Sonia

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Sonia is Currently Reading

Sonia is currently reading

El juego del ángel (El cementerio de los libros olvidados, #2)

by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

bookshelves: series-won-t-finish, male, translation, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in October 2021

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Sonia said: " 2.5 stars

Honestly, it's me, not the book.

Somehow Carlos Ruiz Zafon's writing is not doing it for me. I can see how it may appeal to a lot of people but I am beginning to realise that this kind of magical realism where there's almost no magic except p ...more "

progress:

(page 36 of 672)
— 2 hours, 38 min ago

2 hours, 39 min ago · see review

Sonia is currently reading

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

by Isabel Wilkerson (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: female, non-fiction, north-american, currently-reading

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progress:

(25%)
— 1 hour, 53 min ago

Mar 28, 2026 06:44PM

Sonia is currently reading

The Wall of Storms (The Dandelion Dynasty Book 2)

by Ken Liu (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: fantasy, male, north-american, favourite, series-finished, auto-buy-authors, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2024

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Sonia said: " 4.5 stars

This book is a bloody emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible.

It started really strong, mostly thanks to Zomi and Thera. I've found Ken Liu to be brilliant at writing backstories, to the point that they sometimes overshadow the main 4.5 stars

This book is a bloody emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible.

It started really strong, mostly thanks to Zomi and Thera. I've found Ken Liu to be brilliant at writing backstories, to the point that they sometimes overshadow the main storyline. This is to some extent the case here with Zomi's backstory. Her mentor/student relationship with Luan Zya was so heartwarming and wholesome, which made her slow transformation very believable and made me fully invested in both her and Luan Zya as characters. Thera was another standout character. All of Kuni's children had their own personalities and quirks, even Fara, who had limited screen time, managed to endear her to me almost immediately. But Thera was different. I really appreciate how Ken Liu handled gender equality in the series. While acknowledging the existing discrimination, he made a concerted effort, through the characters, to slowly bring gender equality to the world. It shows that you can write a sexist fantasy while still bringing progressive values to it.

I wasn’t sure about the middle part of the book, not because it’s not good. In fact, it’s extremely well written because it made me absolutely hate (view spoiler) was just too much for my poor heart that I almost had to detach myself emotionally. The personal betrayal was hard to read yet at the same time, Ken Liu did a great job showing (view spoiler) perspective. Whether the readers agree with her or not is a different story. But in a way I can see her point. The Tino states system was NOT a good foundation for governance as feudal states almost always inevitably lead to more warfare when different states jostle for more power and when their power overtakes that of the state. The centralisation of power through a systematic approach with a common culture behind it is indeed a superior and more stable form of governance. Yet the way she handled the situation was absolutely despicable, which did lead me to question if she was only using the changing of the system to justify her own greed and hunger for power, consciously or not. It was enraging to read her slowly plotting against the heroes who fought for Kuni and did nothing wrong except being in a position of power.

But this all changed when Lyucu invaded. Man, was I emotionally invested! If I wasn't sure if this book was going to be a hit before, I was now. If I wasn't bothered by Zato Ruthi's death, the fate of the civilians felt like a dagger to my heart. Then Luan Zya's death hit me hard but it was nothing compared to what was to come. Yet despite all the atrocities, Ken Liu managed to show glimpse of humanity of the Lyucus. The harsh environment they lived in, the struggles they faced and the sacrifices they had to make made them who they were as a people. Their actions were still despicable yet it was hard not to feel a shred of sympathy when I thought about the grandparents who willingly sacrificed themselves so the younger ones could survive. And the Garinafins! They were the most sympathetic characters coming out of Lyucu. Despite their destructive power, they were enslaved because their babies were trapped and tortured by the Lyucus as leverages. If I ever need one reason to hate a people, it is their mistreatment of animals. The Lyucus would never be in my good books because of that.

As a result, my loyalty lied firmly with the Dara people. Their battle preparation and the ensuing battles had me glued to the pages with the hand on my heart the whole time. I was thrilled when the battle preparation was going well and devastated when they faced setbacks. (view spoiler) I know that people question Ken Liu's lack of originality in the Grace of Kings and I agree to some extent. This book should utterly dispel that doubt. The story is 100% Ken Liu's own. The twists and turns! (view spoiler) It does make me extremely eager to read the Veiled Throne. I hope Ken Liu doesn't break my heart because I don't think I can take it lol. ...more "

progress:

(page 410 of 881)
— 2 hours, 40 min ago

Apr 01, 2025 09:31AM · see review