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Hunting Monsters #3
Burning Roses
When Rosa (aka Red Riding Hood) and Hou Yi the Archer join forces to stop the deadly sunbirds from ravaging the countryside, their quest will take the two women, now blessed and burdened with the hindsight of middle age, into a reckoning of sacrifices made and mistakes mourned, of choices and family and the quest for immortality.
Burning Roses, a gorgeous fairy tale of love and family, of demons and lost gods, arrives in 2020.
Burning Roses, a gorgeous fairy tale of love and family, of demons and lost gods, arrives in 2020.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2020
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10506 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 566 reviews
December 30, 2020
Burning Roses is a novella retelling of mainly Red Riding Hood and Hou Yi that also includes Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Beauty and the Beast.
The novella is set in the East. The two main characters are female. The first is Rosa, who is Red Riding Hood, and she is Latina. The second is Hou Yi, who is Hou Yi (the name didn't change from the original tale), and she is Chinese. Rosa and Hou Yi go on a quest to stop Sunbirds and discover themselves.
Most of you are probably familiar with the fairytales of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Beauty and the Beast, but are not familiar with the fairytale of Hou Yi. So I’ll give a summary so that you can have a better background before reading this novella.
Hou Yi is a Chinese fairytale/myth. The Mid Autumn Festival originated from this tale. There are actually two main variations of this tale and there are a lot more variations of this tale out there that I have probably never heard of. The first variation I will summarize is the one that is used in this novella.
First Variation of Hou Yi:
In ancient China, ten suns existed. The heat of the suns made people’s lives very difficult. Hou Yi, who was a very skilled archer, shot down nine of the ten suns. After this amazing feat, people from all over came to learn from him (in the original tale Hou Yi was male). One person was Peng Meng. Hou Yi later married a beautiful and kind woman named Chang E. One day, Hou Yi met Wangmu, the queen of Heaven, while he was walking. Wangmu gave him an elixir, which, if he drank, he would become a god. He did not drink the elixir, but took it home and gave it to Chang E for safekeeping. Unfortunately, Peng Meng saw Hou Yi give the elixir to Chang E. Three days later, while Hou Yi was hunting, Peng Meng demanded that Chang E give him the elixir. Chang E knew she couldn’t win against Peng Meng, so she drank the elixir. Immediately, she flew into the sky. Chang E loved her husband very much so she was drawn to reside on the moon, which is the nearest place to the earth on Heaven. Hou Yi found out what happened and started to yell Chang E’s name to the heavens and he saw that a figure that looked like her appeared on the Moon. He took the food Chang E liked (which was moon cakes) to a temple and offered it as a sacrifice for her. As other people heard about what happened to Chang E, they also went and offered sacrifices to her. It became a tradition to offer sacrifices to Chang E and it is said that it is how the Mid Autumn Festival originated.
Second Variation of Hou Yi:
Once again, in ancient China, ten suns existed. The heat of the suns made people’s lives very difficult. Hou Yi, who was a very skilled archer, shot down nine of the ten suns. He became crowned king by the people. But once he became king, he was a tyrant. Hou Yi obtained the immortality elixir from Xi Wangmu, the queen of Heaven, so that he could live forever. Chang E, his wife, was afraid that if he lived forever, the people would be victims of his cruelty forever. So, Chang E drank the elixir and floated away. Hou Yi tried to shoot her down but was unsuccessful. Grateful for her sacrifice, the people honor her during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
My Thoughts:
I think that it was a good idea to make this story a novella instead of a novel. If it were a novel, there would be too many filler pages. On the other hand, I also wanted this novella to be a little longer so I could explore the world more.
I was very impressed by how the author was able to fit so many fairytales into a novella. I loved that the author mixed Western and Eastern worlds together. I also loved that the author gender-swapped Hou Yi.
I really liked both of the main characters. They are super interesting and flawed (I mean who’s not?). A theme that was presented is parents living through their children vicariously. I really liked this theme and I think lots of parents unknowingly to do this. Lastly, I enjoyed the ending. I think it was the perfect ending to this retelling.
ARC received via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The novella is set in the East. The two main characters are female. The first is Rosa, who is Red Riding Hood, and she is Latina. The second is Hou Yi, who is Hou Yi (the name didn't change from the original tale), and she is Chinese. Rosa and Hou Yi go on a quest to stop Sunbirds and discover themselves.
Most of you are probably familiar with the fairytales of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Beauty and the Beast, but are not familiar with the fairytale of Hou Yi. So I’ll give a summary so that you can have a better background before reading this novella.
Hou Yi is a Chinese fairytale/myth. The Mid Autumn Festival originated from this tale. There are actually two main variations of this tale and there are a lot more variations of this tale out there that I have probably never heard of. The first variation I will summarize is the one that is used in this novella.
First Variation of Hou Yi:
In ancient China, ten suns existed. The heat of the suns made people’s lives very difficult. Hou Yi, who was a very skilled archer, shot down nine of the ten suns. After this amazing feat, people from all over came to learn from him (in the original tale Hou Yi was male). One person was Peng Meng. Hou Yi later married a beautiful and kind woman named Chang E. One day, Hou Yi met Wangmu, the queen of Heaven, while he was walking. Wangmu gave him an elixir, which, if he drank, he would become a god. He did not drink the elixir, but took it home and gave it to Chang E for safekeeping. Unfortunately, Peng Meng saw Hou Yi give the elixir to Chang E. Three days later, while Hou Yi was hunting, Peng Meng demanded that Chang E give him the elixir. Chang E knew she couldn’t win against Peng Meng, so she drank the elixir. Immediately, she flew into the sky. Chang E loved her husband very much so she was drawn to reside on the moon, which is the nearest place to the earth on Heaven. Hou Yi found out what happened and started to yell Chang E’s name to the heavens and he saw that a figure that looked like her appeared on the Moon. He took the food Chang E liked (which was moon cakes) to a temple and offered it as a sacrifice for her. As other people heard about what happened to Chang E, they also went and offered sacrifices to her. It became a tradition to offer sacrifices to Chang E and it is said that it is how the Mid Autumn Festival originated.
Second Variation of Hou Yi:
Once again, in ancient China, ten suns existed. The heat of the suns made people’s lives very difficult. Hou Yi, who was a very skilled archer, shot down nine of the ten suns. He became crowned king by the people. But once he became king, he was a tyrant. Hou Yi obtained the immortality elixir from Xi Wangmu, the queen of Heaven, so that he could live forever. Chang E, his wife, was afraid that if he lived forever, the people would be victims of his cruelty forever. So, Chang E drank the elixir and floated away. Hou Yi tried to shoot her down but was unsuccessful. Grateful for her sacrifice, the people honor her during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
My Thoughts:
I think that it was a good idea to make this story a novella instead of a novel. If it were a novel, there would be too many filler pages. On the other hand, I also wanted this novella to be a little longer so I could explore the world more.
I was very impressed by how the author was able to fit so many fairytales into a novella. I loved that the author mixed Western and Eastern worlds together. I also loved that the author gender-swapped Hou Yi.
I really liked both of the main characters. They are super interesting and flawed (I mean who’s not?). A theme that was presented is parents living through their children vicariously. I really liked this theme and I think lots of parents unknowingly to do this. Lastly, I enjoyed the ending. I think it was the perfect ending to this retelling.
ARC received via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 29, 2020
9/29/2020: Happy pub day to this queer fairytale mashup!
Rosa and Hou Yi: two women who have each lost their wives and children. One a reformed hero-turned-tyrant, the other a former assassin.
Together, they must grapple with all of the ways they have hurt themselves and their families in the name of love.
Burning Roses is actually the third story in a series of queer feminist mashups of Eastern lore and Western fairytales. (If you're curious about the events that led Rosa to where she is today, hunting sunbirds in some remote region of magic-laden China, I would absolutely recommend reading Hunting Monsters and Fighting Demons!)
In this world there exists grundwirgen: humans cursed into animal form, or witches and sorcerers with shapeshifting abilities, or simply animals born with unnaturally keen intellects. I was fascinated by these creatures, because designating them as such—grundwirgen—allowed the fairytales we've heard time and again to be held up for closer examination and alternative interpretation. What if Red Riding Hood had to reconcile her guilt and grief at killing a wolf who had the sentience of a man? What if Goldilocks wasn't so innocent a trespasser after all?
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
As Rosa—a Latina markswoman who has fled the West—and Hou Yi—the legendary archer of Chinese lore—travel the countryside seeking an island of flame-breathing sunbirds, both women's histories unspool. Both must come to terms with the immense guilt they feel at having let down the people they love.
I absolutely enjoyed S.L. Huang's weaving of themes of family and belonging into Eastern/Western legends. Chang'e and Feng Meng make appearances as Hou Yi’s moon-goddess-wife and apprentice, respectively; meanwhile, Rosa’s backstory features Beauty's Beast, a conniving Goldie, an English dragon named Bistherne, and even Puss in Boots.
My favourite in this series still has to be Hunting Monsters, though! I didn't find Burning Roses as propulsive or poignant as its predecessors, maybe because it was longer and rehashed some of the events of the short stories I'd already read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I would have killed you myself, if we had met back when I was the hero and you were the villain. But you think too much of yourself. Now we are just two old women… Old women who have hurt their children.
Rosa and Hou Yi: two women who have each lost their wives and children. One a reformed hero-turned-tyrant, the other a former assassin.
Together, they must grapple with all of the ways they have hurt themselves and their families in the name of love.
Burning Roses is actually the third story in a series of queer feminist mashups of Eastern lore and Western fairytales. (If you're curious about the events that led Rosa to where she is today, hunting sunbirds in some remote region of magic-laden China, I would absolutely recommend reading Hunting Monsters and Fighting Demons!)
In this world there exists grundwirgen: humans cursed into animal form, or witches and sorcerers with shapeshifting abilities, or simply animals born with unnaturally keen intellects. I was fascinated by these creatures, because designating them as such—grundwirgen—allowed the fairytales we've heard time and again to be held up for closer examination and alternative interpretation. What if Red Riding Hood had to reconcile her guilt and grief at killing a wolf who had the sentience of a man? What if Goldilocks wasn't so innocent a trespasser after all?
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
As Rosa—a Latina markswoman who has fled the West—and Hou Yi—the legendary archer of Chinese lore—travel the countryside seeking an island of flame-breathing sunbirds, both women's histories unspool. Both must come to terms with the immense guilt they feel at having let down the people they love.
I absolutely enjoyed S.L. Huang's weaving of themes of family and belonging into Eastern/Western legends. Chang'e and Feng Meng make appearances as Hou Yi’s moon-goddess-wife and apprentice, respectively; meanwhile, Rosa’s backstory features Beauty's Beast, a conniving Goldie, an English dragon named Bistherne, and even Puss in Boots.
My favourite in this series still has to be Hunting Monsters, though! I didn't find Burning Roses as propulsive or poignant as its predecessors, maybe because it was longer and rehashed some of the events of the short stories I'd already read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 21, 2020
Burning Roses is a queer Asian adult fantasy following two old women. Rosa, resembling little red riding hood with a rifle in her possession. The other Hou Yi, resembling Robin Hood. They enjoy sitting on their front porch smoking pipes and digging insults into each other, and protecting the land from giant killer fire birds.
There is so much happening in this short novella! Fairytale retellings x100, including Goldilocks and Beauty and the Beast.
The story is confusing at first, throwing names and snippets of past events at you quickly but each chapter is like a puzzle piece. As the characters travel together on a mission, they are sharing stories of their past. You begin to better understand the characters actions. Even up until the very end you’re given information that makes certain conversations in the beginning make sense.
I enjoyed this one. However, I did not find that the author took the world to the necessary conclusions for it to really work for me. There are so many unanswered questions. I want to know more about these Sunbirds. Why does the magic effect humans the way it does? It’s SUCH a mental journey for these women and the way the story ends so abruptly makes me feel incomplete. Then again, that’s kind of the heart of the story.
There is so much happening in this short novella! Fairytale retellings x100, including Goldilocks and Beauty and the Beast.
The story is confusing at first, throwing names and snippets of past events at you quickly but each chapter is like a puzzle piece. As the characters travel together on a mission, they are sharing stories of their past. You begin to better understand the characters actions. Even up until the very end you’re given information that makes certain conversations in the beginning make sense.
I enjoyed this one. However, I did not find that the author took the world to the necessary conclusions for it to really work for me. There are so many unanswered questions. I want to know more about these Sunbirds. Why does the magic effect humans the way it does? It’s SUCH a mental journey for these women and the way the story ends so abruptly makes me feel incomplete. Then again, that’s kind of the heart of the story.
September 26, 2020
INTERESTING BLEND OF EASTERN AND WESTERN FAIRY TALES
Someone recommended me this book with the words 'It's Sapphic Chinese fairy tales!" So, naturally, I had to get my hands on it! And I am very glad that I did! Though short and with a minor flaw or two, it was interesting, captivating and queer, so I really enjoyed it!
👍 What I Liked 👍
Fairy tales: There were so many great fairy tales combined in this story, even one I didn't know of. What I especially liked was that the setting of this book was Eastern and one of the main fairy tales is Eastern as well. Yet, the rest of the stories are Western and are given a sort of Eastern feel and gloss. It was interesting to see this familiar stories in a new setting.
Dark: I always love when fairy tale stories are given a dark twist or when the heroes turn out to actually be the villains. The fact that this book gave some of these stories some darker twists was particularly interesting to me.
Journey: Our two main characters, Rosa and Hou Yi, embark not only on a physical journey but also on an enlightening one. Both women are battling internal demons and need to find absolution and redemption. This journey allows them to see inside themselves and journeys like that are always fascinating.
Queer: 'Nough said.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
World building: This is obviously such a rich universe with many stories and facets to it. Sadly, much of the universe was never really developed. Sure, this is perhaps more a novella than a novel, but the universe still deserved to be expanded and explained because it was really quite interesting.
Beginning: With this being a novella I really needed it to lay down the land early on and quickly set the stage. That, sadly, did not happen and the result was a kind of rocky and slightly confusing beginning.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Someone recommended me this book with the words 'It's Sapphic Chinese fairy tales!" So, naturally, I had to get my hands on it! And I am very glad that I did! Though short and with a minor flaw or two, it was interesting, captivating and queer, so I really enjoyed it!
👍 What I Liked 👍
Fairy tales: There were so many great fairy tales combined in this story, even one I didn't know of. What I especially liked was that the setting of this book was Eastern and one of the main fairy tales is Eastern as well. Yet, the rest of the stories are Western and are given a sort of Eastern feel and gloss. It was interesting to see this familiar stories in a new setting.
Dark: I always love when fairy tale stories are given a dark twist or when the heroes turn out to actually be the villains. The fact that this book gave some of these stories some darker twists was particularly interesting to me.
Journey: Our two main characters, Rosa and Hou Yi, embark not only on a physical journey but also on an enlightening one. Both women are battling internal demons and need to find absolution and redemption. This journey allows them to see inside themselves and journeys like that are always fascinating.
Queer: 'Nough said.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
World building: This is obviously such a rich universe with many stories and facets to it. Sadly, much of the universe was never really developed. Sure, this is perhaps more a novella than a novel, but the universe still deserved to be expanded and explained because it was really quite interesting.
Beginning: With this being a novella I really needed it to lay down the land early on and quickly set the stage. That, sadly, did not happen and the result was a kind of rocky and slightly confusing beginning.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Follow me for more book loving content!
Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter
Blog Post: 10 Tips to Help You Wrestle that Pesky TBR Pile
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April 26, 2025Burning Roses is a fantasy novella that has a lot of cool ideas, but for whatever reason just didn't come together for me. It felt like it was trying to do too much, lacked cohesion, and made some choices about narrative structure that I wasn't really a fan of. Here are some things I liked:
- Casually queer, middle-aged women as main characters (both women have or had wives)
- Putting a darker twist on classic fairytales and highlighting things like the selfishness of Goldilocks or framing Belle as having Stockholm Syndrome.(note that if this was all or most of what it was doing, I probably would have liked it more)
- Including a gender swapped version of a Chinese myth. See this review for more: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here are some things I was less a fan of:
- I want a novella to immediately draw me in and connect me with the characters or the plot. This had a confusing start and took awhile to figure out. It also uses a framing structure that is frustrating and feels like a forced fable on toxic family relationships and forgiveness. I liked the stories within the frame, but didn't enjoy the frame itself.
- Something about the writing style didn't really work for me. You can tell the author is used to writing gritty thrillers and this is an attempt at shaping that into a dark fairytale voice. Tonally it felt discordant.
It's unfortunate because I see what this book was trying to do and quite like specific elements of it, but it just didn't come together for me. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include gun violence, murder, child abandonment, killing of people in animal form.
- Casually queer, middle-aged women as main characters (both women have or had wives)
- Putting a darker twist on classic fairytales and highlighting things like the selfishness of Goldilocks or framing Belle as having Stockholm Syndrome.(note that if this was all or most of what it was doing, I probably would have liked it more)
- Including a gender swapped version of a Chinese myth. See this review for more: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here are some things I was less a fan of:
- I want a novella to immediately draw me in and connect me with the characters or the plot. This had a confusing start and took awhile to figure out. It also uses a framing structure that is frustrating and feels like a forced fable on toxic family relationships and forgiveness. I liked the stories within the frame, but didn't enjoy the frame itself.
- Something about the writing style didn't really work for me. You can tell the author is used to writing gritty thrillers and this is an attempt at shaping that into a dark fairytale voice. Tonally it felt discordant.
It's unfortunate because I see what this book was trying to do and quite like specific elements of it, but it just didn't come together for me. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include gun violence, murder, child abandonment, killing of people in animal form.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 24, 2020
Two queer old women venture off onto one last journey—interwoven with fairy tales.
It was enjoyable! And so queer! And much family angst.
It's hard writing about two characters at the ending of their lives. After the heroing is over. After much backstory has been expended and buried and retold until it's more fiction than fact. That's why it's so easy to write YA—young characters who are just discovering who they are, with little life lived, with their lives and potential far ahead of them.
I think that was why I enjoyed this story so much even while I was frustrated at many times, mainly because I kept feeling like I was jumping in halfway through in a series.
And I was.
Because Rosa and Hou Yi have spent their lives dedicated to hunting and killing monsters—even before teaming up they spent years being heroes...or at least heroes in their own minds. Hou Yi dedicated her life to fighting sunbirds and searching for immortality, to the point where it destroyed her wife and transformed her adopted son into a villain. Rose murdered were-people, dedicating her life to the eradication of the other until it came back to haunt her and her family.
Now both women are on the run from their pasts, and have come so far that the only way forward is backward—backyard into Hou Yi's mysterious past. But Rosa will have to confront her own history as well, and reckon with the awful things she did.
I really loved how the various cultures were woven through this story. There were Asian fairy tales and European fairy tales intermixed together, and a clashing of Asian and Latinx cultures and viewpoints. And there were trans characters! And queer characters! Everyone was gay! And I loved it.
I also loved how the book dealt with the concept of friendship and family—both the toxic and the healthy—and how one sacrificed in a healthy way and how a person recovered from a toxic relationship. Rosa had been exploited by her ex-girlfriend Goldie throughout her childhood and life, and the tendrils of that manipulative relationship drew out the worst of them and sent Rosa on a path where she constantly doubted herself and her connections with everyone else.
Anywho, I really liked Rosa and Hou Yi—the hero and the villain, and who is who depends on who you ask—and their complicated relationship. They are two old woman just hanging on for one more grand quest.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
It was enjoyable! And so queer! And much family angst.
Old women who have hurt their children.
It's hard writing about two characters at the ending of their lives. After the heroing is over. After much backstory has been expended and buried and retold until it's more fiction than fact. That's why it's so easy to write YA—young characters who are just discovering who they are, with little life lived, with their lives and potential far ahead of them.
I think that was why I enjoyed this story so much even while I was frustrated at many times, mainly because I kept feeling like I was jumping in halfway through in a series.
And I was.
Because Rosa and Hou Yi have spent their lives dedicated to hunting and killing monsters—even before teaming up they spent years being heroes...or at least heroes in their own minds. Hou Yi dedicated her life to fighting sunbirds and searching for immortality, to the point where it destroyed her wife and transformed her adopted son into a villain. Rose murdered were-people, dedicating her life to the eradication of the other until it came back to haunt her and her family.
Now both women are on the run from their pasts, and have come so far that the only way forward is backward—backyard into Hou Yi's mysterious past. But Rosa will have to confront her own history as well, and reckon with the awful things she did.
I really loved how the various cultures were woven through this story. There were Asian fairy tales and European fairy tales intermixed together, and a clashing of Asian and Latinx cultures and viewpoints. And there were trans characters! And queer characters! Everyone was gay! And I loved it.
I also loved how the book dealt with the concept of friendship and family—both the toxic and the healthy—and how one sacrificed in a healthy way and how a person recovered from a toxic relationship. Rosa had been exploited by her ex-girlfriend Goldie throughout her childhood and life, and the tendrils of that manipulative relationship drew out the worst of them and sent Rosa on a path where she constantly doubted herself and her connections with everyone else.
Anywho, I really liked Rosa and Hou Yi—the hero and the villain, and who is who depends on who you ask—and their complicated relationship. They are two old woman just hanging on for one more grand quest.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
November 10, 2020
In a fantasy world inspired by Chinese mythology and Western fairytales such as Little Red Riding Hood, two elderly lesbian friends embark on a journey to confront their ugly pasts.
This is fine. I feel like a crappy reviewer and my mind is a bit fried these days, but I truly have no insights to share beyond the blurb. Nice novella but it’s not going to stick with me.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is fine. I feel like a crappy reviewer and my mind is a bit fried these days, but I truly have no insights to share beyond the blurb. Nice novella but it’s not going to stick with me.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
anti-library
May 14, 2020STUNNING COVER IS STUNNING
--------------------------------
'Two old queer ladies fighting magical things together & angsting about their pasts in a mix of Chinese/Western folklore'
OKAY, I'M READY
Source
--------------------------------
'Two old queer ladies fighting magical things together & angsting about their pasts in a mix of Chinese/Western folklore'
OKAY, I'M READY
Source
August 22, 2020
As soon as I first saw this cover, I knew I was gonna read it because just look at it - it’s absolutely gorgeous. I love the colors and all the elements within it, which made even more sense once I read the story. And I was ecstatic when I got the ARC coz I never thought I would.
The one good thing I did was read a couple of reviews before I started, and realized that it doesn’t have as much action as the blurb implies - it’s just not that kind of a story. And once I set my expectations right, then this was a beautiful stunning story. Owing to its very short length, we don’t get much detail about the world but we do understand the context within which the story is told, so I can say that the exposition was just enough. I also loved how seamlessly the author manages to combine multiple fairytales, crossing the bridge between Western and Eastern storytelling perfectly, overall creating a very believable narrative. The pacing is slow and contemplative, but it never feels boring or less engaging.
This is a story about two women (possibly in their late middle age) who are brought together by circumstances on a quest to save innocents, but the truth is that they are running from their past actions and their grief. The guilt they feel about what they have done is what forms the emotional core of this tale, and it was very interesting to get to know their backstories as well as how they are dealing with it all. It’s about them helping each other not only to realize their faults, but also to encourage the other not to give up hope, and maybe do something to overcome their guilt to move onto a better future. I love how the author was able to show us the flaws of both Rosa and Hou Yi clearly, but also make us empathize with them and want them to find peace.
To conclude, this is an intricately woven tale about different kinds of love and families, grief and loss, and how guilt can eat you alive. It’s an introspective story of two women finding their path back to their humanity, after years of thinking themselves incapable of it. If you love such very personal stories with queer BIPOC protagonists, then don’t give this a miss.
The one good thing I did was read a couple of reviews before I started, and realized that it doesn’t have as much action as the blurb implies - it’s just not that kind of a story. And once I set my expectations right, then this was a beautiful stunning story. Owing to its very short length, we don’t get much detail about the world but we do understand the context within which the story is told, so I can say that the exposition was just enough. I also loved how seamlessly the author manages to combine multiple fairytales, crossing the bridge between Western and Eastern storytelling perfectly, overall creating a very believable narrative. The pacing is slow and contemplative, but it never feels boring or less engaging.
This is a story about two women (possibly in their late middle age) who are brought together by circumstances on a quest to save innocents, but the truth is that they are running from their past actions and their grief. The guilt they feel about what they have done is what forms the emotional core of this tale, and it was very interesting to get to know their backstories as well as how they are dealing with it all. It’s about them helping each other not only to realize their faults, but also to encourage the other not to give up hope, and maybe do something to overcome their guilt to move onto a better future. I love how the author was able to show us the flaws of both Rosa and Hou Yi clearly, but also make us empathize with them and want them to find peace.
To conclude, this is an intricately woven tale about different kinds of love and families, grief and loss, and how guilt can eat you alive. It’s an introspective story of two women finding their path back to their humanity, after years of thinking themselves incapable of it. If you love such very personal stories with queer BIPOC protagonists, then don’t give this a miss.
September 26, 2020
On my blog.
Rep: Latina lesbian mc, Chinese wlw trans mc, Chinese side characters
CWs: death, past abuse
Galley provided by publisher
Burning Roses is a beautiful little retelling of a number of fairytales all mixed together. It follows two older women, Rosa and Hou Yi, as they hunt down Hou Yi’s old apprentice, who is ravaging the countryside in an attempt to force confrontation. Throughout the journey, they each confess to the other the regrets they have in their lives.
You know how, with novellas, it can be a bit hit-and-miss whether one works as its own self-contained story, but this one does it so well. The plot itself is simple, but the way it is used as a vehicle for the characters to reflect on their lives, the mistakes they have made and the ways they have tried to atone, is excellent.
And overall I loved the main characters. I think possibly one weakness of this (on account of it’s a novella) is that the side characters are much less fleshed out. But as I said, it’s a novella, and it’s also a novella that primarily does focus on these two characters (and the antagonist), so as much as I wanted more of the side characters, it’s not exactly a major gripe of mine.
In the end, then, this is a novella that I would urge everyone to preorder. Not least because it’s sapphic (but that too).
Rep: Latina lesbian mc, Chinese wlw trans mc, Chinese side characters
CWs: death, past abuse
Galley provided by publisher
Burning Roses is a beautiful little retelling of a number of fairytales all mixed together. It follows two older women, Rosa and Hou Yi, as they hunt down Hou Yi’s old apprentice, who is ravaging the countryside in an attempt to force confrontation. Throughout the journey, they each confess to the other the regrets they have in their lives.
You know how, with novellas, it can be a bit hit-and-miss whether one works as its own self-contained story, but this one does it so well. The plot itself is simple, but the way it is used as a vehicle for the characters to reflect on their lives, the mistakes they have made and the ways they have tried to atone, is excellent.
And overall I loved the main characters. I think possibly one weakness of this (on account of it’s a novella) is that the side characters are much less fleshed out. But as I said, it’s a novella, and it’s also a novella that primarily does focus on these two characters (and the antagonist), so as much as I wanted more of the side characters, it’s not exactly a major gripe of mine.
In the end, then, this is a novella that I would urge everyone to preorder. Not least because it’s sapphic (but that too).
September 18, 2021
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Rosa (mc) Latinx & lesbian; Hou Yi (mc) Chinese, trans & sapphic; Chinese scs.
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▷ Representation: Rosa (mc) Latinx & lesbian; Hou Yi (mc) Chinese, trans & sapphic; Chinese scs.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
October 31, 2020
This is a queer ... not quite retelling but uses the characters of Little Red Riding Hood and the Archer with a sprinkling of other fairy tale characters, in a story of family, revenge, love, and combat training.
(And the author is just cool - comparing infinities? movie stunts? defeating cancer?)
(And the author is just cool - comparing infinities? movie stunts? defeating cancer?)
May 9, 2022
This book has everything!
Sapphic love? Check. Magic? Check. Reimagined fairy tales where the women go ape? Check. The eternal power of queer love? Also check.
We first meet Rosa, a Spanish woman who’s backstory is similar to Little Red Riding Hood, but in this version Red becomes a monster killing badass. In her time West, she encounters a fairy tales such as Goldilocks, and Beauty and the Beast (and at least one other I just couldn’t place), but due to her own blunders she was forced to flee her wife, child, and country and headed East.
In the East she runs into Hou Yi, a genderbend of the Chinese legend Hou Yi and the Ten Suns, who slayed monsters and killed suns. Hou Yi and Rosa are now middle aged, have lost their wives and child, and now have only their monster hunting and each other for company. They embark on a mission to face the foe who has been sending monsters to scorch villages. In this journey they open up their pasts to one another and share their regrets.
It’s not just that the women’s stories are good, it’s the structure and writing style that makes this book so wonderful. The imagery, the flashbacks, the regret and emotions of the characters are expressed so well. Huang shows, not tells, us the longing these women have for their families and how their past decisions have brought them here.
It’s just so rare to have such realistic characterizations of middle aged women! You understand how they see themselves, you see the choices that plague them, the suffering they’ve caused. Then as they move onwards we remember that the way we see ourselves is not always how others remember us.
Just a really beautiful story about people, life, and regret. Oh and sapphic love. There’s also a lot of that ♥
Sapphic love? Check. Magic? Check. Reimagined fairy tales where the women go ape? Check. The eternal power of queer love? Also check.
We first meet Rosa, a Spanish woman who’s backstory is similar to Little Red Riding Hood, but in this version Red becomes a monster killing badass. In her time West, she encounters a fairy tales such as Goldilocks, and Beauty and the Beast (and at least one other I just couldn’t place), but due to her own blunders she was forced to flee her wife, child, and country and headed East.
In the East she runs into Hou Yi, a genderbend of the Chinese legend Hou Yi and the Ten Suns, who slayed monsters and killed suns. Hou Yi and Rosa are now middle aged, have lost their wives and child, and now have only their monster hunting and each other for company. They embark on a mission to face the foe who has been sending monsters to scorch villages. In this journey they open up their pasts to one another and share their regrets.
It’s not just that the women’s stories are good, it’s the structure and writing style that makes this book so wonderful. The imagery, the flashbacks, the regret and emotions of the characters are expressed so well. Huang shows, not tells, us the longing these women have for their families and how their past decisions have brought them here.
It’s just so rare to have such realistic characterizations of middle aged women! You understand how they see themselves, you see the choices that plague them, the suffering they’ve caused. Then as they move onwards we remember that the way we see ourselves is not always how others remember us.
Just a really beautiful story about people, life, and regret. Oh and sapphic love. There’s also a lot of that ♥
January 1, 2021
First book finished in 2021! This was an interesting little novella about two older queer women friends Hou Yi and Rosa (one trans, one cis) who embark on a quest to end attacks by destructive sunbirds being sent by Hou Yi's former mentee and adopted son. Both women have dark pasts full of mistakes and need redemption.
The narrative skips back and forth in time telling mostly Rosa's story of how she became the huntress she is now. Fairy tales are woven in and retold, including Little Red Riding Hood, The Archer / Robin Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
This one interested me intellectually but didn't quite grab me emotionally.
The narrative skips back and forth in time telling mostly Rosa's story of how she became the huntress she is now. Fairy tales are woven in and retold, including Little Red Riding Hood, The Archer / Robin Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
This one interested me intellectually but didn't quite grab me emotionally.
October 16, 2020
Burning Roses is the closest thing to a perfect book I’ve read in a long while. Or, at the very least, it was perfect for me. I knew it would be from the moment I read the final sentence from Jy Neon Yang’s blurb on the dust jacket (“The combination of fairy tale, rich storytelling, and older queer women full of scars is everything I ever wanted in a book.”), but Burning Roses still exceeded every hope and expectation I had for it.
I’m not usually very good at writing in depth reviews of books I really, truly love, because nothing I write ever feels like it does the story justice, but I’m going to do my damndest. Full RTC, but please read this book!!!!!!!!
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I’m not usually very good at writing in depth reviews of books I really, truly love, because nothing I write ever feels like it does the story justice, but I’m going to do my damndest. Full RTC, but please read this book!!!!!!!!
Love sapphic books, too? Let's be friends! Bookstagram | Booktube | Book Blog | Twitter
Read
May 21, 2023Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!
A unique retelling that examines the life of heroes, stripping them of their glory and fame and showing what is left behind: a life of choices, some bold and brave, some selfish, and some full of regret.
CW: fire, abusive parent, grief, loss of grandparent, violence, blood, gun violence
A unique retelling that examines the life of heroes, stripping them of their glory and fame and showing what is left behind: a life of choices, some bold and brave, some selfish, and some full of regret.
CW: fire, abusive parent, grief, loss of grandparent, violence, blood, gun violence
Want to read
May 4, 2020Not only is this Asian and sapphic... but you mean to tell me it features older women, too???
My heart can't handle feeling this full today tbh 😭
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My heart can't handle feeling this full today tbh 😭
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 4, 2022
Final impressions:
• A compelling queer mashup of fairytales - featuring popular classics (Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast) and Eastern folklore (Legend of Chang'e).
• Morally challenged elderly characters seeking redemption.
• Takes place after the hero's journey (so to speak) and has dark undertones.
• Strong family themes - both toxic and healthy.
• A little confusing at times, but this queer-norm fantasy world is extremely fascinating and I want to explore more of it.
• Vivid prose and lush writing style.
• I'm very happy that I chose to listen to the audiobook. I think the narrator (Nancy Wu) did an amazing job at bringing the characters to life!
Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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• A compelling queer mashup of fairytales - featuring popular classics (Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast) and Eastern folklore (Legend of Chang'e).
• Morally challenged elderly characters seeking redemption.
• Takes place after the hero's journey (so to speak) and has dark undertones.
• Strong family themes - both toxic and healthy.
• A little confusing at times, but this queer-norm fantasy world is extremely fascinating and I want to explore more of it.
• Vivid prose and lush writing style.
• I'm very happy that I chose to listen to the audiobook. I think the narrator (Nancy Wu) did an amazing job at bringing the characters to life!
Recommended!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter • ko-fi
February 1, 2022
this was brilliant and painful in so few words, the author really managed to flesh out the characters wonderfully
June 20, 2021
4 stars.
"Love, even more than hate, could always sharpen anger to the keenest of points."
Short but arresting with gorgeous storytelling.
Hou Yi and Rosa both have pasts they're trying to escape. Hou Yi's past comes back to bite and the two of them go on a journey to stop deadly sunbirds. This is just the backdrop to exploring both of their pasts.
So many things to love here. We get two sapphic older main characters. A deep exploration of how redemption works and what family means. Is there any true future for a tainted soul?
Read this if:You're looking for something short and unique. You enjoy character driven stories.
"Love, even more than hate, could always sharpen anger to the keenest of points."
Short but arresting with gorgeous storytelling.
Hou Yi and Rosa both have pasts they're trying to escape. Hou Yi's past comes back to bite and the two of them go on a journey to stop deadly sunbirds. This is just the backdrop to exploring both of their pasts.
So many things to love here. We get two sapphic older main characters. A deep exploration of how redemption works and what family means. Is there any true future for a tainted soul?
Read this if:You're looking for something short and unique. You enjoy character driven stories.
July 2, 2021
Beautiful and captivating.
September 14, 2020
4.5 stars
THIS is how you write a novella!!!! Usually I have trouble with novellas feeling too short but this one just felt like the perfect amount of words, you got a complete story with well fleshed out characters without getting bogged down in the prose. The wirting was stunning, simple and evocative and really captured the folklore feeling of the story.
This is a story about redemption and family, as well as a look at the harrowing side of revenge and past regrets. We follow Rosa and Hou Yi, two older women who are travelling together and reflecting back on their lives. Rosa's story is essentially a red rising hood retelling, with other fairytales involved - I was so invested in these flashbacks!! And as well Rosa is sapphic and her love story with Mei (who is essentially beauty from beauty and the beast) was super cute but also really emotional. Hou Yi is also a trans wlw character.
When Rosa's grandmother is killed by a magical wolf Rosa goes on a revenge quest to kill all other magical creatures. We watch Rosa reflect back on her past regrets, and well as follow her in the present when she has run away form Mei (her wife) and daughter and has to reconcile with why she really ran away. This hit home for me because Rosa felt like she would be less of a burden if she ran away and WOW THE FEELS T_T.
In conclusion, a beautiful tale of love lost and found, with a great message and some hard lessons learnt. A masterpiece of a novella.
THIS is how you write a novella!!!! Usually I have trouble with novellas feeling too short but this one just felt like the perfect amount of words, you got a complete story with well fleshed out characters without getting bogged down in the prose. The wirting was stunning, simple and evocative and really captured the folklore feeling of the story.
This is a story about redemption and family, as well as a look at the harrowing side of revenge and past regrets. We follow Rosa and Hou Yi, two older women who are travelling together and reflecting back on their lives. Rosa's story is essentially a red rising hood retelling, with other fairytales involved - I was so invested in these flashbacks!! And as well Rosa is sapphic and her love story with Mei (who is essentially beauty from beauty and the beast) was super cute but also really emotional. Hou Yi is also a trans wlw character.
When Rosa's grandmother is killed by a magical wolf Rosa goes on a revenge quest to kill all other magical creatures. We watch Rosa reflect back on her past regrets, and well as follow her in the present when she has run away form Mei (her wife) and daughter and has to reconcile with why she really ran away. This hit home for me because Rosa felt like she would be less of a burden if she ran away and WOW THE FEELS T_T.
In conclusion, a beautiful tale of love lost and found, with a great message and some hard lessons learnt. A masterpiece of a novella.
November 15, 2020
CWs: parental abandonment, murder, past abuse
Rep: Latina wlw MC, Chinese wlw MC, Chinese side characters
3.75 ⭐
Burning Roses is a captivating little retelling of Western fairytales and Eastern (Chinese) folklore, with dark yet ultimately hopeful themes of family, regret, and belonging.
I loved how the author managed to seamlessly blend the fairytales and mythology of different cultures in a single novella. We get retellings of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast (and even a glimpse of Puss in Boots) along with the Chinese myth of Hou Yi and Chang E, the moon goddess. The premise is really cool as well: two world-weary old queer women, who fight monsters together, go on a journey that reveals their murky past and their darkest fears.
Despite a quite action-packed opening, this is a rather introspective, character-driven fantasy novella that focuses on the past mistakes and regrets of our two MCs. I liked how the story showed all the ways in which our past haunts us and how we can never truly run away from the mistakes we have made but must face them instead. I also really appreciated the themes of parenthood; how parents often live vicariously through their children and how children inevitably end up shouldering the regrets of their parents.
While most of the story is weighed down by the heaviness of the guilt, anger, sadness and regret our MCs feel throughout, the ending is an absolutely beautiful one and I loved the strong message of hope the author was clearly trying to convey.
I think the only real issue I have is with the back-and-forth narrative structure between the past and the present; it rarely works for me and it did end up taking me out of the story at times. However, the compelling characters and gorgeous prose more than made up for that and I highly recommend this wonderful sapphic fantasy novella!
Rep: Latina wlw MC, Chinese wlw MC, Chinese side characters
3.75 ⭐
Burning Roses is a captivating little retelling of Western fairytales and Eastern (Chinese) folklore, with dark yet ultimately hopeful themes of family, regret, and belonging.
I loved how the author managed to seamlessly blend the fairytales and mythology of different cultures in a single novella. We get retellings of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Beauty and the Beast (and even a glimpse of Puss in Boots) along with the Chinese myth of Hou Yi and Chang E, the moon goddess. The premise is really cool as well: two world-weary old queer women, who fight monsters together, go on a journey that reveals their murky past and their darkest fears.
Despite a quite action-packed opening, this is a rather introspective, character-driven fantasy novella that focuses on the past mistakes and regrets of our two MCs. I liked how the story showed all the ways in which our past haunts us and how we can never truly run away from the mistakes we have made but must face them instead. I also really appreciated the themes of parenthood; how parents often live vicariously through their children and how children inevitably end up shouldering the regrets of their parents.
While most of the story is weighed down by the heaviness of the guilt, anger, sadness and regret our MCs feel throughout, the ending is an absolutely beautiful one and I loved the strong message of hope the author was clearly trying to convey.
I think the only real issue I have is with the back-and-forth narrative structure between the past and the present; it rarely works for me and it did end up taking me out of the story at times. However, the compelling characters and gorgeous prose more than made up for that and I highly recommend this wonderful sapphic fantasy novella!
February 26, 2021
ARC received from the publisher (Tor.com) in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, something about this one just didn't click with me, even though I'm normally a sucker for retellings. I think it might be because it tries to do so many things at the same time - several different fairytales mixed together, present and flashbacks, mixing eastern and western influences, two protagonists' intertwining stories - far too much for a novella.
I liked that we follow two complex, middle-aged women, both of whom have complicated pasts and have hurt people, I liked how it handles the themes of family and choices and morality. But in the end, I can't avoid the fact that it did not fully work for me.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
Recommended to: those who like retellings that mix several different influences/traditions, those looking for queer stories (lots of wlw in this one!), fans of ambiguous morality
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Sadly, something about this one just didn't click with me, even though I'm normally a sucker for retellings. I think it might be because it tries to do so many things at the same time - several different fairytales mixed together, present and flashbacks, mixing eastern and western influences, two protagonists' intertwining stories - far too much for a novella.
I liked that we follow two complex, middle-aged women, both of whom have complicated pasts and have hurt people, I liked how it handles the themes of family and choices and morality. But in the end, I can't avoid the fact that it did not fully work for me.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
Recommended to: those who like retellings that mix several different influences/traditions, those looking for queer stories (lots of wlw in this one!), fans of ambiguous morality
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
September 5, 2020
This was so beautiful!
The prose is gorgeous and the writing style of the author truly captivates the reader, not only with the imagery but also the character's very essence. We see two adult women who have seen horrors in their lives—horrors caused by others and horrors they caused themselves onto others. I found Rosa and Hou Yi so interesting because they're flawed characters. One might even call them villains or antagonists. These are two women who have done horrible mistakes, and throughout the story (their journey and their backstories shared between them), we get to see how it affected them and the lives of the people around them.
I also love how there are multiple fairy tale retellings here. I feel like the author really gave these fairy tales new, dark twists and was able to incorporate morality and human sins in each one of them at the same time.
I do wish there's more to the world-building. From what I've garnered here, it's so magical and fascinating. I needed more of it. (It's quite understandable though, since this is only a novella.)
There's not much a high stakes plot here, but instead we see an exquisite story about family, regret, and redemption.
OH, AND THIS IS SAPPHIC! There are two sapphic couples here and I loved it. And of course, we have Asian and Latinx rep. I've heard that this is inspired by Chinese mythology and that's always nice to see!
(I received an e-arc of this via NetGalley! Thank you so much Tor.com!)
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
The prose is gorgeous and the writing style of the author truly captivates the reader, not only with the imagery but also the character's very essence. We see two adult women who have seen horrors in their lives—horrors caused by others and horrors they caused themselves onto others. I found Rosa and Hou Yi so interesting because they're flawed characters. One might even call them villains or antagonists. These are two women who have done horrible mistakes, and throughout the story (their journey and their backstories shared between them), we get to see how it affected them and the lives of the people around them.
I also love how there are multiple fairy tale retellings here. I feel like the author really gave these fairy tales new, dark twists and was able to incorporate morality and human sins in each one of them at the same time.
I do wish there's more to the world-building. From what I've garnered here, it's so magical and fascinating. I needed more of it. (It's quite understandable though, since this is only a novella.)
There's not much a high stakes plot here, but instead we see an exquisite story about family, regret, and redemption.
OH, AND THIS IS SAPPHIC! There are two sapphic couples here and I loved it. And of course, we have Asian and Latinx rep. I've heard that this is inspired by Chinese mythology and that's always nice to see!
(I received an e-arc of this via NetGalley! Thank you so much Tor.com!)
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
June 13, 2022
“Rosa had grown old. Or perhaps she had been old for a long time.”
Rosa and the Archer are two women haunted by their own sacrifices and mistakes and sins, united in middle age by equally tragic pasts. They must work together when deadly sunbirds begin ravaging the countryside, and they are both forced to face that their histories have consequences far beyond the two of them.
Hahahahahahaha tears.
FIRST OFF I read this book as a standalone. It is only after reading the WHOLE THING and going to add it to my GoodReads that I have discovered it might be book 3 in a series? It totally worked as a standalone and it seems to be a different perspective than books 1 and 2 so you know what I think it’s fine. Also book 1/2 don’t seem to be in print anymore so I can’t be blamed.
This is a dark sapphic reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood as a monster-hunting vigilante. Beginning with the killing of the wolf in her own story, Rosa then branches beyond her tale to kill the creatures in someone else’s narrative.
This is a mashup of Chinese and Western fairytales and it is gay :) HAPPY PRIDE PEOPLE.
I repeatedly had to put this book down because quotes and passages were making me want to scream. If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know that I really dislike being made sad by books, and so a book has to be really very good for me to forgive it for breaking my heart. Not only do I forgive Burning Roses, I would let her break me again.
Burning Playlist:
- Love and War // Fleurie
- Home to Me // Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
- amour // Jean-Michel Blais
This book being VICIOUS:
“Tell me about your wife, Flower,” Hou Yi said, as if she had read Rosa’s thoughts. “Your Mei. I hope you and she have a happier ending than me.”
Rosa and the Archer are two women haunted by their own sacrifices and mistakes and sins, united in middle age by equally tragic pasts. They must work together when deadly sunbirds begin ravaging the countryside, and they are both forced to face that their histories have consequences far beyond the two of them.
Hahahahahahaha tears.
FIRST OFF I read this book as a standalone. It is only after reading the WHOLE THING and going to add it to my GoodReads that I have discovered it might be book 3 in a series? It totally worked as a standalone and it seems to be a different perspective than books 1 and 2 so you know what I think it’s fine. Also book 1/2 don’t seem to be in print anymore so I can’t be blamed.
This is a dark sapphic reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood as a monster-hunting vigilante. Beginning with the killing of the wolf in her own story, Rosa then branches beyond her tale to kill the creatures in someone else’s narrative.
This is a mashup of Chinese and Western fairytales and it is gay :) HAPPY PRIDE PEOPLE.
I repeatedly had to put this book down because quotes and passages were making me want to scream. If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know that I really dislike being made sad by books, and so a book has to be really very good for me to forgive it for breaking my heart. Not only do I forgive Burning Roses, I would let her break me again.
Burning Playlist:
- Love and War // Fleurie
- Home to Me // Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
- amour // Jean-Michel Blais
This book being VICIOUS:
“Tell me about your wife, Flower,” Hou Yi said, as if she had read Rosa’s thoughts. “Your Mei. I hope you and she have a happier ending than me.”
June 4, 2021
4🌟 Burning Roses by S.L. Huang narrated by Nancy Wu.
We follow Rosa and Hou Yi. Both middle aged and haunted by their past. Rosa is Red Riding Hood. After making choices she regrets and feels ashamed for she feels like she brought her love and family in danger and runs away.
Meeting Hou Yi they bond as friends and stay together. Hou Yi's past is unknown to Rosa. They find respect and peace with one another. Until they get called for help, sunbirds that are part fire ravage a village. They need to stop them.
Hou Yi's past is tied to these birds and they both set out to prevent even more destruction. Impossible to avoid the past both share their painful stories, connecting even more during their quest.
This novella had a lot of depth to it. Hou Yi and Rosa are badass together, I feel like they can take on anyone as a combo. Them talking about their past and making themselves vulnerable toward eachother helped them to go through these moments. Aiding eachother into making the right decisions. It is a magical fairytale with a heavier note and I loved following them while their past and future came together.
We follow Rosa and Hou Yi. Both middle aged and haunted by their past. Rosa is Red Riding Hood. After making choices she regrets and feels ashamed for she feels like she brought her love and family in danger and runs away.
Meeting Hou Yi they bond as friends and stay together. Hou Yi's past is unknown to Rosa. They find respect and peace with one another. Until they get called for help, sunbirds that are part fire ravage a village. They need to stop them.
Hou Yi's past is tied to these birds and they both set out to prevent even more destruction. Impossible to avoid the past both share their painful stories, connecting even more during their quest.
This novella had a lot of depth to it. Hou Yi and Rosa are badass together, I feel like they can take on anyone as a combo. Them talking about their past and making themselves vulnerable toward eachother helped them to go through these moments. Aiding eachother into making the right decisions. It is a magical fairytale with a heavier note and I loved following them while their past and future came together.
August 7, 2020
This tells a story of Red Riding Hood, and Hou Yi, a legendary archer from Chinese mythology (traditionally a man, but a woman in this telling). They’re both older now, friends living together, and more-or-less retired. Their retirement ends abruptly when sunbirds begin attacking and burning the countryside, and it’s up to them to go out and save the day. Except they’re not the people they used to be; they are old, and filled with shame and regret over the lives they’ve lived and the persons they’ve been. The story is about the two of them opening up to each other and acknowledging their own faults much more than it is about heroics. It’s sad, it’s bittersweet, and it’s beautiful. Comes out September 29.
May 8, 2024
An enormous wolf emerged out of the bushes, his gray fur so long and thick it looked like armor. His yellow eyes focused on her, calm and inteligent.
Rosa stopped her feet and straightened her spine. She was not going to be her mother.
"Hello, sir," Rosa said to the wolf, very politely.
I love fairy-tale retellings so it's no great surprise that I really liked this one, but.... I really liked it! In this novella we follow Rosa, who we already met in Hunting Monsters. I do think that the publication order of reading is the best here, but you could also read this one first and the two short stories after (in publication order), either way will spoil some little bits of the story for you. Talking about this book without spoiling Hunting Monsters is kind of impossible though... but let's try.
Let's just say that in Burning Roses we get to know Rosa's backstory - we get some great Little Red Riding Hood retelling, we get some great Goldilocks and Three Bears retelling, we get some great pieces of Beauty and the Beast retelling and a big chunk of the story is inspired by Chinese mythological character Hou Yi. The main themes are again parenting and ethics in broader sense. This installments centres grey characters and the ways they reconcile their moral failings with their love for their loved ones. There is also a lot of sapphic goodness!
This was very readable and I enjoyed it very much. I think the next Huang I'm going to read is Murder by Pixel: Crime and Responsibility in the Digital Darkness to sample her more sci-fi stuff and then we shall see!
July 28, 2023
This is a fun, sweet novella that I read in a single sitting, enjoying the fairy tale mashup and reimagining, as well as the family stories at its heart. It features two older queer women, estranged from their wives and kids, who are on a quest to stop some rampaging monsters, but that winds up functioning mostly as a frame story for the two of them working through the issues in their own pasts. The story is told from the POV of Rosa (Little Red Riding Hood grown up and now a recovering zealot), who’s running from her past by fighting firebirds with Hou Yi, an archer from Chinese legend who in this version is female.
The story moves quickly, and although practically everybody in it belongs to some fairy tale or other, it feels natural and Huang is quick to alter the fairy tales in service of her story (this is important in retellings, which can wind up unsatisfying if the author sticks too slavishly to the original material). I found the story enjoyable and interesting, and appreciated the complex look at prejudice early on. As a child, Rosa knows her mother is a bigot toward the “grundwirgen” (talking animals or animal-people), and she’s trying so hard to prove she’s not like that, she deliberately overlooks warning signs about the Big Bad Wolf, with tragic consequences. But this in turn leads to a vendetta in which she kills some grundwirgen who aren’t in fact doing anything wrong. There’s also a fair amount of complexity in the relationships for such a short book, and I appreciated that Rosa and Hou Yi both have made bad choices, and their stories are largely about their willingness to try to make up for them. So often fictional women are written as boringly perfect, but these have the sharp edges that make characters interesting and worth reading about.
The book didn’t quite blow me away. The quest frame story didn’t capture my interest as well as the backstory bits did, and the ending, while sweet, feels a bit rushed. But I enjoyed it and would read more from this author.
(Also, because I'm seeing it in other reviews and it bugs me: no, Rosa is not Latina. It appears that Spanish may be her native language, though it's a bit unclear because while she calls her grandmother abuela, she also grows up talking about grundwirgen, a word that sounds extremely Germanic and which a native Spanish-speaker would struggle to pronounce. But given the technology level, presence of kings and ability to walk to China, I think it's safe to say she's from an alternate version of Europe, not Latin America and certainly not from Latin American immigrants living in the U.S. - therefore, not Latina. My best guess is that she grows up in Germany with a grandmother from Spain.)
The story moves quickly, and although practically everybody in it belongs to some fairy tale or other, it feels natural and Huang is quick to alter the fairy tales in service of her story (this is important in retellings, which can wind up unsatisfying if the author sticks too slavishly to the original material). I found the story enjoyable and interesting, and appreciated the complex look at prejudice early on. As a child, Rosa knows her mother is a bigot toward the “grundwirgen” (talking animals or animal-people), and she’s trying so hard to prove she’s not like that, she deliberately overlooks warning signs about the Big Bad Wolf, with tragic consequences. But this in turn leads to a vendetta in which she kills some grundwirgen who aren’t in fact doing anything wrong. There’s also a fair amount of complexity in the relationships for such a short book, and I appreciated that Rosa and Hou Yi both have made bad choices, and their stories are largely about their willingness to try to make up for them. So often fictional women are written as boringly perfect, but these have the sharp edges that make characters interesting and worth reading about.
The book didn’t quite blow me away. The quest frame story didn’t capture my interest as well as the backstory bits did, and the ending, while sweet, feels a bit rushed. But I enjoyed it and would read more from this author.
(Also, because I'm seeing it in other reviews and it bugs me: no, Rosa is not Latina. It appears that Spanish may be her native language, though it's a bit unclear because while she calls her grandmother abuela, she also grows up talking about grundwirgen, a word that sounds extremely Germanic and which a native Spanish-speaker would struggle to pronounce. But given the technology level, presence of kings and ability to walk to China, I think it's safe to say she's from an alternate version of Europe, not Latin America and certainly not from Latin American immigrants living in the U.S. - therefore, not Latina. My best guess is that she grows up in Germany with a grandmother from Spain.)
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