seriously, if it isn't on your TBR, add it!

The cover caught my attention and I was drawn in with the synopsis. That is usually the case for most diverse books these days. And I'm very thankful that there are books with Asian girls on the covers. It's amazing.

The Girl King by Mimi Yu is told through three point-of-views: Lu, the promised heir to the empire, Min, the young sister with the hidden power, and Nok, the last of his kind hiding from everyone who would remember him. When Lu's was not chosen as the heir, it split the destiny of the sisters, changing their future and catapulting this story.

This story fell a bit short for me. While I enjoy the overall premise, and I absolutely love Lu, Min and I didn't connect as much as I wanted to. Lu was a force that was strong and fierce. She knew what she wanted, and her gumption was loud and clear. I loved how determined she was, and didn't let any man, especially her father, get her down. I enjoyed how she developed as a character, and is my favorite part of the story. Min is young, and her personality clearly showed that. I didn't agree with anything she did, and it was hard for me to read through any part that included her.

Nok was someone that I enjoyed but didn't mind either way. I didn't enjoy the romance, but I felt that Nok and Lu would have been better off as friends. Their dynamic is fun, but the romance changed it, and I just didn't ship them.

Every time the sisters were pitted against each other, I was waiting for a catalyst to just really propel the story and the pacing. I was waiting for an all out fight between two strong characters.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and am interested in reading the next story.

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

The Girl King is one of those books that sucks you in and surprises you. I expected a book about a girl who was warlike and wanted her claim to the throne, but what I got was so much more.

Without giving away any spoilers, I got magic in unexpected places. People whose personalities surprised you with their strength, or even their cruelty. I found a tangled web of political intrigue and an oppressed people. I found characters that I began to love and became heartbroken over. I found characters in impossible situations making choices that made me want to scream. And it was very, very good.

I enjoyed the characters, and for a while, I wasn't really sure who to root for. The setting was in a China-like place full of magic an emperors and dynasties, which I loved. I loved the writing style.

The Girl King is a planned duology, and I just put the second book in this series on my Want-To-Read shelf over at Goodreads. I'll definitely be looking for the second book in 2020!

This is a story with so many wonderful elements, I eagerly jumped at the chance to review it. It did not disappoint. With a world formed around empires and magic, this novel is a page-turner that was really fun.

What I Liked:
World Building:

I really enjoyed the creative world in which this book is set. There are people who can shapeshift into animals, warriors, royalty, and mythical cities. I loved the "Inbetween" realm, where a city hides from their aggressive neighbors. And Min's secret abilities are exciting, and terrifying. All of these elements were rich details that added to the story.

Characters:

I really liked the strong women in this novel. Lu has been training her whole life to lead her nation. When it looks as if she won't get the chance, she doesn't accept this lying down. She takes action. The problem for Lu is that she doesn't anticipate how much resistance the men in her society have to the idea of a female ruler.

Min is harder to like. But she learns through the story to embrace her talents and take control. I did like that she went from an awkward, self-conscious young teen to an empress who demand respect.

Nok is a scrappy survivor. He is the last of his people, after Lu's father has all but wiped out anyone who can shapeshift into an animal form. Nok is also trying to understand his own abilities. Even though Nok is not the best fighter or charismatic of young men, he knows his own worth and demands respect from Lu. He will not be intimidated by Lu being a princess.

Set, although a thoroughly abhorrent human being, had a clear motive for his actions. I liked that he had a backstory that contributed to his actions.

Romance:

I loved the bittersweet romance between Lu and Nok. Considering how they were both from different stations, their love story was doomed from the start. But I loved that Nok accepted Lu for who she really was. He didn't assume she was a spoiled princess. Lu also saw Nok as a young man with plenty to offer other than power or position. I really rooted for them.

Story:

The story follows the power plays among the empire after the king dies. Will Set become the emperor? Or will Lu be able to overcome the sexism of her time and become the first girl king? I love the ceremony of the court, with all its pageantry. But I also love the everyday people and how they are affected by what the nobility does.

This was a fast-paced story that kept me guessing throughout the novel.

What I Was Mixed About:
Characters:

As much as I loved the strong characters, it took me a while (quite a while, actually) to like anyone in the novel. Every character had a mean streak. I suppose characters need to grow through the course of a story. But I found it difficult to empathize with Lu and Min, in particular, as they both were rather petty and self-centered. Lu did begin to change by the end of the book, and I loved her growth. I could not feel such a connection to Min.

I met Mimi at BookExpo in 2018 and she is so sweet and amazing (and has some pretty amazing tattoos) and it easily one of my highlights of the conference. But The Girl King has sat on my bookcase since June when in November I finally decided to give The Girl King a try and I made it about 20% before I put it to the side and said I would go back to it. It sucks when you are really excited for a book and then just don't love it. Sadly that was the case with The Girl King. It is beautifully written Asian inspired fantasy that will have you immersed from the first page. But my relationship with this book is: "It's not you, it's me."

The first few chapters I was really intrigued and eager to learn what was going on. Like I said, The Girl King is beautifully written and Mimi did not spare one second on building her characters. Each POV is distinctive and you could just tell by their voice whose POV you were reading from. The world is lush and the traditions are beautiful. Mimi created two sisters who are complete and total opposites and each with motives of their own for wanting the throne.

My biggest problem was that by 50% point of The Girl King nothing much had really happen. Where the book started off nicely with world building that made complete sense, but the halfway mark my head was spinning. This totally might be a me issue and maybe with The Girl King not being the book for me. But this book is almost 500 pages long, so by pretty much 250ish pages I really wasn't sure what was going on. The time frame also jumps a lot, so in Min's POV suddenly a month has passed by but it doesn't seem like that in Lu's POV at times.

Overall I really think The Girl King just wasn't for me and it was more of a me issue then the actual book. I do encourage you to pick this book up because it does contain beautiful writing and it has been loved by so many so far. I am excited to see what Mimi is going to write after The Girl King with all things considered.

This is the first time I will ever admit to a novel having too much going on for me to handle! Lu, the Emperor’s daughter destined to take the throne. Min, forever in her shadow and always trying to be the perfect lady. Two sisters who are very different. Everything gets turned upside down when the Emperor chooses their cousin, Set, as next to the throne.

"Myths are what common men call history distorted by time."

In a story of deceit, death, betrayal. and magic, is anyone safe? While on the run from Set, she runs into Nokhai, who happens to shapeshift into a wolf…and the only one left who can. While things quickly turn steamy between the two, history shows their “people” to be great enemies.

"Beauty was a weapon – one that required honing and care, like a sword. But also like a sword it could cut both ways."

Min was always the obedient one. Set to marry the new Emperor, she is suddenly surprised when she learns about a power she now yields. Both girls embark on a journey of their own, except what they want might lead to the destruction of the other.

"What is popular is not always what is right."

The action is non-stop and intense. I was engulfed in the novel the entire time I was reading it and actually wanted to read more than the allotted Buddy Read chapters per day. I’m excited for the sequel!

The Girl King is an East Asian inspired story full of fantasy elements, a magic system, and sisterly betrayal. The synopsis is really intriguing and I was invested in the plot, however this was a difficult review to write, because while there was a lot I liked about the book, there were also a few things I didn't enjoy. 

One of the things I liked was that I was never bored while reading. The pacing was well-done, and I never had a problem with the story capturing my attention. There were even a times when I had a hard time stopping and wanted to continue to read chapter after chapter. The story was told through three different character POVs: Lu, Min, and Nokhai. Each chapter was told in third person, which made it harder to connect with the characters. I liked reading Lu and Nokhai's chapters; I really loved Lu's narrative arc and Nok was such an interesting character that I hope to learn much more about in the next books!

Another aspect I really loved about The Girl King was the dichotomy of personality between Lu and Min, and how each sister changed and adapted to their situation as the book progressed. I wasn't a fan of Min's chapters, although I did appreciate her transition from a guileless and quiet young girl into arguably the antagonist. Her naivety and youth were frustrating to read, especially when it came to some of the choices she made, but I can't argue that she makes an intriguing character for upcoming sequels. 

I wanted to love The Girl King much more than what I did, but unfortunately there were a few aspects of the story that made it harder to connect with and enjoy. Despite the things I didn't like, there were quite a few that I did really like and so I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!

I wanted to like this book. When I saw the plot, I thought of Tamora Pierce and her magical, powerful girl characers. The Girl King could be a classic but with Asian identity and modern themes, something both nostalgic and fresh.

What it is instead is a diversion. It's a fun Mission: Impossible or James Bond read, with lots of fights and high world-ending drama, and because it's SFF, there's also lots of magic and shapeshifting and prophecy. Little of this goes below the surface, however. The plot rushes by too quickly for us to get much depth, since every other chapter has throats being slit and crossbow bolts whizzing by.

I love some good action, and the plot is a reasonable one. The emperor has only two daughters, and the eldest, Lu, means to rule as if she were a son. But through politics and treachery, her (male) cousin Set takes the throne instead. Lu is forced to go on the run, leaving behind everything--including her young, innocent sister Minyi. Lu knows the arts of war and swordfighting; Min may have the gifts of magic. And far to the north, orphan Nokhai may have the key to the shapeshifting gifts of his people.

Danger and romance! Politics and magic! Yu has the bones of a good idea, but she stumbles on the execution. There is a point at which a powerful sorcerer--previously able to hold off dozens of men by himself--is brought before the wicked usurper Set. But instead of killing him, the sorcerer just allows himself to be imprisoned. This is the flimsiest of plot armor, and for the villain no less. Sure, maybe characters are playing deep games of politics and magic, but I have little confidence that there is a plan grand enough to defy basic logic. After all, the book is littered with these instances of plot-induced bad decisions. Lu Confronted with the indisputable reality of magic, Minyi nonetheless wastes her time--and all of ours--pretending that certain events were "just dreams." Entering into negotiations with a potential ally, Lu seems unable to make basic inferences so that there can be exposition. It's a game of catch with the _idiot ball_ and it defanged most of the tension.

The romance is simultaneously predictable and uncomfortable. While it's no surprise that two characters thrown together and forced to endure a high-stakes quest will fall for each other, these two are on opposite sides not just of a war, but of a genocide. I would have liked to at least see a more thoughtful examination of this attraction. I also would have appreciated a more deliberate approach to the villain's romance subplot. The character who falls for him may be sheltered and browbeaten, but her infatuation is so naive that she seemed stupid rather than sympathetic. It is also clearly an abusive relationship, and I would have like a more nuanced, deliberate exploration of the topic.

Ultimately these objections to the romance come from a deeper objection to the characters. While they are reasonable as archetypes--the bold princess, the magical neophyte, the boy with a Dark Past--they never quite live and breathe as individuals. It's hard to connect to them because the emotional core of the story is so muddled. Unexpected reunions and sudden goodbyes are given no space to breathe with the relentless forward motion of the plot. There could be plenty of grit and power in those moments, too, which is all the more disappointing.

The writing is adequate to the story, but nothing to revel in, which is a large part of why the book (especially the first half) should have been far more concise. It's a hundred pages before we get to the crux of the matter promised by the cover blurb: Lu has to run away before she can take her crown. It's not that these hundred-plus pages are wasted, just that they end up feeling like a long preamble. But I'm sure the series will be long enough to make it proportional. This tendency toward increasingly lengthy books and series--thanks, G. R. R. Martin and J. K. Rowling--is popular nowadays, but it isn't always warranted. Yu needed a harsher editor to tighten up the story and the prose both, but the trend has instead given her a license to sprawl.

That being said, it's a fast read. It's pulp, and once I accepted that, it was a decent romp through some big battles. While regular literature has always had its beach reads, SFF has usually had what I think of as fireside reads, heftier, more plot-heavy books you curl up with once school or work is done and you can enjoy without bending your brain too much. The Girl King will never be a classic, but it's a cozy evening or two.

If you prefer some brain-bending, better options for YA would be Girls of Paper and Fire and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. Branching into adult SFF will get you Under Heaven, The Poppy War, and The Tiger's Daughter.

Review will be posted at https://geeklyinc.com/the-girl-king-review-action-action/ Dec 19th.

The Girl King was a highly anticipated 2019 book for me and it didn't disappoint.  Warnings for violence, death, addiction, and animal injuries/death.



Lu is Min's older sister and the future empress.  She's smart and tough, and often called The Girl King.  Their father favors Lu, but their mother can't really stand to be around her.  She favors Min and babies her.  Lu has been preparing to lead her people once her father no longer could.



Lu is surprised when her father announces Set, her cousin on her mother's side, to marry Lu.  Lu hates Set.  She has since they were young.  So she decides to challenge him instead.   While this is happening, Min starts hearing things inside her head.  Things that are negative and she has no idea what is going on.



Set gets soldiers to turn on Lu and they try to kill her.  She must run and meets up with a boy from her past.  Nok is a shapeshifter.  They were all thought to be dead or in prisons, but he's been living with a man since the Emperor's men killed almost everyone in his family.  Nok somehow turned into a wolf, but he has no idea how or why.  He can't control it.  He ends up on the run with Lu.  They remember each other from when they were young.  Lu has fond memories, but Nok has a hard time trusting her after what her father and his people did.



Min is left behind to marry Set.  Set has a man with him, Brother, that is sure that Min is the key to them getting all the power and control they want.  Min starts to see things, leaving her body and floating around unseen.  She doesn't trust the visions, but the darker person inside her is taking control more.  She's changing Min.



There is a lot of action and betrayal.  I don't want to get into much more without giving things away.  But there were a lot of times things shocked me.  It's hard to know who or what to trust at times.  There are the obvious bad people, but some of the things they did were still surprising.



I gave this one 5 stars.  Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a copy for review.

What I Liked
This is a gorgeous fantasy with three very relatable POV characters: Princesses Lu and Min, and apothecary apprentice Nokhai. From the start, they're all very relatable and very different. Each has flaws but you love them anyway. From the cutthroat imperial court to the simple tree-house of the village apothecarist to the sweeping northern steppes, this book kept dishing out the scenery and refused to stop.

What I Would Have Liked to See
Sometimes there would be so much going on, I'd get lost a little bit in the action.

My Favorite!
The culture and mythology of the Gifted. Be still my heart! I'm not sure about all of them, but I know for certain the Ashina were a Turkic tribe on the eastern Asian steppes, and in ancient texts are often referred to as "wolves." That the author incorporated real history into a fantasy novel is right up my alley, and I was surprised and pleased to see the Ashina brought into this story.

TL;DR
Suspenseful, political East Asian-inspired fantasy that will leave you ANGRY at the end that it's OVER and you have to wait for the second book to find out how things end!