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Talons #1
Сделка на смерть
Кто ты, Лина? Жалкая воровка из трущоб? Убийца, которая поклялась вырезать сердце Крысолова? Единственная из смертных,кому достался дар древнего змея имуги?
В твоих дерзких глазах я найду ответ.
Кто ты, Руи? Коварный хозяин зачарованной флейты?
Жестокий король тайного королевства демонов-токкэби? Вечно юный бессмертный, обреченный на одиночество?
В твоих насмешливых глазах я найду ответ.
Американка корейского происхождения Софи Ким создает завораживающий мир, в котором оживают корейские мифы, а легенда о гамельнском крысолове раскрывается с неожиданной стороны.
В твоих дерзких глазах я найду ответ.
Кто ты, Руи? Коварный хозяин зачарованной флейты?
Жестокий король тайного королевства демонов-токкэби? Вечно юный бессмертный, обреченный на одиночество?
В твоих насмешливых глазах я найду ответ.
Американка корейского происхождения Софи Ким создает завораживающий мир, в котором оживают корейские мифы, а легенда о гамельнском крысолове раскрывается с неожиданной стороны.
Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
209 people are currently reading
26726 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Kim
6 books968 followersSophie Kim is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of stories that feature mythology, monsters, mystery, and magic. Her critically acclaimed work includes young adult novels such as the Talons series, as well as books on the adult spectrum such as The God and the Gumiho.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 682 reviews
December 19, 2022
my heart is saying this is worth a 4, but my head says its a 3. :/
why it should be a 4 - i enjoyed the seamless of combination of various korean myths. the world-building is exciting, the characters are interesting, and the story is very readable overall.
why it should be a 3 - its quite obvious that this is a debut. there are a lot of overused tropes and everything feels surface level/basic.
meh. i guess im gonna go with my heart on this one and round up because i sure do love korean mythology.
↠ 3.5 stars
why it should be a 4 - i enjoyed the seamless of combination of various korean myths. the world-building is exciting, the characters are interesting, and the story is very readable overall.
why it should be a 3 - its quite obvious that this is a debut. there are a lot of overused tropes and everything feels surface level/basic.
meh. i guess im gonna go with my heart on this one and round up because i sure do love korean mythology.
↠ 3.5 stars
Want to read
May 27, 2021I am getting Goblin vibes and that definitely makes this book one of my most anticipated, but what about every detail we currently have:
- a new YA fantasy trilogy
- a pied piper retelling
- inspired by Korean mythology
- about an assassin who has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead (so enemies to lovers ahhhhh)
If that’s not exciting I don’t know what is 🤧
- a new YA fantasy trilogy
- a pied piper retelling
- inspired by Korean mythology
- about an assassin who has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead (so enemies to lovers ahhhhh)
If that’s not exciting I don’t know what is 🤧
July 12, 2022
➵ loved everything about this. everything. rtc.
January 5, 2023
4.5 stars
Rui can run me over, spit in my mouth, and use me as a personal punching bag.
Rui can run me over, spit in my mouth, and use me as a personal punching bag.
November 15, 2022
3.5 ⭐
Last of the Talons is a new YA fantasy series, a Pied Piper retelling. It follows a teen assassin Shin Lina as she ends up in a dream like world Dokkaebi and is forced to either kill the emperor or lose her own life.
The story was pretty cool, and we got several things I really liked, including mythology, a bit of magic, many secrets and twists, and of course - a dash of romance. I would certainly love to continue the series and see where they all go in the next installments, especially since we got quite some teasers to keep me interested.
That doesn't mean, though, that this book was perfect. It fell into several typical YA pitfalls. It was, however, the author’s debut, so I expect for the following instalments to just keep getting better.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of Last of the Talons by Sophie Kim in exchange for an honest review.
Last of the Talons is a new YA fantasy series, a Pied Piper retelling. It follows a teen assassin Shin Lina as she ends up in a dream like world Dokkaebi and is forced to either kill the emperor or lose her own life.
The story was pretty cool, and we got several things I really liked, including mythology, a bit of magic, many secrets and twists, and of course - a dash of romance. I would certainly love to continue the series and see where they all go in the next installments, especially since we got quite some teasers to keep me interested.
That doesn't mean, though, that this book was perfect. It fell into several typical YA pitfalls. It was, however, the author’s debut, so I expect for the following instalments to just keep getting better.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of Last of the Talons by Sophie Kim in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
May 25, 2021(1) this is an enemies-to-lovers romance and (2) the love interest is the EMPEROR. so i'll be adding it :)
(source: the author's tweet)
why the hell isn't it 2023 yet
"an #Ownvoices fantasy, pitched as inspired by Korean mythology, in which a teen assassin has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead"
(source: the author's tweet)
why the hell isn't it 2023 yet
June 15, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"I am a trained assassin. Skilled and versed in every weapon and poison imaginable. This is just another assignment…only with higher stakes."
I'm going to start by talking briefly about YA as a genre. I think sometimes I come into young adult fantasy expecting it to be something it's not. YA is actually more than just a genre, it's a style, with familiar tropes and plot conventions. And that is absolutely okay. It's true that I have some problems with the more...ah...annoying (?) pitfalls of YA (I'm looking at you, insta-love) but overall the genre has so much good to offer. Some of my favorite on-page romances aren't from romance novels at all, but from YA; the backdrop under which love interests get to know each other tends to be higher-stakes in YA (think: the world is ending and it's up to them to save it) verses a classic romance (think: she lost her job and moves to a seaside town to find herself).
So my ramble takeaway is this: when I stop clenching my teeth over the little things, young adult fantasy can pack a ton of goodness.
Like this!
"A small part of me whispers that if he wasn't a dangerous Dokkaebi, I'd be more than ready to join him for dinner."
Without taking a walk down spoiler lane, the premise of Last of the Talons is this: Lina, a trained assassin who’s gone through a few very rough years, finds herself in a situation where she must kill a dangerous and powerful emperor in order to save her sister. What follows as a story of cunning, fighting, and yes, all the aforementioned angsty love I really could read endlessly. I am a huge fan of any story where the MC is tasked with killing the love interest (Brian Staveley's Skullsworn comes to mind), not only because it's delicious, but because it makes the stakes that much more insurmountable. How will she ever overcome this? She loves him but she's supposed to kill him!
I think the book could have stood on that premise alone, but Sophie Kim treats us to unique worldbuilding, the integration of mythology and folklore, a tragic MC backstory, and well-developed cast of side characters. The story tends to change quickly as well - you think it's going one way, and it is very much not.
Five stars, I say. Give it a read.
As a fellow fantasy author, I only rate books I actually enjoy and recommend. If I don't love something, I won't review it! You can find more/follow me on my Instagram, Twitter, or here on Goodreads.
"I am a trained assassin. Skilled and versed in every weapon and poison imaginable. This is just another assignment…only with higher stakes."
I'm going to start by talking briefly about YA as a genre. I think sometimes I come into young adult fantasy expecting it to be something it's not. YA is actually more than just a genre, it's a style, with familiar tropes and plot conventions. And that is absolutely okay. It's true that I have some problems with the more...ah...annoying (?) pitfalls of YA (I'm looking at you, insta-love) but overall the genre has so much good to offer. Some of my favorite on-page romances aren't from romance novels at all, but from YA; the backdrop under which love interests get to know each other tends to be higher-stakes in YA (think: the world is ending and it's up to them to save it) verses a classic romance (think: she lost her job and moves to a seaside town to find herself).
So my ramble takeaway is this: when I stop clenching my teeth over the little things, young adult fantasy can pack a ton of goodness.
Like this!
"A small part of me whispers that if he wasn't a dangerous Dokkaebi, I'd be more than ready to join him for dinner."
Without taking a walk down spoiler lane, the premise of Last of the Talons is this: Lina, a trained assassin who’s gone through a few very rough years, finds herself in a situation where she must kill a dangerous and powerful emperor in order to save her sister. What follows as a story of cunning, fighting, and yes, all the aforementioned angsty love I really could read endlessly. I am a huge fan of any story where the MC is tasked with killing the love interest (Brian Staveley's Skullsworn comes to mind), not only because it's delicious, but because it makes the stakes that much more insurmountable. How will she ever overcome this? She loves him but she's supposed to kill him!
I think the book could have stood on that premise alone, but Sophie Kim treats us to unique worldbuilding, the integration of mythology and folklore, a tragic MC backstory, and well-developed cast of side characters. The story tends to change quickly as well - you think it's going one way, and it is very much not.
Five stars, I say. Give it a read.
As a fellow fantasy author, I only rate books I actually enjoy and recommend. If I don't love something, I won't review it! You can find more/follow me on my Instagram, Twitter, or here on Goodreads.
Want to read
October 26, 2021we love sexy dokkaebi emperor love interests with long luscious locks in this house
October 14, 2022
I wanted to like this book so, so bad. From the description, to the cover, to the enemies to lovers trope I knew this book would be dripping with, I thought this book would be everything I wanted and more. Sadly, it wasn't. It fell short, it didn't hit right, it just had too many flaws for me to thoroughly and unabashedly enjoy.
My biggest gripe was Lina, the supposed Reaper of Sunpo. On almost every page I was reading and hearing about how Lina was the Reaper, she killed, she maimed, she stole, she was the best assassin around and she had nothing to prove to anyone... except the reader. Not once (except for at the very end, after she's magically enhanced) was this ever shown to me, it was merely told. There was nothing, other than her recollection, to throw me into this, to see Lina's power, to believe that she was this powerful woman who had a city in the palm of her hand.
And an addition to that, to her being a master assassin, was... was she though? Throughout the story, Lina is duped, Lina is followed, Lina is one step behind. She is this masterful, trained, skilled, talented assassin, a part of a legendary gang, and yet she can't even control her facial expressions! Multiple times she says how she couldn't, how people could see what she was thinking or feeling. And this could've been avoided by giving us one moment with her on a job, an assassination, an instance where she needed to pretend with someone other than her Love Interest. Because we all want to see professional walls come down around the LI, so we know she is taken back by him, that she doesn't normally act like this on a job. But we were told, not shown.
Another part of this disbelief that she was a great assassin was she couldn't think of a creative way to kill the Emperor. Instead, she does the worst thing a female protagonist could do in this situation. She immediately resorts to seducing him.
Girl, what.
You are this powerful woman, this assassin, this killer, trained in this line of work and the first instinct you have... is to seduce him? I get it, Haneul Rui is attractive, but this was before she viewed him that way, before she was attracted to him. To see a woman reduce herself to sexualizing and tossing aside her skillset was so shocking. Especially when the culture of this world was never set up to be that way. At least not from what I read. It invalidates her, reduces her, and was all around a disappointing moment. I thought that at least I'd see a few creative failed attempts.
I think also playing into this, this reducing women to their sexuality and gender is also how Lina always interacted with women, and even how other women were written. Lina did not get along with a single woman, and the two she did that weren't her sister were dead. And the interactions with those two were very, very limited (one flashback). Whenever women were described there was this critical eye over them, constantly overanalyzing what they did, and there was always hostility between any woman and Lina, they could never just... interact. The men were nicer than the women were, and the descriptors of them were less critical. The men (Kang, Rui, even Kalmin) were multi-faceted. The women were one note. Seductress, loyal second hand, haughty and aloof, little sister. Kind of a let down from a story where the MC is a (supposed!) master assassin. You'd expect better writing for the women than the men (at least I would).
A part of Lina's assassin background that I did like, a part that carried weight, was how her trauma followed her. Her found family were ghosts at her back, plaguing her whenever she found a moment of peace before she found her way into the Emperor's realm. These ghosts were the voices of her loss, her grief, her guilt, she carried it all. And even her own grief, when it wasn't from her family, was a ghost in her own head, keeping her awake, plaguing her. It made me feel so sorry for her, curious as to what happened, sorry for what did happen. This quickly disappeared though once we arrived in the Emperor's realm. That plaguing voice was gone and never mentioned again, same with the ghosts. The one aspect I enjoyed early on was gone too soon.
I liked Rui the entire book, he even apologized when he took away Lina's autonomy (a rare thing to see men do in a romantic novel) (spoilers) until he admitted he raised taxes because his girlfriend died??? What! C'mon man. You were snarky and fun and now you're just kind of an absolute dick. And the fact that this was so glossed over (because those that were unjustly taxed were the villains) just soured his character. I get it, you're a rich boy, but normally something like that is addressed, normally it drives a rift between the two love interests (one of which was raised poor, on the streets, and probably saw this happen to her own community). But no. Kissing!
The descriptions, however, were stunning. I was able to picture everything Sophie Kim described easily, in vibrant color, in vivid images. I think it's one of the reasons I couldn't put this book down was, despite its flaws, I was easily able to fall into the world, to imagine it and the characters making their way through the story. The way the descriptors flowed, how I was constantly and beautifully told about the surroundings was pleasant and lovely.
The dialogue between Lina and Rui was enjoyable, quick and quippy, fun and dangerous. I did want them to kiss so badly. The tension between them could have been cut with a (recently stolen) blade.
I do believe that some harder editing should have been done too. Continuity errors are abundant, a horse is referred to as a stallion then referred to as a mare, a character tells his court to "dance until sunrise" in a realm where there is only a moon. The same lines are uses too many times, to the point I nearly kept a tab of them all and how many times used: She cocked her head, she choked back bile, she rolled her shoulders. Sometimes these would be used three sentences apart, repetitively.
To finish is off... fatphobia? In 2022? Really? Please reevaluate how you describe fat bodies vs thin ones.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
My biggest gripe was Lina, the supposed Reaper of Sunpo. On almost every page I was reading and hearing about how Lina was the Reaper, she killed, she maimed, she stole, she was the best assassin around and she had nothing to prove to anyone... except the reader. Not once (except for at the very end, after she's magically enhanced) was this ever shown to me, it was merely told. There was nothing, other than her recollection, to throw me into this, to see Lina's power, to believe that she was this powerful woman who had a city in the palm of her hand.
And an addition to that, to her being a master assassin, was... was she though? Throughout the story, Lina is duped, Lina is followed, Lina is one step behind. She is this masterful, trained, skilled, talented assassin, a part of a legendary gang, and yet she can't even control her facial expressions! Multiple times she says how she couldn't, how people could see what she was thinking or feeling. And this could've been avoided by giving us one moment with her on a job, an assassination, an instance where she needed to pretend with someone other than her Love Interest. Because we all want to see professional walls come down around the LI, so we know she is taken back by him, that she doesn't normally act like this on a job. But we were told, not shown.
Another part of this disbelief that she was a great assassin was she couldn't think of a creative way to kill the Emperor. Instead, she does the worst thing a female protagonist could do in this situation. She immediately resorts to seducing him.
Girl, what.
You are this powerful woman, this assassin, this killer, trained in this line of work and the first instinct you have... is to seduce him? I get it, Haneul Rui is attractive, but this was before she viewed him that way, before she was attracted to him. To see a woman reduce herself to sexualizing and tossing aside her skillset was so shocking. Especially when the culture of this world was never set up to be that way. At least not from what I read. It invalidates her, reduces her, and was all around a disappointing moment. I thought that at least I'd see a few creative failed attempts.
I think also playing into this, this reducing women to their sexuality and gender is also how Lina always interacted with women, and even how other women were written. Lina did not get along with a single woman, and the two she did that weren't her sister were dead. And the interactions with those two were very, very limited (one flashback). Whenever women were described there was this critical eye over them, constantly overanalyzing what they did, and there was always hostility between any woman and Lina, they could never just... interact. The men were nicer than the women were, and the descriptors of them were less critical. The men (Kang, Rui, even Kalmin) were multi-faceted. The women were one note. Seductress, loyal second hand, haughty and aloof, little sister. Kind of a let down from a story where the MC is a (supposed!) master assassin. You'd expect better writing for the women than the men (at least I would).
A part of Lina's assassin background that I did like, a part that carried weight, was how her trauma followed her. Her found family were ghosts at her back, plaguing her whenever she found a moment of peace before she found her way into the Emperor's realm. These ghosts were the voices of her loss, her grief, her guilt, she carried it all. And even her own grief, when it wasn't from her family, was a ghost in her own head, keeping her awake, plaguing her. It made me feel so sorry for her, curious as to what happened, sorry for what did happen. This quickly disappeared though once we arrived in the Emperor's realm. That plaguing voice was gone and never mentioned again, same with the ghosts. The one aspect I enjoyed early on was gone too soon.
I liked Rui the entire book, he even apologized when he took away Lina's autonomy (a rare thing to see men do in a romantic novel) (spoilers) until he admitted he raised taxes because his girlfriend died??? What! C'mon man. You were snarky and fun and now you're just kind of an absolute dick. And the fact that this was so glossed over (because those that were unjustly taxed were the villains) just soured his character. I get it, you're a rich boy, but normally something like that is addressed, normally it drives a rift between the two love interests (one of which was raised poor, on the streets, and probably saw this happen to her own community). But no. Kissing!
The descriptions, however, were stunning. I was able to picture everything Sophie Kim described easily, in vibrant color, in vivid images. I think it's one of the reasons I couldn't put this book down was, despite its flaws, I was easily able to fall into the world, to imagine it and the characters making their way through the story. The way the descriptors flowed, how I was constantly and beautifully told about the surroundings was pleasant and lovely.
The dialogue between Lina and Rui was enjoyable, quick and quippy, fun and dangerous. I did want them to kiss so badly. The tension between them could have been cut with a (recently stolen) blade.
I do believe that some harder editing should have been done too. Continuity errors are abundant, a horse is referred to as a stallion then referred to as a mare, a character tells his court to "dance until sunrise" in a realm where there is only a moon. The same lines are uses too many times, to the point I nearly kept a tab of them all and how many times used: She cocked her head, she choked back bile, she rolled her shoulders. Sometimes these would be used three sentences apart, repetitively.
To finish is off... fatphobia? In 2022? Really? Please reevaluate how you describe fat bodies vs thin ones.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
August 28, 2022
This was a fun read. It has a bit of a rocky start, and I wasn't sure if it was going to be good or just okay, but it kept getting better and better as it went on.
There were some scenes that I loved so much and that were five star worthy, but as a whole this book is more four stars than five. I don't doubt that the sequel will hit five though, if it continues like this.
So, it's not just the slower start that's stopping it from being five stars, it's parts of the plot too.
Lina makes this bargain with Rui, if she kills him in fourteen days then she'll get to live, if not she dies. At first it felt like another inconvenience to derail her from her goal, but now that I finished the book I'm wondering why the bargain even had to happen in the first place. It doesn't make much sense.
And her original deal with someone else was a bit anticlimactic too.
I like Lina, even if she's a bit too trusting for who/what she is. Shes haunted by the ghosts of her past, and has self destructive ways to cope. Rui helps her through that, but she also helps herself (or maybe the Gods do? Depends on how we interpret that one scene).
Rui is perfectly fine as a love interest, but he purrs. Why does he purr? Once is okay, maybe even twice, but he keeps purring and every time he does I can't help but laugh. I like how much he cares for Lina though, it's sweet.
The rest of the characters were okay too, nobody really stood out to me, except Eunbi. She's adorable.
The best part is of course the mythology, the magic and that thing with the scales. I think that'll make the second book very chaotic and I'm so ready for that.
This one works fine on its own, it's pretty self contained so if you want to stop reading here you can, but it'll probably be more fun if you read the whole series. I know I sure will.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
There were some scenes that I loved so much and that were five star worthy, but as a whole this book is more four stars than five. I don't doubt that the sequel will hit five though, if it continues like this.
So, it's not just the slower start that's stopping it from being five stars, it's parts of the plot too.
Lina makes this bargain with Rui, if she kills him in fourteen days then she'll get to live, if not she dies. At first it felt like another inconvenience to derail her from her goal, but now that I finished the book I'm wondering why the bargain even had to happen in the first place. It doesn't make much sense.
And her original deal with someone else was a bit anticlimactic too.
I like Lina, even if she's a bit too trusting for who/what she is. Shes haunted by the ghosts of her past, and has self destructive ways to cope. Rui helps her through that, but she also helps herself (or maybe the Gods do? Depends on how we interpret that one scene).
Rui is perfectly fine as a love interest, but he purrs. Why does he purr? Once is okay, maybe even twice, but he keeps purring and every time he does I can't help but laugh. I like how much he cares for Lina though, it's sweet.
The rest of the characters were okay too, nobody really stood out to me, except Eunbi. She's adorable.
The best part is of course the mythology, the magic and that thing with the scales. I think that'll make the second book very chaotic and I'm so ready for that.
This one works fine on its own, it's pretty self contained so if you want to stop reading here you can, but it'll probably be more fun if you read the whole series. I know I sure will.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
April 6, 2025
« I cannot imagine what it is like, to live a life so peaceful, in such splendour, that one chooses to manufacture danger. Cannot imagine the privilege of being bored, for I have been fighting for my life for years - as an impoverished child… I have never been bored. I’ve never been given the chance. »
Ever read and book and think ; « YES - THIS IS WHY I READ. » ?
Because this was it for me.
This was so good and unique! I honestly didn’t know how things would unfold with the main plot.
The characters were 🔥!! Loved Lina very much. Her character development was well done. She’s been through so much… Rui was a really interesting MMC. I lovedddd the romance 😭.
It’s a really strong YA Fantasy. The feelings I had while reading this were very similar to the feelings I had while reading Throne of Glass. I really loved this story and can’t wait to read the rest!
« Peace. My heart pounds at the word. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt it before, in the world of the breathing. To have such a thing would be a luxury. I would treasure it above all else. »
Ever read and book and think ; « YES - THIS IS WHY I READ. » ?
Because this was it for me.
This was so good and unique! I honestly didn’t know how things would unfold with the main plot.
The characters were 🔥!! Loved Lina very much. Her character development was well done. She’s been through so much… Rui was a really interesting MMC. I lovedddd the romance 😭.
It’s a really strong YA Fantasy. The feelings I had while reading this were very similar to the feelings I had while reading Throne of Glass. I really loved this story and can’t wait to read the rest!
« Peace. My heart pounds at the word. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt it before, in the world of the breathing. To have such a thing would be a luxury. I would treasure it above all else. »
May 31, 2022
Thank you so much to Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
WOWWW that was freaking incredible omg. I can't believe this is a debut from Sophie Kim. I am in love with this book and I cannot wait until the next book in this series releases. YA fantasy is probably my favorite genre of all time and this book reminded me why I love the genre so much. It has all the tropes that I adore in a YA fantasy, including enemies-to-lovers, knife-to-throat, "I have to kill you," "Who did this to you," and more. One may argue that these tropes make it seem like every other enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy out there, but Sophie Kim integrates so many other elements, such as Korean folklore, multiple flashbacks, and incredible worldbuilding, to make this fantasy stand out on its own.
I loved following Lina as a main character. I'm a huge fan of female MC's in fantasies who are dagger-wielding assassins, and Lina did not disappoint. Her journey as a Talon to being forced to work for the Blackbloods, all while trying to make sure her younger sister, Eunbi (who is literally the cutest child I've read about in fantasy, even if we only got a few scenes with her) is safe and well-cared for was really intriguing to follow. The set-up of her assignment to kill Haneul Rui, the evil Dokkaebi emperor also known as The Pied Piper to the rest of Sunpo, was also super unique compared to other fantasies in which the MC is assigned to kill the love interest. Seeing Rui and Lina's relationship progress over the course of the novel made me so giddy. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat, and I truly cannot wait for this book to release! I think this may be my top read of the year so far :)
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WOWWW that was freaking incredible omg. I can't believe this is a debut from Sophie Kim. I am in love with this book and I cannot wait until the next book in this series releases. YA fantasy is probably my favorite genre of all time and this book reminded me why I love the genre so much. It has all the tropes that I adore in a YA fantasy, including enemies-to-lovers, knife-to-throat, "I have to kill you," "Who did this to you," and more. One may argue that these tropes make it seem like every other enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy out there, but Sophie Kim integrates so many other elements, such as Korean folklore, multiple flashbacks, and incredible worldbuilding, to make this fantasy stand out on its own.
I loved following Lina as a main character. I'm a huge fan of female MC's in fantasies who are dagger-wielding assassins, and Lina did not disappoint. Her journey as a Talon to being forced to work for the Blackbloods, all while trying to make sure her younger sister, Eunbi (who is literally the cutest child I've read about in fantasy, even if we only got a few scenes with her) is safe and well-cared for was really intriguing to follow. The set-up of her assignment to kill Haneul Rui, the evil Dokkaebi emperor also known as The Pied Piper to the rest of Sunpo, was also super unique compared to other fantasies in which the MC is assigned to kill the love interest. Seeing Rui and Lina's relationship progress over the course of the novel made me so giddy. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat, and I truly cannot wait for this book to release! I think this may be my top read of the year so far :)
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October 3, 2022
Lina: “I’ve been told I’m quite the assassin”.
Rui: “I was told that as well and I have to admit so far I’m disappointed. I was expecting something more.”
This is a weird way to start a review but let me explain. So first of all, I have the same reaction as Rui. Lina is supposed to be this amazing assassin in all the lands but I find that so hard to believe. We are told over and over how fierce and bad ass she is but she’s not even close, in my opinion.
She’s just talk and constantly viciously snarling snarling. Her best comebacks are just vulgar hand signs like flipping someone off. She comes off as a child. In that alone, we never see her kill anyone or do anything cool. She’s always caught and embarrasses herself. I just didn’t believe it. I’m super disappointed because I feel like the story is pretty good for the most part, minus the romance I kind of could have done without. I don’t know if I will continue the series but perhaps Lina will redeem herself in the next book? But even now it’s kind of too late because the ending makes it feel like cheating. I don't know if this is a spoiler at all but just in case I'm hiding this review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Rui: “I was told that as well and I have to admit so far I’m disappointed. I was expecting something more.”
This is a weird way to start a review but let me explain. So first of all, I have the same reaction as Rui. Lina is supposed to be this amazing assassin in all the lands but I find that so hard to believe. We are told over and over how fierce and bad ass she is but she’s not even close, in my opinion.
She’s just talk and constantly viciously snarling snarling. Her best comebacks are just vulgar hand signs like flipping someone off. She comes off as a child. In that alone, we never see her kill anyone or do anything cool. She’s always caught and embarrasses herself. I just didn’t believe it. I’m super disappointed because I feel like the story is pretty good for the most part, minus the romance I kind of could have done without. I don’t know if I will continue the series but perhaps Lina will redeem herself in the next book? But even now it’s kind of too late because the ending makes it feel like cheating. I don't know if this is a spoiler at all but just in case I'm hiding this review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
decided-not-to-read
May 24, 2023I'm having trouble understanding what's going on in this, even after listening for an hour and attempting to follow along with the text. This is my second attempt, but still, I have no idea what is going on or where I am, or what is happening here...
May 12, 2023
when her entire talon gang was eliminated, shin as the sole survivor lived her days with lots of guilt. with that, she began her new life as the reaper of sunpo. however, who she's working for is less than desirable. to protect her younger sister from kalmin, a crime lord, shin is forced to do everything he says, kill everyone he desires, steal whatever he wants. when shin stole a priceless tapestry from a dokkaebi temple, she's brought into the immortal realm to face haneul rui, the emperor who wants to be killed.
since this is based around korean culture and mythology, the take on dokkaebi was fun yet had a mysteriousness to it. i loved the exploration of the dokkaebi realm as well.
for the characters, i think rui might just be the character i'm most interested in knowing. he made killing him successfully a game. i kept reading because i wanted to know why and when his background story got more developed, i couldn't stop.
as mentioned before, guilt and grief are overriding her mind every single moment. the only time she's not thinking about that is when she's thinking about her younger sister whose life is in the hands of despicable people. i could feel her sorrows when she thought about the talons. they were her family and all that she knew. without them, she's missing pieces of herself.
i thoroughly enjoyed last of the talons. i want more of this enemies to lovers situation!! also, i can't wait to see what's next because that ending alluded that things will go crazy in the next book.
since this is based around korean culture and mythology, the take on dokkaebi was fun yet had a mysteriousness to it. i loved the exploration of the dokkaebi realm as well.
for the characters, i think rui might just be the character i'm most interested in knowing. he made killing him successfully a game. i kept reading because i wanted to know why and when his background story got more developed, i couldn't stop.
as mentioned before, guilt and grief are overriding her mind every single moment. the only time she's not thinking about that is when she's thinking about her younger sister whose life is in the hands of despicable people. i could feel her sorrows when she thought about the talons. they were her family and all that she knew. without them, she's missing pieces of herself.
i thoroughly enjoyed last of the talons. i want more of this enemies to lovers situation!! also, i can't wait to see what's next because that ending alluded that things will go crazy in the next book.
September 24, 2024
"Death does not die, and neither will you."
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: addiction, blood, death, death of a loved one, fatphobia*, gore, murder, sexual content, swearing, torture, violence.
*brief scene where an overweight character is seen as undesirable and described as waddling, rather than walking.
Actual Rating: 4.5✶
Oh. My. Gosh.
This was so good, guys. Like... wow.
It was very different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. At the very beginning of the book, I actually found myself struggling to get into it. I was just feeling kind of annoyed with the MC's rash behavior and finding it difficult to connect to the setting.
But then something clicked and as soon as it did, I didn't want to stop reading. I was intrigued by everything. The setting, the character dynamics, the banter; it was addictive. But beyond that... it was emotional, which I was not expecting in the least.
This is - more than anything - somehow a book about grief. About a character that has lost herself in all of her pain and regret, and learning to live again. As soon as I realized that, I would have given anything for Shin Lina. Suddenly, her rash behavior makes sense. Not only does it make sense, it becomes painful.
Even with that, there is an undercurrent of hope. Of learning to forgive and to grow, but it isn't done in a corny, obnoxious way. It's painful and slow and there are moments that are better than others. It's a realistic portrayal of grief and I loved it.
And the romance in this book. I haven't been this invested in a relationship in awhile. This couple had some of the dynamic I think people tried to convince themselves that Alina and the Darkling had.
Except Rui actually asks for consent. But let's not get into that 😌
I can't talk about Rui or I'll never shut up. I adore him. Best character I've read about this year. Easily.
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough. I loved practically everything about it and I need the next book now. Like, right now. I can't wait for this to come out so everyone can read it with me. You won't regret it.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: addiction, blood, death, death of a loved one, fatphobia*, gore, murder, sexual content, swearing, torture, violence.
*brief scene where an overweight character is seen as undesirable and described as waddling, rather than walking.
Actual Rating: 4.5✶
Oh. My. Gosh.
This was so good, guys. Like... wow.
It was very different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. At the very beginning of the book, I actually found myself struggling to get into it. I was just feeling kind of annoyed with the MC's rash behavior and finding it difficult to connect to the setting.
But then something clicked and as soon as it did, I didn't want to stop reading. I was intrigued by everything. The setting, the character dynamics, the banter; it was addictive. But beyond that... it was emotional, which I was not expecting in the least.
This is - more than anything - somehow a book about grief. About a character that has lost herself in all of her pain and regret, and learning to live again. As soon as I realized that, I would have given anything for Shin Lina. Suddenly, her rash behavior makes sense. Not only does it make sense, it becomes painful.
Even with that, there is an undercurrent of hope. Of learning to forgive and to grow, but it isn't done in a corny, obnoxious way. It's painful and slow and there are moments that are better than others. It's a realistic portrayal of grief and I loved it.
And the romance in this book. I haven't been this invested in a relationship in awhile. This couple had some of the dynamic I think people tried to convince themselves that Alina and the Darkling had.
Except Rui actually asks for consent. But let's not get into that 😌
I can't talk about Rui or I'll never shut up. I adore him. Best character I've read about this year. Easily.
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough. I loved practically everything about it and I need the next book now. Like, right now. I can't wait for this to come out so everyone can read it with me. You won't regret it.
August 28, 2023
The Reaper of Sunpo...assassin. Shin Lina is the last of her kind, her fellow gang members slaughtered by the rival gang she is forced to serve. When the gang's leader goes missing Lina is the prime suspect. She's been given 30 days to return him, or else the collateral they've held over her head is forfeit. Entering a world of superior and supernatural beings places Lina in danger, but it's one she's willing to risk to save herself...and her sister.
Everything about this novel shines....save the repetitive nature of Lina's sister's name...said again, and again, and again. The reader is more likely to remember Eunbi's name than the actual characters physically in the story. It is for this reason alone(a petty one at that, I know!) That Last of the Talons receives 4.75 out of 5 stars, but graciously Goodreads doesn't do half or quarter stars. The emperor, Rui l, is someone I enjoyed getting to know at the perfect pacing....it wasn't love at first sight or even like! Rui and Lina's relationship grew and morphed into something great that I can't wait to explore in book 2. I am hopeful that the publisher will have the same narrator for book 2 as well. She really breathed life into Lina, even when she wasn't being very likeable.
4.75 stars rounded to 5. A wild ride of action & lore that will leave you hungry for more! I'm waiting ever so patiently for book 2! Recommended for fans who enjoy lore as much as the current story itself(or it could get a little boring). Age recommended for 12+. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Everything about this novel shines....save the repetitive nature of Lina's sister's name...said again, and again, and again. The reader is more likely to remember Eunbi's name than the actual characters physically in the story. It is for this reason alone(a petty one at that, I know!) That Last of the Talons receives 4.75 out of 5 stars, but graciously Goodreads doesn't do half or quarter stars. The emperor, Rui l, is someone I enjoyed getting to know at the perfect pacing....it wasn't love at first sight or even like! Rui and Lina's relationship grew and morphed into something great that I can't wait to explore in book 2. I am hopeful that the publisher will have the same narrator for book 2 as well. She really breathed life into Lina, even when she wasn't being very likeable.
4.75 stars rounded to 5. A wild ride of action & lore that will leave you hungry for more! I'm waiting ever so patiently for book 2! Recommended for fans who enjoy lore as much as the current story itself(or it could get a little boring). Age recommended for 12+. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2023
Waiting for book 2, really well written and damn the tension is wildd, the author did an amazing job in my opinion
June 28, 2022
Before I say anything, be aware that I read this as an arc and everything is susceptible to change.
That being said, big oof. Lina tried so hard to be Kaz Brekker and it just did not work. She even has the leg injury and “farmer until parents were killed and then joined the gang and became the most notorious criminal in the city” backstory. Which like that’s cool if you’re gonna do it right! The problem is there were a lot of technical details that just??? Don’t make sense?? We’re told that Lina grew up on a farm, and when she was 14 she had to join the gang. This book takes place when she’s 18 So she had four years with the gang, (technically three but i won’t add any details on why bc spoilers) and somehow in those three years she became the best fighter in the city, better than everyone who has been training since they were old enough to walk. In those three years she became SO good that it’s her job to protect the people who taught her to fight, because without her there they’ll lose. Even tho they taught her to fight. Yeah. *visible confusion*
Lina is a member of the Talons, the biggest, most powerful gang in the country. This gang controls the city. This gang owns multiple businesses. This gang also has exactly five members. Yes, you read that right. Five members. No more, no less. How does a gang with five members control the entire city?? Especially when their rival gang seems to have hundreds of members??? Make it make sense??????
Lina is given a bargain with the Pied Piper (basically ruler of the fae) that if she doesn’t kill him in fourteen days, he’ll kill her. We never actually find out why he made that bargain? Just for funsies I guess? That didn’t make a lotta sense. She just keeps trying and trying to kill him and he laughs harder every time and there’s no explanation for why he thinks it’s so funny?? It’s just like “oh yea lol this girl tried to kill me again hahaha isn’t she cute I hope she succeeds next time” like Rui are you okay????? Do u need therapy my dude??? Why would you literally command someone to kill you just for giggles???? What??????
I did enjoy reading this. Is was a very fun, if very cliche, ya enemies to lovers with fun magic and mythology. There were just too many plot holes and things that didn’t make sense for me to truly be happy tho.
That being said, big oof. Lina tried so hard to be Kaz Brekker and it just did not work. She even has the leg injury and “farmer until parents were killed and then joined the gang and became the most notorious criminal in the city” backstory. Which like that’s cool if you’re gonna do it right! The problem is there were a lot of technical details that just??? Don’t make sense?? We’re told that Lina grew up on a farm, and when she was 14 she had to join the gang. This book takes place when she’s 18 So she had four years with the gang, (technically three but i won’t add any details on why bc spoilers) and somehow in those three years she became the best fighter in the city, better than everyone who has been training since they were old enough to walk. In those three years she became SO good that it’s her job to protect the people who taught her to fight, because without her there they’ll lose. Even tho they taught her to fight. Yeah. *visible confusion*
Lina is a member of the Talons, the biggest, most powerful gang in the country. This gang controls the city. This gang owns multiple businesses. This gang also has exactly five members. Yes, you read that right. Five members. No more, no less. How does a gang with five members control the entire city?? Especially when their rival gang seems to have hundreds of members??? Make it make sense??????
Lina is given a bargain with the Pied Piper (basically ruler of the fae) that if she doesn’t kill him in fourteen days, he’ll kill her. We never actually find out why he made that bargain? Just for funsies I guess? That didn’t make a lotta sense. She just keeps trying and trying to kill him and he laughs harder every time and there’s no explanation for why he thinks it’s so funny?? It’s just like “oh yea lol this girl tried to kill me again hahaha isn’t she cute I hope she succeeds next time” like Rui are you okay????? Do u need therapy my dude??? Why would you literally command someone to kill you just for giggles???? What??????
I did enjoy reading this. Is was a very fun, if very cliche, ya enemies to lovers with fun magic and mythology. There were just too many plot holes and things that didn’t make sense for me to truly be happy tho.
May 20, 2024
Lina gehörte zu den gefürchteten Sturmkrallen, doch die Gang wurde von den Schwarzkranichen vernichtet und als letztes verbleibendes Mitglied wird Lina dazu gezwungen, nun für die Schwarzkraniche zu stehlen und zu töten. Bis sie ausgerechnet den mächtigen Dokkaebi-Herrscher Rui beklauen muss, der sich sofort dafür rächt. Lina muss die Sache wiedergutmachen und so kommt es dazu, dass Rui sie dazu herausfordert, ihn zu töten, dann erfüllt er ihren Wunsch. Das Schwierige daran: Rui ist so ziemlich unsterblich.
Lina hatte schon immer ein ungewöhnliches Leben, denn sie ist schon seit Jahren eine erfolgreiche Diebin und Assassine, dann hat sie beinahe alles verloren, was ihr je etwas bedeutet hat, und musste danach den Mördern ihrer Freunde dienen. Und nun ist sie im Palast des Dokkaebi-Königs und jeder weiß von ihrer ungewöhnlichen Aufgabe, trotzdem ist sie eine Art Gast mit vielen Freiheiten.
Trotz ihrer Fähigkeiten ist es gar nicht so leicht, Rui zu töten und Lina verfolgt verschiedene Pläne, unter anderem versucht sie auch, ihn zu verführen. Dabei entdeckt sie unerwartete Seiten an ihm, aber sie versucht, nie ihr Ziel aus den Augen zu verlieren. Sie ist auch nicht die Einzige, die den Dokkaebi-Herrscher umbringen will: Obwohl die Rebellen ganz andere Gründe für ihren Hass haben, findet Lina in ihnen die Verbündeten, die sie dringend braucht.
Neben dem spannenden Fantasy-Abenteuer steht auch Linas persönliche Entwicklung im Mittelpunkt. Sie hat den größten Teil ihrer Familie verloren und versucht verzweifelt, ihre Schwester vor den Schwarzkranichen zu beschützen. Ich fand, dass man sehr gut spüren kann, wie schwer die Trauer wiegt und dazu kommt noch die ungesunde Sucht nach Zigaretten, die Lina entwickelt hat, obwohl sie nicht einsieht, dass es eine Sucht ist. Das hat sie trotz ihrer Fähigkeiten als Assassine wieder so menschlich und damit sympathischer gemacht, sodass ich immer gespannt war, ob und wie sie ihre Ziele erreichen wird.
Lina hatte schon immer ein ungewöhnliches Leben, denn sie ist schon seit Jahren eine erfolgreiche Diebin und Assassine, dann hat sie beinahe alles verloren, was ihr je etwas bedeutet hat, und musste danach den Mördern ihrer Freunde dienen. Und nun ist sie im Palast des Dokkaebi-Königs und jeder weiß von ihrer ungewöhnlichen Aufgabe, trotzdem ist sie eine Art Gast mit vielen Freiheiten.
Trotz ihrer Fähigkeiten ist es gar nicht so leicht, Rui zu töten und Lina verfolgt verschiedene Pläne, unter anderem versucht sie auch, ihn zu verführen. Dabei entdeckt sie unerwartete Seiten an ihm, aber sie versucht, nie ihr Ziel aus den Augen zu verlieren. Sie ist auch nicht die Einzige, die den Dokkaebi-Herrscher umbringen will: Obwohl die Rebellen ganz andere Gründe für ihren Hass haben, findet Lina in ihnen die Verbündeten, die sie dringend braucht.
Neben dem spannenden Fantasy-Abenteuer steht auch Linas persönliche Entwicklung im Mittelpunkt. Sie hat den größten Teil ihrer Familie verloren und versucht verzweifelt, ihre Schwester vor den Schwarzkranichen zu beschützen. Ich fand, dass man sehr gut spüren kann, wie schwer die Trauer wiegt und dazu kommt noch die ungesunde Sucht nach Zigaretten, die Lina entwickelt hat, obwohl sie nicht einsieht, dass es eine Sucht ist. Das hat sie trotz ihrer Fähigkeiten als Assassine wieder so menschlich und damit sympathischer gemacht, sodass ich immer gespannt war, ob und wie sie ihre Ziele erreichen wird.
June 5, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Last of the Talons was a lot to deal with and could be somewhat intense. In this, you will meet Shin Lina. At eighteen years old, she had no idea she was going to be forced into a 'kill-or-be-killed' deal with the kingdom's most-fear crime lord. With her little sister hanging in the balance, she has no choice but to accept it.
Lina was an interesting character. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and is barely hanging on as it is. There's so much pain, regret, and grief surrounding her that one can only hope she will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Not death, no, not that. Just happiness and a will to live once again.
Throw in some romance with a certain emperor, and I was completely hooked. I mean, the whole Korean mythology inspiration was cool too, but I was here for the romance as well. Rui was simply adorable, and I love him. He's a true gentleman and basically a member of the book boyfriend group.
In the end, some things were a bit predictable but in a good way. Also, some reveals towards the end made it easier to understand how and why Lina acted the way she did throughout the book. I'm hoping the next book in this series is just as good, if not better. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.
"Promise me that you will let yourself live. Truly live."
Last of the Talons was a lot to deal with and could be somewhat intense. In this, you will meet Shin Lina. At eighteen years old, she had no idea she was going to be forced into a 'kill-or-be-killed' deal with the kingdom's most-fear crime lord. With her little sister hanging in the balance, she has no choice but to accept it.
Lina was an interesting character. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and is barely hanging on as it is. There's so much pain, regret, and grief surrounding her that one can only hope she will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Not death, no, not that. Just happiness and a will to live once again.
Throw in some romance with a certain emperor, and I was completely hooked. I mean, the whole Korean mythology inspiration was cool too, but I was here for the romance as well. Rui was simply adorable, and I love him. He's a true gentleman and basically a member of the book boyfriend group.
In the end, some things were a bit predictable but in a good way. Also, some reveals towards the end made it easier to understand how and why Lina acted the way she did throughout the book. I'm hoping the next book in this series is just as good, if not better. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.
Want to read
November 5, 2021"an #Ownvoices fantasy, pitched as inspired by Korean mythology, in which a teen assassin has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead"
GOBLINS GOBLINS GOBLINS
GOBLINS GOBLINS GOBLINS
July 23, 2022
Rating: 4 love-is-a-battlefield stars!
Quote that sums up the book: “Kill or be killed. But what if neither of us wants to land the final blow? What if the connection we have transcends the rules of our game?”
Review:
Last of the Talons is the debut novel, and first book in the Talon’s series, by Sophie Kim and I absolutely adored it! The MCs were perfect, the Korean mythology was super interesting, and the writing was very descriptive and pretty.
I went back and forth so much on if this was a 4-star or 4.5-star read for me, but ultimately, the little things that could have been better added up, earning this 4 stars.
Given the unfinished business of this story, I really hope the sequel is not too far out!
What I liked about the book:
1. I love books based on mythology! When done well, they always seems to just have an extra “it” factor for me, and the worldbuilding is usually dynamite!
Although I am not familiar with the Gods and stories mentioned in this book (other than the Pied Piper, of course), I found all of the minor and major stories that played out super interesting!
2. The main characters were phenomenal! I mean, just look at this gorgeous art on the author's twitter!
https://twitter.com/sophiekimwrites/s...
Shin Lina was the epitome of an underdog who was forced to become a badass. She was a victim of circumstance who was left no choice but to create this incredible persona of the Reaper of Sunpo in order to keep herself and her little sister safe. The fact that she was this deadly assassin to the world, but this loving sister/de facto parent to her sister, showed how complex of a character she was.
At times, she reminded me of a lot of Quentin Tarantino’s badass females, specifically from the Kill Bill franchise. She reminded me of Gogo Yubari because she could be sadistic and arrogant, she thought of killing her enemies in a slow, painful manner and she thought she could survive any fight. She reminded me of O-Ren Ishii because of her well-renowned assassin status and her drive for revenge. Finally, she reminded me of Beatrix Kiddo because of her ability to survive and her trainings with the Talons being similar to Kiddo’s trainings with Pai Mei. I found all of these qualities to make total sense given Lina’s background and the “character flaws” made her even better in my eyes.
I also loved how the author wrote about the dark, slithering thoughts she had in her quietest moments. It was totally relatable and made you feel so sorry for this tortured, angry woman.
Haneul Rui, aka the Pied Piper, was exactly what I wanted in the emperor and Lina’s enemy-to-lover, cat vs. mouse opponent! He was mysterious, sultry, and a total risktaker. I loved watching him completely change his tune (no pun intended) when it came to Lina and how he made her fall for him. He is definitely one of those guys that produced an eerie calmness over me, frequently having sent delicious shivers and goosebumps through me.
As for his appearance, I must be playing too much Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite lately because I could not help but picture Jedah when I read Rui, and it worked for me more than I ever thought Jedah could…
Also, he lovingly called her little thief and he wrote poems about love!! Fucking swoon!
Similar to Lina, he could be sadistic and arrogant, as well as mysterious to the point of annoyance. He best start telling us his secrets in the next one, or he’s going to start losing my favor…just kidding, boo, I love you.
3. I loved how Lina saved Rui! I honestly thought, with her basically being out of commission towards the end of the book, we were going to have Rui saving her and I was deeply upset by this. I thought it was stupid that she wasn’t going to get a say in the final fight when she had proven herself as this total boss the whole story, but luckily, Sophie Kim didn’t do us dirty!
4. Some of my favorite lines:
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– Giiiirl, you got it bad.
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– UGGGGGHHHH, a fictional man is holding my heart prisoner again
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– STAHP!
What could have been better:
1. I felt like the mystery around SA (Rui’s former lover) was not lived up to with the couple paragraphs explanation at the very end. I was expecting much more from how much mystery was put around this and it just fell flat.
2. I really didn’t see the point of any of Rui’s counselors other than Kang. Hana offered nothing in character or in story development, and Chan wasn’t much better. With so many side characters already, I didn’t really see their value.
3. Format wise, one criticism I had was that things written as notes between characters were not clearly formatted as such, i.e. no punctuation or italicizing to make it truly feel like a note. This was confusing at times as you didn’t know it was a note from one character to another versus an internal thought until you reached the end, causing you to have to reread it.
Special thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Sophie Kim for the opportunity to read this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Make sure you add this one to your TBR and check it out on release day, September 27!
Quote that sums up the book: “Kill or be killed. But what if neither of us wants to land the final blow? What if the connection we have transcends the rules of our game?”
Review:
Last of the Talons is the debut novel, and first book in the Talon’s series, by Sophie Kim and I absolutely adored it! The MCs were perfect, the Korean mythology was super interesting, and the writing was very descriptive and pretty.
I went back and forth so much on if this was a 4-star or 4.5-star read for me, but ultimately, the little things that could have been better added up, earning this 4 stars.
Given the unfinished business of this story, I really hope the sequel is not too far out!
What I liked about the book:
1. I love books based on mythology! When done well, they always seems to just have an extra “it” factor for me, and the worldbuilding is usually dynamite!
Although I am not familiar with the Gods and stories mentioned in this book (other than the Pied Piper, of course), I found all of the minor and major stories that played out super interesting!
2. The main characters were phenomenal! I mean, just look at this gorgeous art on the author's twitter!
https://twitter.com/sophiekimwrites/s...
Shin Lina was the epitome of an underdog who was forced to become a badass. She was a victim of circumstance who was left no choice but to create this incredible persona of the Reaper of Sunpo in order to keep herself and her little sister safe. The fact that she was this deadly assassin to the world, but this loving sister/de facto parent to her sister, showed how complex of a character she was.
At times, she reminded me of a lot of Quentin Tarantino’s badass females, specifically from the Kill Bill franchise. She reminded me of Gogo Yubari because she could be sadistic and arrogant, she thought of killing her enemies in a slow, painful manner and she thought she could survive any fight. She reminded me of O-Ren Ishii because of her well-renowned assassin status and her drive for revenge. Finally, she reminded me of Beatrix Kiddo because of her ability to survive and her trainings with the Talons being similar to Kiddo’s trainings with Pai Mei. I found all of these qualities to make total sense given Lina’s background and the “character flaws” made her even better in my eyes.
I also loved how the author wrote about the dark, slithering thoughts she had in her quietest moments. It was totally relatable and made you feel so sorry for this tortured, angry woman.
Haneul Rui, aka the Pied Piper, was exactly what I wanted in the emperor and Lina’s enemy-to-lover, cat vs. mouse opponent! He was mysterious, sultry, and a total risktaker. I loved watching him completely change his tune (no pun intended) when it came to Lina and how he made her fall for him. He is definitely one of those guys that produced an eerie calmness over me, frequently having sent delicious shivers and goosebumps through me.
As for his appearance, I must be playing too much Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite lately because I could not help but picture Jedah when I read Rui, and it worked for me more than I ever thought Jedah could…
Also, he lovingly called her little thief and he wrote poems about love!! Fucking swoon!
Similar to Lina, he could be sadistic and arrogant, as well as mysterious to the point of annoyance. He best start telling us his secrets in the next one, or he’s going to start losing my favor…just kidding, boo, I love you.
3. I loved how Lina saved Rui! I honestly thought, with her basically being out of commission towards the end of the book, we were going to have Rui saving her and I was deeply upset by this. I thought it was stupid that she wasn’t going to get a say in the final fight when she had proven herself as this total boss the whole story, but luckily, Sophie Kim didn’t do us dirty!
4. Some of my favorite lines:
“Orders do not always require obedience. Demands do not always hold dominance over what is right.”
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“He underestimates me. And I will use that to my advantage.”
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“You don’t find the rebellion. The rebellion finds you.”
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“The effect of his gaze is draining and relieving all at once.”
– Giiiirl, you got it bad.
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“Cannot imagine the privilege of being bored, for I have been fighting for my life for years – as an impoverished child, as an orphan on the streets of Sunpo, as a Talon, as a Blackblood, as the Pied Piper’s captive. I have never been bored. I’ve never been given the chance.”
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“There’s no need to be jealous. I didn’t dance with any of them.”
“Why?”
“Well, I find that the possibility my dance partner may stab me to death at any moment adds a certain thrill that simply cannot be replicated by those who are not determined to stab me to death.”
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“Rui is holding me. Delicately, like I’m made of brittle, breaking glass…But firmly, like he knows every battle I have won, every fight I have fought. Every droplet of blood I have spilled and delighted in.”
– UGGGGGHHHH, a fictional man is holding my heart prisoner again
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“I hate that I love the way my name sounds on his lips.”
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“So kiss me or kill me, Shin Lina. You’ll find that I’ll enjoy either equally.”
– STAHP!
What could have been better:
1. I felt like the mystery around SA (Rui’s former lover) was not lived up to with the couple paragraphs explanation at the very end. I was expecting much more from how much mystery was put around this and it just fell flat.
2. I really didn’t see the point of any of Rui’s counselors other than Kang. Hana offered nothing in character or in story development, and Chan wasn’t much better. With so many side characters already, I didn’t really see their value.
3. Format wise, one criticism I had was that things written as notes between characters were not clearly formatted as such, i.e. no punctuation or italicizing to make it truly feel like a note. This was confusing at times as you didn’t know it was a note from one character to another versus an internal thought until you reached the end, causing you to have to reread it.
Special thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Sophie Kim for the opportunity to read this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Make sure you add this one to your TBR and check it out on release day, September 27!
July 17, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
make sure to check out my blog
➼three stars
Sadly, this book wasn't really my cup of tea which is weird considering it contains literally all my favorite tropes. My conclusion is that it lacked good execution.
The main problem I had with this book is that it was so hard to get through the first part. Not only was it boring but it also dragged on forever and if I struggle so much that early into the book I will consider dnf'ing it. The worldbuilding, while great in my opinion was too excessive. I gave this book a chance though and it did approve a little but not enough for me to wish to read it ever again.
Next, the characters. Shin Lina is our main character and she is supposed to be a ruthless assassin, only I didn't buy that even for a second. I truly hated this character because she bored me to death. There were just so many things about her that didn't make sense and were inconsistent and that made me so angry. She was also a gang member but we only ever learn about only four members of the said gang and that's just ridiculous.
The other characters weren't any better to be honest. They all fell flat for me.
The romance couldn't fix my enjoyment of this book since I already disliked both main characters and didn't feel any chemistry between them, but maybe it's just me. I really looked forward to this book and it pains me immensely that it didn't really live up to my expectations where it mattered.
What I liked about this books though is the last 10% of it and the action that unfolds. That improved my opinion of everything. The elements of Korean mythology were also interesting and it was a unique approach to a retelling.
Although, this turned out to be just average for me I would recommend everyone who enjoys the enemies-to-lovers and knife to throat tropes to give this book a try and see for themselves if it's something they're gonna enjoy and love.
make sure to check out my blog
➼three stars
Sadly, this book wasn't really my cup of tea which is weird considering it contains literally all my favorite tropes. My conclusion is that it lacked good execution.
The main problem I had with this book is that it was so hard to get through the first part. Not only was it boring but it also dragged on forever and if I struggle so much that early into the book I will consider dnf'ing it. The worldbuilding, while great in my opinion was too excessive. I gave this book a chance though and it did approve a little but not enough for me to wish to read it ever again.
Next, the characters. Shin Lina is our main character and she is supposed to be a ruthless assassin, only I didn't buy that even for a second. I truly hated this character because she bored me to death. There were just so many things about her that didn't make sense and were inconsistent and that made me so angry. She was also a gang member but we only ever learn about only four members of the said gang and that's just ridiculous.
The other characters weren't any better to be honest. They all fell flat for me.
The romance couldn't fix my enjoyment of this book since I already disliked both main characters and didn't feel any chemistry between them, but maybe it's just me. I really looked forward to this book and it pains me immensely that it didn't really live up to my expectations where it mattered.
What I liked about this books though is the last 10% of it and the action that unfolds. That improved my opinion of everything. The elements of Korean mythology were also interesting and it was a unique approach to a retelling.
Although, this turned out to be just average for me I would recommend everyone who enjoys the enemies-to-lovers and knife to throat tropes to give this book a try and see for themselves if it's something they're gonna enjoy and love.
January 26, 2023
2023 reads: 33/350
2023 tbr: 14/100
buddy read with xinyan!
lina is forced to work for the kingdom’s most-feared crime lord, her little sister a bargaining chip. this eventually leads to her striking a “kill-or-be-killed” deal with a cruel emperor. she’s on a time crunch, and if she loses, she gives up the life of herself and her sister. but as the game goes on, she can’t help but develop feelings for the emperor…
this book was inspired by korean mythology, and i love when books incorporate any kind of mythology so that was interesting!! also, some people are saying it’s a pied piper retelling? i’m not really familiar with that story, but after a quick google search i don’t really see the similarities. however, that could be because i wasn’t looking for them while i read, so take that with a grain of salt.
the romance between lina and rui (the emperor)…OMG. i somehow forgot this had romance in it when i started (despite having already seen the gorgeous artwork gabriella bujdoso did for faecrate?? i’m forgetful okay…) but the romance, in my opinion, just added so much to an already-amazing story. i cannot wait for more of them in book two🫶
2023 tbr: 14/100
buddy read with xinyan!
lina is forced to work for the kingdom’s most-feared crime lord, her little sister a bargaining chip. this eventually leads to her striking a “kill-or-be-killed” deal with a cruel emperor. she’s on a time crunch, and if she loses, she gives up the life of herself and her sister. but as the game goes on, she can’t help but develop feelings for the emperor…
this book was inspired by korean mythology, and i love when books incorporate any kind of mythology so that was interesting!! also, some people are saying it’s a pied piper retelling? i’m not really familiar with that story, but after a quick google search i don’t really see the similarities. however, that could be because i wasn’t looking for them while i read, so take that with a grain of salt.
the romance between lina and rui (the emperor)…OMG. i somehow forgot this had romance in it when i started (despite having already seen the gorgeous artwork gabriella bujdoso did for faecrate?? i’m forgetful okay…) but the romance, in my opinion, just added so much to an already-amazing story. i cannot wait for more of them in book two🫶
April 3, 2024
i mean, it flows well. i liked the writing and i guess i like the bare bones of this story, and even some scenes in specific, but overall i just think it was missing. a lot. i know “show, don’t tell” is a chronic overused criticism at this point, but my god it’s so tiring having the author tell me all these ridiculous murderous things the mc does, without her ever coming close to any of it on page. there’s been entirely too many ya lately with this same problem, and it’s always, coincidentally, involving superficial cartoonish plots that go from a to b to c without any depth and feel contrived, characters who follow some girlboss script of being “badass” when they’re usually just acting strange, and i’m just so tired of reading the same thing over and over in different settings and situations. can we get off our ass and start WRITING!
anyway. it’s a nice book besides all that, definitely something worth reading for a starter into ya fantasy or whatever not. it’s interesting, the universe and the world retold are incredibly riveting and open to so much exploration. lol. it’s intriguing and the writing style is very easy to slip into, it’s tragic that there wasn’t more done here. so! much! possibility!
i didn’t care for the romance that much, i liked them well enough, but again - their whole banter felt formulaic as if written to sate a very specific audience (derogatory) sooo.. anyways. 2/5 i guess
anyway. it’s a nice book besides all that, definitely something worth reading for a starter into ya fantasy or whatever not. it’s interesting, the universe and the world retold are incredibly riveting and open to so much exploration. lol. it’s intriguing and the writing style is very easy to slip into, it’s tragic that there wasn’t more done here. so! much! possibility!
i didn’t care for the romance that much, i liked them well enough, but again - their whole banter felt formulaic as if written to sate a very specific audience (derogatory) sooo.. anyways. 2/5 i guess
October 1, 2022
LAST OF THE TALONS is a Korean YA fantasy that is a fast paced mythical read I enjoyed. Sophie Kim did a fantastic job setting up the characters and the world in this first book in the Talons trilogy - full of action packed adventure, an emotional story about family and sisterhood, and a slow burn enemies to lover romance I was completely smitten with. I enjoyed Kim’s prose and the way the story is told, with perfectly paced story that moves the plot forward. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the other books in the series.
March 1, 2024
Not a whole review yet but if you like feral women and simp men who are actually just as insane, this is the book for you.
Didn’t love the audiobook narration, the voice for Rui and just the way she delivered some of the descriptions didn’t hit for me.
Didn’t love the audiobook narration, the voice for Rui and just the way she delivered some of the descriptions didn’t hit for me.
January 21, 2025
“Pierce my heart with one thousand daggers. Let the kingdom shine golden with my blood. You’ll find that I enjoy it.”
🇰🇷 korean adult fantasy & historical fiction
🐉 enemies-to-lovers with LOTS of tension
⚔️ action-filled installment full of ancient korea’s mythological elements
📖 TWs/CWs: smoking addiction, grief, parent death, violence
Wrath of The Talons is an exquisite fantasy story about pent-up female rage, grief, and loss. This story is narrated from the point of view of Shin Lina, Sunpo’s Reaper and is highly-trained fighter and assassin that does the bidding of the Blackbloods, the kingdom’s local gang that took everything from her. But when she suddenly angers Haneul Rui, the Dokkaebi emperor, her life is once more upended as she ends up in a deadly bargain with the king: kill or be killed.
What I liked about this book is that the story simply started as a tragedy. It didn’t sugarcoat grief and the desire to just fuck up everything around you. We see Lina’s life unfold in a manner where she carries a lot of anger and regret and these traits emphasize the story’s character. Moreover, the tragic nature of Lina’s story was a way of depicting this book as something that focuses on revenge but is also vaguely romantic in the tension and longing between the characters. I’m looking forward to where the sequel takes Lina and Rui <3
I saw that the trilogy was ending this year so I immediately decided to start the first book!
🇰🇷 korean adult fantasy & historical fiction
🐉 enemies-to-lovers with LOTS of tension
⚔️ action-filled installment full of ancient korea’s mythological elements
📖 TWs/CWs: smoking addiction, grief, parent death, violence
Wrath of The Talons is an exquisite fantasy story about pent-up female rage, grief, and loss. This story is narrated from the point of view of Shin Lina, Sunpo’s Reaper and is highly-trained fighter and assassin that does the bidding of the Blackbloods, the kingdom’s local gang that took everything from her. But when she suddenly angers Haneul Rui, the Dokkaebi emperor, her life is once more upended as she ends up in a deadly bargain with the king: kill or be killed.
What I liked about this book is that the story simply started as a tragedy. It didn’t sugarcoat grief and the desire to just fuck up everything around you. We see Lina’s life unfold in a manner where she carries a lot of anger and regret and these traits emphasize the story’s character. Moreover, the tragic nature of Lina’s story was a way of depicting this book as something that focuses on revenge but is also vaguely romantic in the tension and longing between the characters. I’m looking forward to where the sequel takes Lina and Rui <3
I saw that the trilogy was ending this year so I immediately decided to start the first book!
October 3, 2022
5✰ // when i say i am obsessed with Last of the Talons, i cannot stress how much of a hold this story has had over me. this book grasped me wholly and i read it with an insatiable hunger straight through the night, without pause; i haven’t felt this wholly consumed by a book in a while and it was so nice to experience that sensation of having a book fully engross your attention and to be able to feel immersed in the story.
every single element that i long for in a fantasy book i found in Last of the Talons. some of these elements include: waltzing, gentle caresses, scars that go deeper than skin, beautiful imagery, enemies that possess the essence of night itself, intricate world-building that never felt cumbersome, and unflinching characters that will do whatever it takes to pursue their goals, also not to mention knives, daggers, swords,— i could literally go on for hours, if not days.
Sophie Kim’s writing style is immersive and touching in a way that is marrow-melding; it surpasses a hurtle that i’ve found a lot of fantasy books struggle with— it not only succeeds in being a ‘realistic’ fantasy story, but it also goes a step further and achieves being a 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 fantasy story. while reading this story, you are able to let the external world around you melt into a soft humming background and you find yourself entirely rapt in Lina and Rui’s story.
i cannot speak highly enough about this book; i am so grateful to Sophie Kim for creating this luminescent story, one that stands out as being authentic, original, and carefully crafted with true passion. Kim has masterfully created a story and woven it beautifully with Korean mythology and fascinating world-building. also, i’m so grateful for the diversity and representation of characters that deviate from the stereotypical standard/norm; as well as, having these characters and their features written in such a way that depicts them with such gentle and beautiful language— something that has been absent from so much of YA and NA lit for far too long.
i can't wait to read the next book in the series, as well as more of Kim’s writing in the future (i am truly awestruck that this book is Kim’s debut novel).
i cannot recommend Last of the Talons highly enough and i will be talking about this book for many, many moons to come. (*and yes, this book is getting added to my list of ‘books that have made me cry at 4am’*)
thank you so much to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
every single element that i long for in a fantasy book i found in Last of the Talons. some of these elements include: waltzing, gentle caresses, scars that go deeper than skin, beautiful imagery, enemies that possess the essence of night itself, intricate world-building that never felt cumbersome, and unflinching characters that will do whatever it takes to pursue their goals, also not to mention knives, daggers, swords,— i could literally go on for hours, if not days.
Sophie Kim’s writing style is immersive and touching in a way that is marrow-melding; it surpasses a hurtle that i’ve found a lot of fantasy books struggle with— it not only succeeds in being a ‘realistic’ fantasy story, but it also goes a step further and achieves being a 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 fantasy story. while reading this story, you are able to let the external world around you melt into a soft humming background and you find yourself entirely rapt in Lina and Rui’s story.
i cannot speak highly enough about this book; i am so grateful to Sophie Kim for creating this luminescent story, one that stands out as being authentic, original, and carefully crafted with true passion. Kim has masterfully created a story and woven it beautifully with Korean mythology and fascinating world-building. also, i’m so grateful for the diversity and representation of characters that deviate from the stereotypical standard/norm; as well as, having these characters and their features written in such a way that depicts them with such gentle and beautiful language— something that has been absent from so much of YA and NA lit for far too long.
i can't wait to read the next book in the series, as well as more of Kim’s writing in the future (i am truly awestruck that this book is Kim’s debut novel).
i cannot recommend Last of the Talons highly enough and i will be talking about this book for many, many moons to come. (*and yes, this book is getting added to my list of ‘books that have made me cry at 4am’*)
thank you so much to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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