- The Good: Neurodivergent protagonists; dangerous space monsters
- The Bad: Unearned romance; coarse plotting
- The Literary: Vietnamese-inspired worldbuilding
Unlikely representatives from the four Navigator clans of the Empire join forces to find an escaped Tangler, a dangerous space creature that is mostly kept separate from the areas of space where ships travel. But when their imperial envoy is found dead by clan poison, they realize they all might be in over their heads.
Two of the clan representatives form an unlikely romance. Việt Nhi, of the flamboyant Rooster clan is not good with people, as she tends to say things as they are. She requires structure and is often overstimulated. Hạc Cúc, of the Snake clan, excels at poisoning and stabbing and information gathering but is crippled by the need to please her Elder.
The world-building elements of this story feel fresh and innovative. The clan structure and Xianxia-inspired cultivation narrative allow Vietnamese and Chinese philosophy to form the basis of the world. The power our characters cultivate is their own bodies’ vitality, which they call the Shadows. The enigmatic invisible Tanglers are huge monsters with multiple poisonous tendrils, and they’re quite scary.
The characters are simple but effective. I enjoy the queer and neurodivergent perspectives and how those POVs are the lens by which these characters experience the world. The romance is fine, but the enemies-to-lovers shift moves too quickly. I enjoy the narration switching between narrators to highlight their miscommunications. However, both of their internal monologues explicitly reiterate their insecurities, which simplifies them further. Even more unfortunately, the plot is predictable and the stakes never feel real.
Recommended specifically for fans of Xianxia-inspired stories or sapphic romance.