this had everything i wanted in a standalone fantasy and then some. a revenge plot, a badass heroine, a simp of a hero, mythology, romance, and war. from the very get go, the story had me hooked and i simply couldn't put the book down for days. the main character, xishi, was such a dynamic character to follow! in my opinion, i thought that the pacing was perfect - there was enough action and suspense to keep the plot going, while the slow burn romance held such tension that honestly made me feral. 

the ENDING?!?!?!? sobbed. legit shed tears over these characters. i'm in love and obsessed with ann liang's writing. this definitely won't be my last read from this author!