Elle’s Reviews > An Empire in the Clouds > Status Update
Elle
is 48% done
So apparently the random x's in words are meant to be a dialect shift. I find linguistic shifts and drifts fascinating IRL but there's just no way x's can start replacing random vowels and random S's and R's - it makes most words unpronounceable. Theatex for theatre is fine, but forwardx? Coloxr instead of colour? Honoxr? No idea what an audiobook is going to do with No Face's chapters ("just die I guess" meme here).
— 14 hours, 30 min ago
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Elle’s Previous Updates
Elle
is 58% done
On one hand, I understand the pain & indignity of being mis-gendered. On the other, I don't understand why the author says Piao is awful for enforcing a gender binary and no can be trans or non-binary, but once you move to Opera you are forced to be non-binary & a They/Them & this is a wonderful freedom. Excuuz? Both places are denying personal choice/identity & enforcing their beliefs on all citizens. You both suck.
— 10 hours, 49 min ago
Elle
is 56% done
Xilian finally talking to Lang after letting a stranger distract her & force her to watch two different long performances/contests. Over 15% after arriving at Lang's place, finally Lang. (The slowed pacing REALLY kills any sense of urgency about the assassination plot, jfc.)
— 13 hours, 27 min ago
Elle
is 49% done
The sudden jump from political & climate-change issues to livestream battles & anti-AI sentiment is jarring. I don't disagree with the anti-AI stance, but I've spent almost 50% being told to care about politics & climate-change / environmental disasters. It's way too late to drop new major issues--and my god do I not care about livestream dance battles, we're trying to stop an assassination!
— 14 hours, 21 min ago
Elle
is 36% done
At 35% Xilian suddenly drops that she has asthma. I don’t think this was ever mentioned before? Feels odd.
I can’t work out what Performers refers to. No Face’s ch's made it sound like people who perform at the theatre. But on arrival Xilian refers to multiple people on the streets as Performers, so is it a term for everyone who lives in Opera? Suddenly less certain of the world & culture at 36% than I was at 10%.
— Aug 26, 2026 10:16PM
I can’t work out what Performers refers to. No Face’s ch's made it sound like people who perform at the theatre. But on arrival Xilian refers to multiple people on the streets as Performers, so is it a term for everyone who lives in Opera? Suddenly less certain of the world & culture at 36% than I was at 10%.
Elle
is 24% done
Still more Tell-y than I'd like - I'm adjusting to it, but I also keep wishing for Showing even if it would have meant lots of flashbacks & memories. Xilian is one of my least fav MC types, "indecisive", but at least she realises it & has finally started doing things. Meanwhile No Face talks a big game but hasn't done anything yet either. 25% on setup feels a bit too much, but I'll see if picks up.
— Aug 26, 2026 05:19AM
Elle
is 12% done
A bit overly Telling and info-dump-y, but this is a really cool and really strange world being established, so I'm rolling with it for now. I'm not sure how necessary all the explanations are, if there wouldn't be a better spot for some of these facts & personal histories later on... but I won't know til I get there. There's a lyricism or sense of Chinese opera to the tone/prose, so I'm a bit more forgiving.
— Aug 24, 2026 11:30PM