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A review by thebookbin
Burning Roses by S.L. Huang
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Because god herself can’t stop me: I finished a second book today.
Burning Roses by SL Huang was everything I wanted it to be. It’s a blend of West and East and mythology so perfectly interwoven in such a short book.
The story follows two middle-aged women who fight monsters and avoid talking about their feelings: namely the wives they’ve lost. Hou Yi’s story is mysterious (if you know anything about Chinese mythology: YES! That Hou Yi! Except she’s female) Rosa has run so far, she’s run to the other side of the world. As a child she was wronged by the grundwirgen (people that can turn into animals) and made it her life’s mission to hunt them to extinction. Until she fell in love.
This story is told from Rosa’s point of view as a sort of Red Riding Hood figure. The more you know about mythology, the better the story is. When I met the hare I knew exactly what he was in regards to Chang’e and the way Huang weaves in myths from legend. The story follows the women as they face their final battle together: taking down the sun birds that have been terrorizing the land, but they find that Hou Yi’s son is responsible. This leads them to sharing their own tragic stories where they have each been the hero and the villain, and emphasizes the power of love both romantic and paternal.
5/5 moonlit stars
Burning Roses by SL Huang was everything I wanted it to be. It’s a blend of West and East and mythology so perfectly interwoven in such a short book.
The story follows two middle-aged women who fight monsters and avoid talking about their feelings: namely the wives they’ve lost. Hou Yi’s story is mysterious (if you know anything about Chinese mythology: YES! That Hou Yi! Except she’s female) Rosa has run so far, she’s run to the other side of the world. As a child she was wronged by the grundwirgen (people that can turn into animals) and made it her life’s mission to hunt them to extinction. Until she fell in love.
This story is told from Rosa’s point of view as a sort of Red Riding Hood figure. The more you know about mythology, the better the story is. When I met the hare I knew exactly what he was in regards to Chang’e and the way Huang weaves in myths from legend. The story follows the women as they face their final battle together: taking down the sun birds that have been terrorizing the land, but they find that Hou Yi’s son is responsible. This leads them to sharing their own tragic stories where they have each been the hero and the villain, and emphasizes the power of love both romantic and paternal.
5/5 moonlit stars