The Spindle of Fate

The Spindle of Fate #1

by Aimee Lim

When Evie Mei discovers that her recently passed mother was the head of a guild of magical weavers, she enters the Chinese netherworld to try and bring her back in this middle-grade debut.

Twelve-year-old Evie Mei Huang never did like helping in her mom’s tailor shop. She hated helping to mend fraying clothes, how the measuring tape got all twisted up, and how pushy her mother’s clients were. Most of all, she hates that her mother is dead and isn’t here to help anymore.

But when the universe sends a life preserver, Evie knows to grab it. So yes, it’s weird when a talking monkey shows up and tells her that her plainspoken, hardworking tailor mother was actually the head of a Guild of magical weavers who can change the fate of a person with only a spool of thread. Very weird. But he also comes bearing news that her mother is trapped in Diyu, the Chinese underworld, and that only Evie can get her back. No pressure.

The important thing is that Evie’s mom isn’t dead. And if she’s got this one shot to bring her back and save her family, she’s got to take it.

Inspired by Chinese mythology, Aimee Lim’s debut middle grade peers into the dark and gritty underworld, while showcasing the unbreakable bond between a family and the lengths we’ll go to save them.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology, Audiobook, Adventure, Childrens, Grief

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2024

Reviews

[Gretchen Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to college with Aimee and she’s wickedly talented so not surprised this turned out to be a 5 star read!! Not only was it funny and empowering, but the Chinese mythology was fascinating and woven in incredibly well. Yay Aimee!

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biggest issue I had with this is that I want more of it. Seriously, that ended way too abruptly. I needed like another fifty pages at least.

Evie was strong-minded and stubborn about rescuing her mother. From the beginning, we know they had a difficult relationship but she still decides to do whatever she can to rescue her. However, there were so many loose ends over what was going on. So hopefully this is a series, because the guilds, the monkey, just all of it could be expanded upon and I have questions!

It was pretty entertaining and didn't drag so maybe that's why I'm left wondering where all the momentum went. We're led to believe one thing and the mysteries of Diyu were interesting and disgusting. I would have enjoyed lingering in those more, but maybe that would be too much for a young reader book. Otherwise, I would just want a better ending so that everything feels more wrapped up.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. More than I thought I was going to at first.

It started out feeling almost childish in tone and content. The characters felt very young and immature. But then once the story gets going, Evie Mei first gets an infusion of hope and determination, overcomes a series of obstacles, then eventually learns that she can't always get what she wants and has to learn to let go. At that point it feels aimed at a much older reader than it did in the beginning.

There is a lot more gore and heavy themes than I was intially expecting, and a lot more exploring grief and letting go.

I was a little taken aback by the twist at the very end, and I'm not sure how I feel about the ending emotional tone of play nice now, get revenge later. It feels like it undermines a lot of the lessons learned along the way. I assume it's setting up another story but I'm not sure if I will read it or not.

Thanks to Feiwel and Friends for providing an early copy for review.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute story and covered big themes. I think though there were still a ton of loose ends after reading between characters and plot. It does seem like it may have been set up to potentially have a sequel. I think the problem lies with too much was added then couldn’t be taken care of by the end. I think the title compared to the book should have been different because honestly the spindle of fate wasn’t important til the end and wasn’t really used at the end. I also think the queer rep at the very ending wasn’t tasteful imo just because she technically “outed” the boy in front of a ton of people and the boy didn’t even know… like🫠.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR: This was good but not super memorable. I think the cover is more memorable than the contents of the actual story.
Source: NetGalley, Thank you very much to the publisher!

Plot: Evie has to travel to the Underworld who has to save her mother who may or may not be dead. The final two twists or so were fun but it’s fairly straightforward as far as plot goes.
Characters: Very thin, and I think this was ultimately my issue. Everything except Evie was very, very surface level or a shadow of a character.
Setting: The settings were never super detailed for me or well drawn, but you could definitely get a sense of place from them.
Fantasy: This primarily takes place in the Chinese underworld which would definitely be a fun new thing for a middle grade kid to enjoy if they’ve never read it! I have unfortunately so it wasn’t anything wildly new but I can see a MG reader eating it up.

Thoughts:

The Spindle of Fate is the story of Evie Mei whose mother recently died. While doing an errand for her Father in their tailor shop below the apartment she finds a talking Monkey who informs her that it’s possible her Mother may not be dead and that her Mother was also the leader of a group of magical weavers. From there Evie seeks out the group, which includes her Aunt and then proceeds into the Underworld to find and rescue her Mother.

I’ll go ahead and say the most memorable part of this for me is probably the cover. The plot is fairly familiar, I’ve seen the like in Middle-Grade books before and it’s almost always a winner, but the execution here was not my favorite. The story really relies on you caring about if Evie Mei finds her mother and it moved so quickly and Evie was honestly fairly unlikeable so I couldn’t exactly connect enough to care. In addition all our side characters were SO thin, I wish we had more. Especially of Kevin, he was a gem and I wanted so much more of him and his story.

I finished this one and though ‘Huh. Well that was neat.’ and honestly forgot about it for a few days. I can see this working well for a new middle grade reader so I wouldn’t say it’s a total miss. However, I strongly disliked the sequel setup on this one, and Evie was just not my favorite type of character with no others around her to redeem the story.

3 out of 5 Spindles

[Frank Chillura (OhYouRead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding out you are descended from a god sounds very Percy Jackson coded, but is actually a common baseline for many mythology retellings. For Evie Mei Huang, she finds out in an… interesting and upsetting way.

While all of her adult family members are mourning the death (sans body) of her mother, Evie travels to the basement of her family home where she finds a talking monkey. Uncle Monk is a Yokai (a demon) and claims to be the being who delivered her mother to Diyu (Limbo) and is looking for a spindle of fate. The one her mother uses, supposedly. All things she has never heard about before. He says all of this immediately after wishing her a happy 12th birthday.

Instead of bringing this information to her father (who is grieving upstairs), she decides to go to her aunts house to ask her questions about her mother. This is where she finds out the truth. Their family is descended from a god who could weave fate and this power has been passed down generation after generation. Unfortunately, her mother has died before passing it on to her.

Evie still believes her mother is alive and the only way to save her is to travel to limbo and bring her back. That’s the real reason she’s come to see her aunt: to get help getting there.

This was a really quick read. It was fun, action filled and I read it in one sitting. I can see a middle schooler falling in love with the story and wanting to learn more about Chinese mythology. I love these kind of books, because it reignites my passion for retellings.

The audiobook was perfect. I got a copy of it from Hoopla (the library system), so check your local library to see if you can get it too.

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I judged this book by the cover and because of that, I was disappointed. I did go in almost blind to what was going to happen so that's on me. I knew this was about threads of fate and the MC having to go into the underworld to save her mom. What I didn't realize was that she wouldn't be using the thread to change her fate or do anything else cool like that. She didn't even know anything about her family's past and magical abilities which would have been fine... But I felt like we were going on a chase the whole way through the story and nothing substantial happened. There was less action and more focus on grief. I also never really cared for the companion she had to bring with her. Her friend would have been good but her sister would have been even better! I was also disappointed with the ending mostly because I think it could have been even more dramatic. Everything wasn't so neatly wrapped up and since this doesn't look like it would be a series it was a bit of a letdown. I still liked learning about the Chinese Underworld and thought Evie's voice was interesting. I just would have liked to see her use her abilities and have a resolved ending.

[Emily Zhao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spindle of Fate was gifted to me by a friend, and written by said friend’s friend’s sister. Congrats on the first novel, Aimee Lim!

Evie Mei Huang journeys into the Chinese underworld to bring back her mom, who may be dead or perhaps wrongfully trapped down there.

The adventure is full of action and creative depictions of hell, but what really gnawed at my heart was how Evie’s determination to save her mom was directly proportional to the amount of guilt she felt in disliking her mom while she was still “alive.”

“I loved her,” Evie confides to a random dead person in hell, “But sometimes, I feel like I don’t even have the right to say that. Because when she… when she was alive, I wasted so much time focusing on what I didn’t like about her.”

“You can love your mom even if you knew she had her flaws,” he responds, “In fact, the way I see it, that’s the only way you can really love anybody.”

🥺🥺🥺

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful middle grade fantasy novel based on Chinese mythology. When Twelve-year-old Evie Mei Huang finds out that her mother has been trapped in the underworld in spite of being alive, Evie realizes she must rescue her. What follows are exciting adventures in the Chinese land of the dead, with an ending that doesn’t pull any punches! Fantastic and funny adventures in the land where the dead expiate their sins before they are reincarnated into another life. Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy this book. From an advance copy on NetGalley.

[Chelsea]

The Spindle of Fate by Aimee Lim is a first person-POV Middle Grade contemporary fantasy with Chinese mythology. Evie has been stuck in her grief ever since her mother passed away and nobody in her family can really move on. When a talking monkey named Monk claims that Evie’s mother is still alive but is in Diyu, the Chinese mythology realm of the dead, Evie will do anything it takes to save her.

One thing that I thought was really cool was how we got to see how far Evie is going to go for her mother before we learned how complicated their relationship is. It really felt like we built up this image of Evie’s mother and their relationship only to learn that things were not what they appeared to be but Evie was still willing to do anything to save her mother. It’s really import to show young people examples of relationships that do have a lot of love but there are problems with it and sometimes they aren’t completely healthy and, at some point, it will need to be addressed. This gets even further complicated when Evie learns that not only did her mother have the Spindle of Fate, but because of a workaround that let her keep it, Evie’s father is unaware and there is a high chance Evie never would have learned as her mother chose Evie’s younger sister to be the heir.

Evie’s partner is Kevin, a boy whose family is part of the same order that Evie’s mother is and is supposed to protect the Spindle of Fate. When he asked for his reward to be the knowledge of who is at the other end of the Red String of Fate, I felt like I knew exactly where it was going to go and since I’d already seen the cover of the sequel, I then made an assumption that the sequel is going to be more romantic-leaning. And I was wrong. That is not where this went at all. Kevin’s desire to learn who is at the end of his String is tied to his parents and the untimely death of his father. I am curious who is on the cover of the next book now and what their relationship is going to be. I’d be excited to see Kevin again.

I would recommend this to fans of Middle Grade contemporary fantasy that utilizes mytholo

[Vivian Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie Mei Huang is twelve, and life’s been rough lately - her mum vanished in an accident, and though everyone says she’s gone, her body was never found. Then a demon in the form of a talking monkey shows up and drops a bombshell: Evie’s mum isn’t just a tailor, she’s the leader of a secret guild of magical weavers who can literally stitch fate. And she’s not dead, just trapped in the Chinese underworld by mistake. So naturally, Evie sets off on a mission to bring her mum back.

I absolutely loved Evie’s voice. She’s witty, funny and has just the right amount of snark to make you laugh even when the stakes are high. The story throws in some unexpected twists, and beyond the adventure, it also explores familial love and their imperfect yet unbreakable bonds. Evie’s emotional journey - from grief to grit to hope - feels real and heartfelt, and a few scenes definitely got me teary-eyed.

The Chinese mythology woven into the plot is such a treat. Evie is armed with the magical Staff of Mulian and joss money, which she uses in hilarious and clever ways. The underworld setting pays homage to diyu as depicted in Chinese myths, albeit with a modern twist and just enough eeriness to keep you on edge and the quest exciting.

Although it’s labelled middle grade, I reckon it’s better suited for upper MG readers due to some gore and heavier themes around loss and grief. The story also takes a darker turn towards the end that might be intense for younger kids. But for older readers, it’s an adventurous and emotionally rich ride.

[JoyAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have strong mixed feelings about this book.

I enjoyed the first 85% or so. I thought it had a good premise and some interesting characters and a unique setting.

I do not like it when a book veers directions in the last handful of chapters, and I do not like feeling like I had the rug pulled out from me as a reader. I get that life and art can do that to people, but I personally do not like that in books. Twists or turns are fine, but a complete change of emotional directions right at the end is not for me. But I will also recognize that I was emotionally invested in the characters which is why it upset me.

[Ashley Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a great novel written for children. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will add it to the list of books to read to my kids. I love the addition of Chinese lore.

[Corian Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the mythology element and strong of fate but most of it went too quickly. There was a lot of action but I didn’t completely understand what was happening all the time and I didn’t feel invested in the characters because there wasn’t much character building.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Evie Mei Huang's mother ran a tailor shop, but recently disappeared and has been declared dead. Her grandmother has been helping out, but needs to return to her regular job at a beauty salon, so her father is trying his best to hold both the household and the business together. Evie is watching out for her younger sister Mona, and her best friend Thida is being quietly supportive. When cleaning the shop, Evie is approaching by a talking money, who is really a demon and a supernatural private detective. Or so he says. He says that Evie's mother is still alive, but being held in Dìyù, the Chinese underworld. There is even a note from her mother which uses the same phrase that her mother always uses on her lunch noes. This is not the news that Evie needs on her twelfth birthday, and she goes to talk to her Aunt Kathy only to find her in the middle of a meeting of the Secret Society of Weavers, having a memorial service for Evie's mother. Aunt Kathy is pregnant, so she can't go to the underworld to find her sister. The society members all have their own reasons for not going, so Evie is the only choice. She does have backup from Kevin, who volunteers in exchange for finding out who his soulmate will be. The two travel into the underworld by a portal painting and start their quest. The Spindle of Fate can't be used to change the user's own destiny, but Evie has some magical help; her mother made her a talisman when she was born, and she hopes to use a Spool to find her mother. There are plenty of adventures, like swimming across a pool of blood, and while Evie finds out some dire secrets about her family, the outlook is grim for retrieving her mother. How will Evie and her family move on?
Strengths: Evie is a self assured character who is willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of her family, even on her birthday. She isn't happy about it, but willing to do anything to get her mother back. She works well with Kevin, and listens to all of the elders, even when she doesn't like what they suggest. The quests have some new challenges; swimming across a pool of blood was a new one to me, since I don't know that I've read any other books with depictions of Dìyù. Uncle Monk was an intriguing demon, and I wish we had seen more of him. While the ending isn't necessarily happy, everything is wrapped up in a way that makes sense.
Weaknesses: This gets really dark near the end, with a murder and a few rather heart wrenching details, so I don't know that I would hand this to younger elementary students. Also, I am never a fan of using stereotypes, and at one point Evie opines that they should "pull a Karen".
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like portal fantasies and magical quests like Villanueva's Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors, Cacao's The Secret of the Ravens, or Hendrix's Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie doesn't get along with her mother, who is stubborn and exacting and devoted to their family's tailor shop, and to working hard and urging Evie to work hard. Evie has no interest in being a tailor, for one thing. She kind of wishes her mom's sister, a Vegas showgirl on maternity leave, were her mother. But when her mother dies, Evie's world falls apart. Then it falls into a completely different shape when she learns her mother was head of a mystical clan of weavers, responsible for the Spindle of Fate that shapes lives; one of a myriad of mystical clans Evie has never heard of. She also learns, from an unscrupulous talking monkey-demon, that her mother is not actually dead, but stuck in Diyu, the Chinese underworld. Someone will have to brave the ten perilous courts of Diyu to try to rescue Evie's mother, and Evie knows it must be her. Having only realized how much she loved her mother after losing her, Evie knows this is her one chance to put things right. Accompanied by an optimistic and surprisingly resourceful boy from the Warrior clan, plus a mystical staff to ward off demons, Evie heads to Diyu.

I love fantasy, but of all the Rick Riordan books I've read, my least favorite were the ones in which they traverse the underworld and/or Tartarus, because hell is Not Fun. Same goes here; nothing is easy for Evie and Kevin (I think that's his name), and often it's horrendous. It's a great evocation of Chinese mythology, though, and I know a lot of kids will appreciate seeing all those elements of their heritage in play here. I also appreciated the exploration of Evie's relationship with her mother, and how far you'll go to rescue family. There's a lot of nuance there. The ending was surprising, and clearly this is intended to be book one of a series. I think I can easily booktalk this one. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.

[Nancy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an intriguing premise: 12 year old Evie Mei Huang has just lost her mom. Their relationship was a complicated one, but when Evie is visited at her mom’s tailor shop by a talking monkey bearing news that mom ISN’T actually dead (stick with me here), she sets out to find out the truth about her mom’s secrets and to rescue her from the Chinese underworld, called Diyu.

What worked:
- The author, a debut novelist named Aimee Lim, gave such an engaging voice to Evie. She’s sharp and funny, with a quick temper, and also with a sensitivity that she tries to hide.
- Lim writes excellent dialogue - I laughed out loud at some of the exchanges, especially between Evie and her friend Thida, who is a hoot.
- The set up of the Gold Mountain Guilds and the Weaver clan has definitely piqued my interest. I would have loved more details about this world but I can only imagine Lim is setting that up for subsequent books in a series.
- So refreshing to read a middle grade novel without profanity or vulgar language.
- One of the best things about the book was the exploration of the mother-daughter relationship between Evie and her mom, Dawn.

What didn’t work:
- I thought the plot actually lost steam once Evie arrives in the underworld. In theory, this should have been driving the plot forward with increased tension. However, the descriptions of the Ten Courts, each one more bizarre than the next and without one whit of connection to each other, read less like creativity and more like disjointed randomness. Notable exception was Court 7, the Tower of Viewing Home. Chilling.
- On practically the last page of the book they introduce a main character as LGBTQ and it’s a no for me. It doesn’t work.
- I think the courts would have been scarier had they focused less on grossness and gore and more on psychological distress.

[Karen Cohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spindle of Fate is a fantasy novel based on Chinese mythology - specifically, how Chinese mythology relates to the afterlife. Evie Mei Huang is the daughter of a well-known tailor and clothing designer who goes mysteriously missing and is presumed dead - that is, until a mysterious talking monkey-like spirit appears, and tells Evie that her mother was taken mistakenly, and is the Courts of the afterlife. The monkey-spirit wants Evie to go on a quest through the Courts, to bring her mother's spirit back to rejoin her body before it's too late. The spirit tells Evie about the various Guilds populated by people with special abilities, something she never knew about, although the spirit assumed that she did - after all, her mother is the head of the Weavers' Guild.

This is a fun fantasy adventure, with a 12 year-old, female main character, and a teenage boy, Kevin, as her assistant - a member of the Warrior Guild, another Guild Evie had never heard of, and the only person who would volunteer to go with her. That this knowledge comes after Evie's mother's apparent death adds to her surprise, as do the things she learns about her mother, and herself, as the story progresses. This fast-paced novel is recommended for readers middle school through adult, especially those who enjoy fantasy, mythology, or both.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[caffeinated_reads3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's just get this straight - I definitely enjoyed this book by Aimee Lee! It's a coincidence that I had recently read Elizabeth Lim's Reflection, the retelling of Disney's animated movie, Mulan. So there were some similarities to these stories. Both are fantasies that include Chinese mythology of what happens after death in the underworld, and include a strong FMC that is on a journey throughout the underworld to save someone that they love.

The Spindle of Fate on it's own speaks about a young FMC who learns after her supposed Mother's untimely death, that her family has been involved in a network of supernatural societies with her own Mother as one of the society's leader. If you couldn't tell by the title of this book, the family's talent is related to weaving, and they could change someone's fate through this magical talent. The FMC with a sidekick venture through the underworld that has changed with the modern times. They face challenges at each level of the underworld to find her Mother. There is a lovely little twist in the end which I am not even sure I could have guessed.

Aimee Lim's debut is a wonderful story that even as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed. This is a middle grade fantasy, and does not contain romance or overtly in your face violence. I am very appreciative of Netgalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for this advanced copy for a review.

[Rachael Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I dive into my review and thoughts, I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to have an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, so let's get into it.

This book was kind of an emotional gut punch. It was far heavier in theming than I expected but it was incredibly well done. It was dark and gritty and showed a lot of the angst and anger the 12 year-olds are going through, not only as they start to reach puberty but also when it comes to loss and grief.

I will say, I am not certain the summary really prepared me for the story I read. I often read middle grade and YA when I want something fun and whimsical. This was a bit more Dante's Inferno meets red string of fate; but not in a bad way. I think it's a good way to approach the subject of family loss and finding one's place. It also shows a character who has to grow up a lot and bear the a weight they were unprepared for. I think this book shows pre-teens and young adults it's okay to be angry and we all grieve in our own ways and sometimes we have to go through our own trials in order to find our way to the other side.

This book was really well done and hope others receive it well. It's got some heart wrenching moments, but its worth the read.

[Tory · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spindle of Fate is a middle grade fantasy adventure steeped in Chinese mythology. Evie has just lost her mom, her little sister is despondent, her dad is struggling to hold it together, and no one has even remembered her birthday. It feels like a stupid thing to care about, but grief is strange. But then a monkey appears in Evie’s mom’s sewing workshop with a gift that’s from her mom. And suddenly Evie has the option to try to save her using a magic red thread of fate.

This novel is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson. It’s got humor mixed with serious emotion, a rich fantasy world right under the nose of the “real world,” and a cast of interesting characters who fill out the world. The characters have a depth of motivation beyond the basics. They are the driving force for the story, along with the classic big bad battles, sneaking into forbidden places, and outsmarting tricksters. Anyone interested in Chinese mythology and fun adventures will enjoy this read.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I will say that I think our oldest daughter will love this book. But it just fell a little flat for me.

I love the premise and world building. I love how the friendships are done. I love the adventure to find mom aspect. I think the main character is a very fun middle grade heroine. It has a very Alice in Wonderland vibe, which I liked as well.

I think maybe it just needed to be polished off more for me? I'm not sure. I think I just wanted... more from this book. The ending was a little abrupt too, but laid the groundwork for the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

[Marylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie is devastated when her mom dies in a drowning accident. But she is stunned when a mysterious scroll claims her mother is still alive but stuck in Diyu (a Chinese version of hell.) The only person willing to go with her through Diyu to rescue her mother is another kid, Kevin. Together they enter Diyu and begin their search.
I really enjoyed this book. Evie is a determined and likeable character, and Kevin turns out to have unexpected strengths. The story is well written. Their quest is suspenseful and fast paced. The family dynamics are also done in a pleasing way.
I received this book in exchange for a review from Netgalley and Macmillan's Children's. I received no compensation for my review. All opinions are my own.

[g. haron davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an extremely fun read, which you might not expect when dealing with the topic of parental death and traveling to hell. Evie is an engaging, precocious, smart kid who is determined to save her recently deceased mother from Dìyù. I love that even through all of her anger and frustration and disagreements with her mother, it's extremely obvious how much she truly, deeply cares about her mom, and just how many of her complaints about her mom are traits she herself embodies.

it's a brilliant fantasy story with a lot of heart. I've felt all these feelings personally as someone who has lost their mother, so Evie's struggles felt so familiar. Lim really effortlessly weaves (pun intended) humor and grief into something anyone can connect with.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on Chinese mythology, this is the story of 12-year-old Evie whose mother has gone missing and is presumed dead. Much to Evie's surprise, she discovers that her mom had actually been the head of a guild of magical weavers and held the spindle of fate. So she wasn't really dead but had been sent to the underworld so somebody else could try to get the spindle away from her. Evie sets off to the underworld, determined to rescue her mother!

Lots of action, adventure, and humor along the way. However, there is also grief and loss as the family struggles to come to terms with what has happened to mom - one way or another. Main character is solid but secondary ones could be fleshed out a little more. Ending leaves room for a sequel.

[Ksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars

This was such a fantastic and fast paced read! This is based on Chinese mythology, and also explores death of a loved one, grief, family bonds, and more. Every character is unique and strong willed.

This is also the only novel I can think of that I've read that explores Chinese mythology. And I loved how real it felt. I could easily picture the Courts as Evie searches for her mom. Not to mention that the mysterious Guilds felt like they actually exist in today's world.

I would love a short story continuation after how it concluded, but I also think this is a solid novel without it. What an overall fantastic and magical read!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems like it would appeal to fans of Percy Jackson insofar as having middle-grade protagonists who explore the Chinese-mythology version of hell. I like that the author incorporates snags in parent-child relationships with the message that, even if we complain about each other, we love each other and are doing our best to communicate across the gap. The book also includes a depiction of grief and dealing with grief that is age appropriate. I think the book skillfully manages ideas about life, death, and "fate," in a way that is realistic yet still hopeful, especially in a children's book.

[Jaelynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

A beautiful middle grade fantasy adventure exploring family, love, loss, and mythology.

I really enjoyed this book, even if parts did get me a bit emotional. The mythology connections were well done, and I loved the way the underworld was portrayed! Most of this book hit a great balance of adventure, creepiness, and humor.

I do have mixed feelings about the ending and a few related things about the main character, but I like the way it sets things up for a sequel, and I look forward to seeing how things progress!

Thank you to Libro.fm's librarian program for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook!

[Tearling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since early this year I've been in a book slump where everything I read was DNF-ed halfway and sometime did not even reach halfway.

That's why me myself is in disbelief that this MG succesfully drag me, a 34 years old woman out of book slump. That's how good it is.

This book is fast paced and engaging I didn't even realize I almost reach the ending. I like the main characters and everyone in the book (except that one particular character of course) and will definitely read the sequel (if any).

Feel so delightful that I finally finished a book without forcing myself to do so! Yeay, thank you, Aimee Lim!