This is a DNF for me. Despite loving Sharon Shinn, the asian backdrop and influence and interesting premise (certain gateways lead to other worlds because they are fixed points in time/space) I could not get into this. It was something of a yawn fest for me actually.

Daiyu, a Chinese girl adopted by Caucasian parents, lives a fairly normal and boring life in St. Louis. Then one summer day at the fair, she buys a black jade ring, and suddenly finds herself in a fantastical alternate universe where St. Louis is inhabited by people who look like her. Daiyu is rescued by a young Caucasian man named Kalen, who takes her to two servants of the gods, Ombri and Aurora, who tell her that she has been brought to their world to help vanquish a rebel. She is understandably confused by everything, and clings to Kalen as she attempts to determine who is good and who is evil in the world she has been thrown into. Soon she finds herself caught up in society, posing as the niece of a wealthy and powerful society woman in order to more closely observe Chenglei, the man who she has been told to subdue.

I’ve been a huge fan of Shinn’s novels for adults, including her Samaria and Twelve Houses novels, but not so much of her young adult works. I felt that this book skimmed over too many important details, lingered too much on a whirlwind romance, and tied together far too easily at the end. ( )

I hate to seem harsh, and to bring down the average GR rating even further, but this book could have been so much better. Terrific concept, fun world-building, interesting themes, drama, romance....

But it read as a debut novel - not fully graceful writing and a few forced characters and coincidental developments. I did believe in the romance, and I do recommend the book. If I were 13 I'd give it five stars because it would have spoken to my dreams and because, being a less-experienced reader, I would have easily forgiven the awkward aspects. But at this point I just can't rate it higher. ( )

This book was... not what I expected from Sharon Shinn. It's a very generic young adult supernatural romance, with this particular twist being that the main character was adopted from China by white parents and the alternate world she travels to is Chinese-esque. There's the same shallow romance and pining, the same transparent alternate love interest, and an obvious villain strangely lacking in any sense of real motivation.

It really feels more like an attempt to cash in on the growing requests for more diversity in YA lit, and not like a true homage to Chinese culture and addressing what it's like to grow up adopted.

I expected better. ( )

I found it difficult to enjoy this novel. The writing seemed flat to me and the characters did little to engage my interest or curiosity. ( )