She simply states that the rain starts to fall, and the context of that scene fills in the dark or grave atmosphere for us. Joan He avoids dropping characters into "good" or "evil" boxes, allowing the villains (both the obvious ones and the not so obvious) to be multilayered and have realistic motivations for their actions that go beyond "Muahaha, I'm evil". Descendant of the Crane was one of the most hyped up books of 2019 that I’ve seen, and I can now see why. Joan He set up the dominoes of the plot so well that every subsequent plot path made logical sense to me.

However, due to a number of factors, it wasn’t possible for me to expand on that bigger story for a long time, and now I’ve fully moved on as a creator. Where are her guards, her ladies in waiting, her attendants, why are the people of court and her people all faceless blobs who gather at her feet and she doesn't know any of their names? More importantly, the same could have been achieved without sacrificing some of Hesina's character development with that last-minute change of heart. Synopsis: Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. If it’s any small comfort, Hesina’s journey in DESCENDANT would have always ended the way that it did regardless of if I’d sold in a one book, two book, or three book deal.

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Bit of background knowledge—sooths are hated and hunted in this fictional universe) Sooths receive benefits like an extended lifespan if they tell the truth, but it doesn't mean they can't twist the truth. This serves as one of the conflicts for Hesina, who has to somehow figure out how to change a population’s opinion that has been socialized within her kingdom for over 300 years. The author had already proven she was very good at twists, but that one, for some reason, felt especially extra. Maybe a bit dramatic at times, but if drama and scheming aren't what you're here for, this might not be the book for you since that's what it focuses on more than fast-paced action. Since this is only a standalone (I do hope for a sequel in the future, pretty pleaseee), some stuff seems rushed and there are unanswered questions.However, the second half was a constant stream of mind-shattering revelations and plot twists- my poor heart didn't know what to do with itself! If this was faster and shorter, then it would definitely have been a bigger hit (it is a big hit so it would have been perfect). The “magic people” in this story – which are named sooths – they can not only see in the future, but some of them can even bring the future state of something in the present. Como lectora, sólo aprendí que la sangre de quienes blandían magia prohibida se encendía en llamas cuando salía a la superficie.

It played out like a lot of other YA fantasy stories that I've been seeing lately—twists and turns, haphazard worldbuilding (some parts of this world were breathtakingly beautiful, and others popped out of nowhere 3/4 of the way through the book without context), and a heroine whose motivations, actions and words are going in three completely different directions. It feels almost deliberately cleaned up for a younger audience, and I think it is a shame that a sexy character like Akira is wasted on a romance lacking in steam.As for the other question—what happens at the end/after—that, unfortunately, is one that I’ve decided I can no longer answer.