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Kingdom of Without
A wily young thief must use her wits to survive futuristic, alternate history Beijing in this Les Misérables–inspired young adult cyberpunk that is perfect for fans of Six of Crows and Fullmetal Alchemist.
When Zhong Ning’er takes the job, she expects a smash-and-grab burglary she’s doing to make rent and help out a friend. What she doesn’t expect: a sad-eyed army boy who dreams of insurrection, a former rebel leader trapped inside a secret lab, a group of aspiring revolutionaries who are first collaborators, then compatriots, and then, perhaps, friends.
But this is Beijing, nearly a hundred and fifty years after General Yuan Shikai successfully declared himself emperor in 1915. His descendants rule the country from their seat in the imperial city, their gendarmerie—the Beiyang Army—run the streets, aided by cyborgs and the Brocade Guard. Walls have risen, dividing the city into districts called Rings—nominally only by geography, but in truth by class. Earthquakes devastate the northern farmlands, crops drown in the southern typhoons, and all over the country people are hooked on a drug they call Complacency.
As a Sixth Ring girl who watched previous uprisings crushed brutally by the court, Ning’er isn’t much of an optimist, and she’s certainly no revolutionary. But that might not be up to her—as the stakes get higher, the time for passivity is quickly running out, and she must decide if she wants to sit idly in her cynicism, or embrace the breathless, terrible possibility of hope.
When Zhong Ning’er takes the job, she expects a smash-and-grab burglary she’s doing to make rent and help out a friend. What she doesn’t expect: a sad-eyed army boy who dreams of insurrection, a former rebel leader trapped inside a secret lab, a group of aspiring revolutionaries who are first collaborators, then compatriots, and then, perhaps, friends.
But this is Beijing, nearly a hundred and fifty years after General Yuan Shikai successfully declared himself emperor in 1915. His descendants rule the country from their seat in the imperial city, their gendarmerie—the Beiyang Army—run the streets, aided by cyborgs and the Brocade Guard. Walls have risen, dividing the city into districts called Rings—nominally only by geography, but in truth by class. Earthquakes devastate the northern farmlands, crops drown in the southern typhoons, and all over the country people are hooked on a drug they call Complacency.
As a Sixth Ring girl who watched previous uprisings crushed brutally by the court, Ning’er isn’t much of an optimist, and she’s certainly no revolutionary. But that might not be up to her—as the stakes get higher, the time for passivity is quickly running out, and she must decide if she wants to sit idly in her cynicism, or embrace the breathless, terrible possibility of hope.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2023
About the author
Andrea Tang
13 books184 followersAndrea Tang grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and currently lives, writes, and works in the Washington, DC area. She loves martial arts in general and Brazilian jiu-jitsu in particular, and in her spare time, enjoys learning new sports and checking out live theater.
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Want to read
March 24, 2021CYBERPUNK SIX OF CROWS, CLASS DIVIDED BEIJING, MYSTERIOUS RENEGADE, BAND OF YOUNG REVOLUTIONARY THIEVES, FAILED REBELLION NO I DON’T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND IM LOOSING MY SHIT RN THIS SOUNDS SO GOOD OMFG
November 20, 2024
[ENG]
Ning'er and her heist team simply stole my heart.
A smart, funny, emotional cyberpunk story about revolution and more.
I heartily recommend it.
[PL]
Ning'er i jej towarzysze napadu po prostu skradli moje serce.
Mądra, zabawna, emocjonalna cyberpunkowa opowieść o rewolucji i nie tylko.
Serdecznie polecam.
Ning'er and her heist team simply stole my heart.
A smart, funny, emotional cyberpunk story about revolution and more.
I heartily recommend it.
[PL]
Ning'er i jej towarzysze napadu po prostu skradli moje serce.
Mądra, zabawna, emocjonalna cyberpunkowa opowieść o rewolucji i nie tylko.
Serdecznie polecam.
May 17, 2022
Sophisticated, clever, and outrageously fun. Ning'er and her heist crew have my whole heart.
December 15, 2023
I don’t have much to say about this book. I think this is one of those “it’s not the book, it’s me” cases. The story was fine, and I don’t have many negative things to say about it. It unfortunately just never managed to fully grab my attention, for some reason, so by the end I was honestly dreading picking this up. I’d still recommend it, though, if it sounds interesting to you! It just simply was a miss for me.
WORLD: The world building was a bit clunky at times (like that info-dump about the Lark at the beginning), but, in general, it was fine, and I actually really liked the world! I feel like there aren’t a lot of cyberpunk settings in books, especially YA, and I do think it’s an underutilized type of world. It’s interesting to see a world that’s so technologically advanced, but where poor people still have to sell body parts to survive. Finding out what those body parts were used for was also interesting, though I would’ve liked to see more of it, tbh. I just think this type of world is so cool that I wanted to learn more about it, I guess. 😅
PLOT: On paper, the plot was quite interesting: a poor girl joining a group of rebels (secretly lead by one of the most influential young elites in the empire, who’s betraying the emperor) to break out the girl who was the face of a revolution before she was imprisoned?! That sounds so awesome! I love me a good heist story! But unfortunately, I just never fully cared about what they were trying to accomplish, and I never felt any urgency. All their little “side quests” before the big heist were boring to me (and, to be fair, since the heist is near the end of the book, I also found it boring, since by that point I was already done with this book 😵💫). I can’t fully explain *what* didn’t work for me, I just know that it didn’t. 🫠 There were a couple of things I enjoyed, though!
CHARACTERS:
➤ Ning’er was a strong and smart protagonist. I liked seeing how she survived being poor, how she dealt with her father’s mistreatment of her, her previous addiction and her prosthetic limbs.
➤ I liked Cheng Yun in theory more than in practice. As I already mentioned, the idea of the Young Marshal being the prodigy of the nation, but also, secretly, its biggest enemy, was cool as hell, and I immediately wanted to know how that came to be, and what he planned on doing onwards. Additionally, Cheng Yun was really selfless and kind, which is rare in YA LIs, since authors nowadays are obsessed with the ~dark, brooding, rude, cocky~ LIs. So, truly, there were a lot of reasons for me to love him! But, unfortunately, I just never fully warmed up to him, and I didn’t really care about him at all by the end. 😕
➤ The SCs were cool, but I also never managed to fully care about them. I can tell they have different personalities and aptitudes, but I don’t think they were on page enough for me to fully know them as people, or for me to care at all about them. I’ll forget about them in a week (sorry 😭).
ROMANCE: This is the one thing about the book I actually didn’t like (granted, I didn’t hate it either! It just made me roll my eyes a lot lol). Right at the beginning Ning’er spent a long amount of time looking at a poster of the Young Marshal and describing how hot he is, which immediately told me he was gonna be the LI, even though his character hadn’t been introduced in the book yet. She then spent the entire book regularly describing Cheng Yun’s ~full lips~, ~sharp cheekbones~, ~long lashes~, ~big eyes~, ~gorgeous face~ and I was like……….. 😑🙄 She was also immediately flustered around him, even though she barely knew him and only talked to him like twice, which to me is just insta-love. And then Ning’er would say things like “But, god, she’d do anything to keep him from looking so sad again.”….. like….. why???? He’s basically a stranger!!!! 😑😑😑 I also didn’t really care about their bonding moments. The whole *rich boy and poor girl bonding because neither of them has “freedom”* thing is too overdone. Also when she said "Ning’er couldn’t honestly say who’d be worse starved for affection: the hungry orphans of the Lower Rings or the second son of an Upper Ring family, haunted by a ghost who’d left him alone in their father’s big empty house.” ????????????????? Girl??? Let’s not compare a lonely rich guy to hungry orphans in the poorest part of the city 😭😭😭. Then *obviously* they’re in a situation where ~there’s only 1 bed~ which….. 🥱 And Ning’er says “I promise not to grope you in my sleep so long as you don’t grope me.” which is just bizarre, methinks. 🤨 It was all very weird, for 2 people who barely knew each other! At some point, one of the SCs says “You’ve known him for all of twelve seconds.”, and this was supposed to be a petty, snarky comment, but like…. She wasn’t wrong lmfao. 🥴
OTHER THINGS:
➤ The fact that they fully discussed their plan to commit treason, break into a prison and break out a criminal IN PUBLIC!?!?!! MULTIPLE TIMES!!?!?!?!!!!?! And you’re telling me these kids are smart?? Bye 🥴. How weren’t they caught???? 😭
➤ Found typos
➤ I liked this quote: “Not all tragedies are vehicles for beautiful life lessons or poignant inner meaning. (…) Sometimes, they just happen to you. Sometimes, they just break your heart.”
WORLD: The world building was a bit clunky at times (like that info-dump about the Lark at the beginning), but, in general, it was fine, and I actually really liked the world! I feel like there aren’t a lot of cyberpunk settings in books, especially YA, and I do think it’s an underutilized type of world. It’s interesting to see a world that’s so technologically advanced, but where poor people still have to sell body parts to survive. Finding out what those body parts were used for was also interesting, though I would’ve liked to see more of it, tbh. I just think this type of world is so cool that I wanted to learn more about it, I guess. 😅
PLOT: On paper, the plot was quite interesting: a poor girl joining a group of rebels (secretly lead by one of the most influential young elites in the empire, who’s betraying the emperor) to break out the girl who was the face of a revolution before she was imprisoned?! That sounds so awesome! I love me a good heist story! But unfortunately, I just never fully cared about what they were trying to accomplish, and I never felt any urgency. All their little “side quests” before the big heist were boring to me (and, to be fair, since the heist is near the end of the book, I also found it boring, since by that point I was already done with this book 😵💫). I can’t fully explain *what* didn’t work for me, I just know that it didn’t. 🫠 There were a couple of things I enjoyed, though!
CHARACTERS:
➤ Ning’er was a strong and smart protagonist. I liked seeing how she survived being poor, how she dealt with her father’s mistreatment of her, her previous addiction and her prosthetic limbs.
➤ I liked Cheng Yun in theory more than in practice. As I already mentioned, the idea of the Young Marshal being the prodigy of the nation, but also, secretly, its biggest enemy, was cool as hell, and I immediately wanted to know how that came to be, and what he planned on doing onwards. Additionally, Cheng Yun was really selfless and kind, which is rare in YA LIs, since authors nowadays are obsessed with the ~dark, brooding, rude, cocky~ LIs. So, truly, there were a lot of reasons for me to love him! But, unfortunately, I just never fully warmed up to him, and I didn’t really care about him at all by the end. 😕
➤ The SCs were cool, but I also never managed to fully care about them. I can tell they have different personalities and aptitudes, but I don’t think they were on page enough for me to fully know them as people, or for me to care at all about them. I’ll forget about them in a week (sorry 😭).
ROMANCE: This is the one thing about the book I actually didn’t like (granted, I didn’t hate it either! It just made me roll my eyes a lot lol). Right at the beginning Ning’er spent a long amount of time looking at a poster of the Young Marshal and describing how hot he is, which immediately told me he was gonna be the LI, even though his character hadn’t been introduced in the book yet. She then spent the entire book regularly describing Cheng Yun’s ~full lips~, ~sharp cheekbones~, ~long lashes~, ~big eyes~, ~gorgeous face~ and I was like……….. 😑🙄 She was also immediately flustered around him, even though she barely knew him and only talked to him like twice, which to me is just insta-love. And then Ning’er would say things like “But, god, she’d do anything to keep him from looking so sad again.”….. like….. why???? He’s basically a stranger!!!! 😑😑😑 I also didn’t really care about their bonding moments. The whole *rich boy and poor girl bonding because neither of them has “freedom”* thing is too overdone. Also when she said "Ning’er couldn’t honestly say who’d be worse starved for affection: the hungry orphans of the Lower Rings or the second son of an Upper Ring family, haunted by a ghost who’d left him alone in their father’s big empty house.” ????????????????? Girl??? Let’s not compare a lonely rich guy to hungry orphans in the poorest part of the city 😭😭😭. Then *obviously* they’re in a situation where ~there’s only 1 bed~ which….. 🥱 And Ning’er says “I promise not to grope you in my sleep so long as you don’t grope me.” which is just bizarre, methinks. 🤨 It was all very weird, for 2 people who barely knew each other! At some point, one of the SCs says “You’ve known him for all of twelve seconds.”, and this was supposed to be a petty, snarky comment, but like…. She wasn’t wrong lmfao. 🥴
OTHER THINGS:
➤ The fact that they fully discussed their plan to commit treason, break into a prison and break out a criminal IN PUBLIC!?!?!! MULTIPLE TIMES!!?!?!?!!!!?! And you’re telling me these kids are smart?? Bye 🥴. How weren’t they caught???? 😭
➤ Found typos
➤ I liked this quote: “Not all tragedies are vehicles for beautiful life lessons or poignant inner meaning. (…) Sometimes, they just happen to you. Sometimes, they just break your heart.”
December 4, 2023
Pomysł na fabułę naprawdę bardzo ciekawy jednak samo wykonanie nie do końca przypadło mi do gustu.
June 12, 2023
This book gave me Warcross meets Final Fantasy 7 vibes with a touch of Les Mis. I loved the heist plot as well as the futuristic setting. Ning’er is a great main character and I’d love to read more from her POV.
The romance was very subtle. It was a nice element but by no means is it the main focus. So, if you like little to no romance in a story, this is for you. I normally like a healthy amount of romance but must commend the fact that I didn’t miss it here. This story is about Revolution and it didn’t need anything else.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The romance was very subtle. It was a nice element but by no means is it the main focus. So, if you like little to no romance in a story, this is for you. I normally like a healthy amount of romance but must commend the fact that I didn’t miss it here. This story is about Revolution and it didn’t need anything else.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Want to read
January 6, 2024you had me at the cover, the promise of a band of thieves and failed rebellion
November 24, 2023
rep: Chinese protagonist and cast; (Chinese-American author)
cw: drug addiction, gore, violence
After reading and loving Andrea Tang’s first two books, I couldn’t wait to read her next release! Much like many others, I am always a sucker for a heist, and I love her cast of characters. High-stakes and intense, Kingdom of Without tells a story of rebellion and freedom.
Zhong Ning’er is at her breaking point when she decides to take one more job as a thief. There, she meets her crew, including the leader Cheng Yun, the government’s propaganda poster boy who has a secret life as the Red Yaksha, and learns of their goal: to break out a former rebel leader who disappeared five years ago. Along the way, Ning’er must decide what she’s willing to do for what’s right—and for the people she loves.
The characters were my favorite part of this book. Ning’er is headstrong and tenacious. She’s suffered a lot of hardships in life—including her father selling two of her limbs for his next hit of a drug called Complacency—but she’s worked hard to carve out a life for herself. This heist job is the last thing she wanted to accept, but she can’t help but become enamored with this group of revolutionaries and their cause.
Cheng Yun is Tang’s typical pretty boy who wants more for his life than what others have decided for him. I’m always a sucker for this kind of character, and I liked reading his scenes with Ning’er. The other members of the crew, including Zi’an, Feifei, and Zhenyi, had a great dynamic and care a lot about each other.
The “heist” ended up taking a lot less of the plot than I anticipated though, with Tang setting up the motivations of the characters more heavily. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just one that I wanted to point out in case you were expecting a deeply involved heist!
Kingdom of Without was a thrilling book with an ending that had me gasping. I liked the characters and their dynamics. If you’re a fan of alternate history books about revolutionaries, you should check out Kingdom of Without!
hmmm yeah
cw: drug addiction, gore, violence
read on my blog
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley for this blog tour (thank you, Colored Pages Book Tours and Simon Teen!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
After reading and loving Andrea Tang’s first two books, I couldn’t wait to read her next release! Much like many others, I am always a sucker for a heist, and I love her cast of characters. High-stakes and intense, Kingdom of Without tells a story of rebellion and freedom.
Zhong Ning’er is at her breaking point when she decides to take one more job as a thief. There, she meets her crew, including the leader Cheng Yun, the government’s propaganda poster boy who has a secret life as the Red Yaksha, and learns of their goal: to break out a former rebel leader who disappeared five years ago. Along the way, Ning’er must decide what she’s willing to do for what’s right—and for the people she loves.
The characters were my favorite part of this book. Ning’er is headstrong and tenacious. She’s suffered a lot of hardships in life—including her father selling two of her limbs for his next hit of a drug called Complacency—but she’s worked hard to carve out a life for herself. This heist job is the last thing she wanted to accept, but she can’t help but become enamored with this group of revolutionaries and their cause.
Cheng Yun is Tang’s typical pretty boy who wants more for his life than what others have decided for him. I’m always a sucker for this kind of character, and I liked reading his scenes with Ning’er. The other members of the crew, including Zi’an, Feifei, and Zhenyi, had a great dynamic and care a lot about each other.
The “heist” ended up taking a lot less of the plot than I anticipated though, with Tang setting up the motivations of the characters more heavily. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just one that I wanted to point out in case you were expecting a deeply involved heist!
Kingdom of Without was a thrilling book with an ending that had me gasping. I liked the characters and their dynamics. If you’re a fan of alternate history books about revolutionaries, you should check out Kingdom of Without!
original review:
hmmm yeah
November 23, 2023
Thank you so much to Colored Pages Book Tours, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book!
[ 4/5 ⭐️ ]
“Kingdom of Without” is like a perfect blend of my favorite fantasy book with unique aspects of its own. The setting was one of my favorite parts of the book : the book takes place in a class-divided, futuristic Beijing, overwhelmed with riots and protests. I loved the city setting, and the class division aspect was also really interesting and relating to today’s society as well.
As always, what I absolutely loved in this book were the characters. The dynamics between Ning’er and her heist partners were amazing, and the romance subplot had me hooked from the start. (I must admit at first I wasn’t too sure who the love interest was, I thought there’d be a love triangle but thankfully there wasn’t haha)
The romance is not a big part of the book but the slow burn and the depth of their relationship had me screaming <3 The found family, among many other things, reminded me a lot of my favorite book ever, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, which I obviously loved. The character development and the way they grow to love and care about each other in the friend group is something I always love in books, and that this one did perfectly.
I really enjoyed the heist plot as well, the book is quite fast-paced and not too long so if you’re looking for a quick fantasy read that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat at all times, this is it! I didn’t see the plot twist coming and the ending is beautifully written— it made me want to read more about these characters but gave me the closure I wanted 🫶🏻
[ 4/5 ⭐️ ]
“Kingdom of Without” is like a perfect blend of my favorite fantasy book with unique aspects of its own. The setting was one of my favorite parts of the book : the book takes place in a class-divided, futuristic Beijing, overwhelmed with riots and protests. I loved the city setting, and the class division aspect was also really interesting and relating to today’s society as well.
As always, what I absolutely loved in this book were the characters. The dynamics between Ning’er and her heist partners were amazing, and the romance subplot had me hooked from the start. (I must admit at first I wasn’t too sure who the love interest was, I thought there’d be a love triangle but thankfully there wasn’t haha)
The romance is not a big part of the book but the slow burn and the depth of their relationship had me screaming <3 The found family, among many other things, reminded me a lot of my favorite book ever, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, which I obviously loved. The character development and the way they grow to love and care about each other in the friend group is something I always love in books, and that this one did perfectly.
I really enjoyed the heist plot as well, the book is quite fast-paced and not too long so if you’re looking for a quick fantasy read that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat at all times, this is it! I didn’t see the plot twist coming and the ending is beautifully written— it made me want to read more about these characters but gave me the closure I wanted 🫶🏻
November 28, 2023
I am thrilled to hosting a booktour spot with @coloredpagesbt and @andreatang for #KingdomOfWithout, and my tour stops here today.
👧🏻 review: I’ve never read this author’s books before nor keen interest in historical fantasy, but honestly I love this book. It started when Ning’er’s father sold her for her legs simply to keep his addiction. Ning’er’s character, her leadership and discipline are inspiring. I also enjoyed the action part when she and the gang took the heist and the importance of friendship came first. I like the flow of the story especially the exciting and unexpected ending. If this is done into a movie, it would definitely be a great show. Overall, I enjoyed this one very much.
👧🏻 review: I’ve never read this author’s books before nor keen interest in historical fantasy, but honestly I love this book. It started when Ning’er’s father sold her for her legs simply to keep his addiction. Ning’er’s character, her leadership and discipline are inspiring. I also enjoyed the action part when she and the gang took the heist and the importance of friendship came first. I like the flow of the story especially the exciting and unexpected ending. If this is done into a movie, it would definitely be a great show. Overall, I enjoyed this one very much.
December 21, 2023
I don't know what I expected, but that wasn't it. As wonderful as this book was at the character dynamics and the relationships, it was also absolutely brutal. No punches are pulled in this book, from page 1. This book takes some of the darkest, hardest topics and forces you to look at them. There is no averting your eyes here. See. See what cruelty and greed and malice create.
So while this book ended, it didn't feel like an ending. It felt like the beginning. Like the ball can really get going now. Though what form that would actually take is unclear.
I didn't see anything about this being a series or anything, but I do kind of hope that it ends up as one someday. It has that kind of potential.
So while this book ended, it didn't feel like an ending. It felt like the beginning. Like the ball can really get going now. Though what form that would actually take is unclear.
I didn't see anything about this being a series or anything, but I do kind of hope that it ends up as one someday. It has that kind of potential.
November 17, 2023
The first third of this was great and had me hooked. The whole concept of a father selling his daughter’s arm and one of her legs leaving her with two prosthetics definitely had me hooked and gave me vibes of Cinder. Unfortunately, the story lost steam for me somewhere near the middle and never really recovered. I liked the gang of people coming together for a heist, Six of Crows style, but I didn’t feel anywhere near as vested in this team as SOC.
December 3, 2023
Wow. Haven’t read such an addicting book like this in a while!
Read
December 27, 2023Not rating because I really wasn't in the mood for a Y.A.
April 1, 2024
there are no birds in this book. the lil bird you can see on the cover is a metaphor 😒
April 17, 2024
ocena: 2,4/5 🌻
forma: 🎧
kocham ten świat. Naprawdę, nie sądziłam że tak mnie wciągnie coś na kształt „cyberpunka” ale boże jakie to było ciekawe. Mimo że sama bohaterka i jej tło, wybory czy charakter były dla mnie mało atrakcyjne a zakończenie woła o pomstę do nieba, to na pewno będę wracać do tej rzeczywistości.
[kryteria oceny]
0,4/1 logiczność i ciągłość wydarzeń
0,3/0,5 fabuła
0,5/0,5 stworzony świat
0,4/0,5 spójność, konsekwentność
0,4/0,5 płynność i przyjemność w odbiorze
0/0,5 kreacja bohaterów
0,1/0,5 „sedno”/ cel/ morał
0,2/0,25 styl pisania autora
0,1/0,25 wyjątkowość
0/0,25 pozytywny odbiór całości
0/0,25 ✨ to coś ✨
forma: 🎧
kocham ten świat. Naprawdę, nie sądziłam że tak mnie wciągnie coś na kształt „cyberpunka” ale boże jakie to było ciekawe. Mimo że sama bohaterka i jej tło, wybory czy charakter były dla mnie mało atrakcyjne a zakończenie woła o pomstę do nieba, to na pewno będę wracać do tej rzeczywistości.
[kryteria oceny]
0,4/1 logiczność i ciągłość wydarzeń
0,3/0,5 fabuła
0,5/0,5 stworzony świat
0,4/0,5 spójność, konsekwentność
0,4/0,5 płynność i przyjemność w odbiorze
0/0,5 kreacja bohaterów
0,1/0,5 „sedno”/ cel/ morał
0,2/0,25 styl pisania autora
0,1/0,25 wyjątkowość
0/0,25 pozytywny odbiór całości
0/0,25 ✨ to coś ✨
October 10, 2024
⋆⋆⋆⅔ — shatter me × six of crows kinda. cute (and i love all dystopias unless they're trying really hard to be ass). but the romance gives me the heebie jeebies and i was kind of waiting for a lesbian moment, so. (why, yes, i did see the cover with the two guys. still lost at chess to the dog, however. )
October 11, 2024
3.5 when it costs an actual arm and leg to pay rent
+ felt like there was so much the book could’ve explored and done better on but this was still a decent read
+ felt like there was so much the book could’ve explored and done better on but this was still a decent read
January 8, 2024
Właściwie to 3,5. Szybka, wciągająca lektura.
November 15, 2024
2.5☆
This was interesting until about half way through then it started losing me. There was a big time jump after the half way point that means we skip a lot of the 'training' for the mission. A missed opportunity to build up the side characters and show the group bonding. Really not a fan of the last chapters, the conclusion felt a little lazy.
This was interesting until about half way through then it started losing me. There was a big time jump after the half way point that means we skip a lot of the 'training' for the mission. A missed opportunity to build up the side characters and show the group bonding. Really not a fan of the last chapters, the conclusion felt a little lazy.
May 16, 2024
Kurczę naprawdę podobała by mi się bardziej gdyby nie miliony opisów o tym jak główny bohater był ciosany przez samego Boga na zmianę z Michałem aniołem ;-; plus końcówka totalne zaskoczenie a to na duży plus
Want to read
February 24, 20212022 come sooner
December 7, 2023
This story is uninspired, edgy and naïve and reading it was painful. Normally I'd drop it, but it was the only audiobook I had at work, so for the full 8hr it accompanied me in the office. That is to say, I had rather high hopes for it.
To be fair to the publisher, 'Kingdom of Without' is exactly what it says on the tin -- a 'Les Misérables--inspired (book) for fans of Six of Crows and Fullmetal Alchemist'. I just wasn't the fan they were thinking about when creating this book.
About the parts I enjoyed -- the grounds for this world are reasonably solid and intriguing. It was what piqued my interest at first. A cyberpunk story inspired by Chinese culture? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the whole thing is regrettably Western, the pacing and character interactions are painfully Hollywood-esque in their entirety. It's not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. The group of misfits, while not a novel idea, is something I enjoy, however the execution leaves a lot to be desired, the group knows eachother a few days and immediately puts their trust in MC, reveal their identities and goals. That's not good writing, in my opinion. Romantic subplot -- yes, amazing. Only... It doesn't work? Maybe it's because the chemistry between them is nonexistent, or the plot moves too fast, but the 'slow burn' is just slow.
If you're looking for an epic adventure inspired by Les Misérables, a crew with a fun and interesting dynamic like that of Leigh Bardugo's Crows, a mystery that'll put Full metal Alchemist to shame, or a good cyberpunk story, look further.
With characters bleak and their paper thin beliefs, you're not likely to enjoy it if you're looking for a good written and well planned story.
However, if you're interested in the world building of this cyberpunk-esque city or need a fast-paced book with relatable characters -- this story is also not for you.
Actually, I don't know who this story is for. Fans of Six of Crows are more likely to enjoy another book from Bardugo, for FMA obsessed I recommend Apothecary Diaries, and surely if you've read Les Mis, you can do it again.
Also, there's a significant amount of 'telling' and not enough 'showing' the character's intentions or the world as a whole. Would like to see it, not have it spelled out to me like I'm five.
I'm giving it 2 stars, because it's not the worst thing I've read and there's a bunch of representation and effort put into it. The whole thing just doesn't work as a finished story.
To be fair to the publisher, 'Kingdom of Without' is exactly what it says on the tin -- a 'Les Misérables--inspired (book) for fans of Six of Crows and Fullmetal Alchemist'. I just wasn't the fan they were thinking about when creating this book.
About the parts I enjoyed -- the grounds for this world are reasonably solid and intriguing. It was what piqued my interest at first. A cyberpunk story inspired by Chinese culture? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the whole thing is regrettably Western, the pacing and character interactions are painfully Hollywood-esque in their entirety. It's not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. The group of misfits, while not a novel idea, is something I enjoy, however the execution leaves a lot to be desired, the group knows eachother a few days and immediately puts their trust in MC, reveal their identities and goals. That's not good writing, in my opinion. Romantic subplot -- yes, amazing. Only... It doesn't work? Maybe it's because the chemistry between them is nonexistent, or the plot moves too fast, but the 'slow burn' is just slow.
If you're looking for an epic adventure inspired by Les Misérables, a crew with a fun and interesting dynamic like that of Leigh Bardugo's Crows, a mystery that'll put Full metal Alchemist to shame, or a good cyberpunk story, look further.
With characters bleak and their paper thin beliefs, you're not likely to enjoy it if you're looking for a good written and well planned story.
However, if you're interested in the world building of this cyberpunk-esque city or need a fast-paced book with relatable characters -- this story is also not for you.
Actually, I don't know who this story is for. Fans of Six of Crows are more likely to enjoy another book from Bardugo, for FMA obsessed I recommend Apothecary Diaries, and surely if you've read Les Mis, you can do it again.
Also, there's a significant amount of 'telling' and not enough 'showing' the character's intentions or the world as a whole. Would like to see it, not have it spelled out to me like I'm five.
I'm giving it 2 stars, because it's not the worst thing I've read and there's a bunch of representation and effort put into it. The whole thing just doesn't work as a finished story.
December 12, 2023
3.5/5
Rewolucja za każdym razem zbiera swoje krwawe żniwo. Nie ważne czy akurat odkrywamy nasz rzeczywisty świat, czy jeden z tych schowanych w kartach książki. Zawsze prędzej czy później trafisz na tą symboliczną iskrę, która wznieciła ogień, na błąd który przechylił szalę zmuszając znany ci świat do upadku - pytanie nie brzmi więc czy rewolucja wybuchnie, ale czy jesteś w stanie sobie z nią poradzić?
Pekin w wyobraźni Tang aż mieni się od neonów i żywych barw. Kolorowe animacje cyborgów niewiele różniących się od ludzi, modyfikacje ciał będące na wyciągnięcie ręki, jeżeli tylko odważysz się oddać życie diabłu a może twoim marzeniem jest oddać życie za wyższą sprawę? Mamią cię chcąc wyciągnąć z twojego ciała resztki ludzkości jakie w nim pozostały. Potrafiłbyś się temu oprzeć? A może potrzebujesz jedynie kolejnej dawki Zadowolenia? Pamiętasz jeszcze życie bez niego?
Jak się okazuje na kartach powieści Kingdom of Without nie każdego stać na tak górnolotne pragnienia. Jest bowiem w tym świecie nie tylko kasta bogaczy, jest też również biedota, dla której jedyną motywacją jest przeżycie kolejnego dnia. Miasto zduszone jest przez Armię Beiyangu co sprawia że życie nie było tam nigdy aż tak trudne. Wszyscy bowiem wspominają o Brokatowej Gwardii, za której spotkanie możesz zapłacić głową-to właśnie ta rzeczywistość jest codziennością Ning. Złodziejaszki o pewnych i lisich dłoniach dla której nie istnieje zlecenie, któremu nie podoła. Skuszona więc wizją łatwych pieniędzy pewnego dnia rusza na kolejną akcje. Kradzież jakich wiele o dziwo zaowocuje spotkaniem nietypowego chłopaka. To spotkanie przewróci jej życie do góry nogami.
Dlaczego?
Bowiem nagle okazuje się, że istnieją marzenia gotowe wzniecić niemałe zamieszanie.
Przy Kingdom of Without bawiłam się wyśmienicie. Historia liczy sobie niecałe 350 stron co sprawia że nie można tu wspominać o zastoju czy nudzie - brak powtórzeń, płynność języka autorki sprawiła, że nawet nie zauważyłam, że udało mi się przeczytać tą powieść w niecałe dwa dni.
Absolutnie polecam !
Rewolucja za każdym razem zbiera swoje krwawe żniwo. Nie ważne czy akurat odkrywamy nasz rzeczywisty świat, czy jeden z tych schowanych w kartach książki. Zawsze prędzej czy później trafisz na tą symboliczną iskrę, która wznieciła ogień, na błąd który przechylił szalę zmuszając znany ci świat do upadku - pytanie nie brzmi więc czy rewolucja wybuchnie, ale czy jesteś w stanie sobie z nią poradzić?
Pekin w wyobraźni Tang aż mieni się od neonów i żywych barw. Kolorowe animacje cyborgów niewiele różniących się od ludzi, modyfikacje ciał będące na wyciągnięcie ręki, jeżeli tylko odważysz się oddać życie diabłu a może twoim marzeniem jest oddać życie za wyższą sprawę? Mamią cię chcąc wyciągnąć z twojego ciała resztki ludzkości jakie w nim pozostały. Potrafiłbyś się temu oprzeć? A może potrzebujesz jedynie kolejnej dawki Zadowolenia? Pamiętasz jeszcze życie bez niego?
Jak się okazuje na kartach powieści Kingdom of Without nie każdego stać na tak górnolotne pragnienia. Jest bowiem w tym świecie nie tylko kasta bogaczy, jest też również biedota, dla której jedyną motywacją jest przeżycie kolejnego dnia. Miasto zduszone jest przez Armię Beiyangu co sprawia że życie nie było tam nigdy aż tak trudne. Wszyscy bowiem wspominają o Brokatowej Gwardii, za której spotkanie możesz zapłacić głową-to właśnie ta rzeczywistość jest codziennością Ning. Złodziejaszki o pewnych i lisich dłoniach dla której nie istnieje zlecenie, któremu nie podoła. Skuszona więc wizją łatwych pieniędzy pewnego dnia rusza na kolejną akcje. Kradzież jakich wiele o dziwo zaowocuje spotkaniem nietypowego chłopaka. To spotkanie przewróci jej życie do góry nogami.
Dlaczego?
Bowiem nagle okazuje się, że istnieją marzenia gotowe wzniecić niemałe zamieszanie.
Przy Kingdom of Without bawiłam się wyśmienicie. Historia liczy sobie niecałe 350 stron co sprawia że nie można tu wspominać o zastoju czy nudzie - brak powtórzeń, płynność języka autorki sprawiła, że nawet nie zauważyłam, że udało mi się przeczytać tą powieść w niecałe dwa dni.
Absolutnie polecam !
December 26, 2023
Gritty and engrossing are the first words that come to mind when describing this story. Zhong Ning'er lives in the Sixth Ring of a futuristic Beijing, one still ruled by descendants of the general who declared himself the emperor 150 years before. About the only thing that has changed is what often happens when corruption seeps into government and commerce. The rich get richer and more powerful, while those at the bottom just try to survive while feeling more desperate every day.
Ning'ers, existence is further complicated by her drug addicted father who has control over her and anything she earns from a part time job, coupled with theft. His desperation even went as far as selling one of her arms and one of her legs. Fortunately, she has been befriended by a man who has stolen plans and parts that enable him to make high quality prosthetics for her. Unfortunately, there have been times when she's reached a level of desperation that forced her to sell even these.
Having just discovered her father has drained her bank account yet again, she's at a crossroads. Unless a miracle happens, there's no way to pay her rent.
Enter that miracle in the form of Someone who wears two faces, one of privilege, the other as the infamous Red Yaksha, a figure who opposes the corruption poisoning the city. It begins when she's hired to steal something for him, but quickly becomes a rescue mission that involves breaking into a facility owned by the huge company that manufactures the drug known as Complacency which is what led to her father's desperation.
That raid and what is discovered during it are extremely shocking, leading to an all out attempt by the bad guys to capture the rebels before they can tell the people what was discovered. Plenty of action, a bit of romance, and an ending that allows for more left me quite satisfied.
Ning'ers, existence is further complicated by her drug addicted father who has control over her and anything she earns from a part time job, coupled with theft. His desperation even went as far as selling one of her arms and one of her legs. Fortunately, she has been befriended by a man who has stolen plans and parts that enable him to make high quality prosthetics for her. Unfortunately, there have been times when she's reached a level of desperation that forced her to sell even these.
Having just discovered her father has drained her bank account yet again, she's at a crossroads. Unless a miracle happens, there's no way to pay her rent.
Enter that miracle in the form of Someone who wears two faces, one of privilege, the other as the infamous Red Yaksha, a figure who opposes the corruption poisoning the city. It begins when she's hired to steal something for him, but quickly becomes a rescue mission that involves breaking into a facility owned by the huge company that manufactures the drug known as Complacency which is what led to her father's desperation.
That raid and what is discovered during it are extremely shocking, leading to an all out attempt by the bad guys to capture the rebels before they can tell the people what was discovered. Plenty of action, a bit of romance, and an ending that allows for more left me quite satisfied.
November 22, 2023
A alternative history Beijing with a touch of Les-Miserables, Six of Crows, and Fullmetal Alchemist? Say less. Set in a futuristic world, a young thief finds herself with a new job, a failed rebellion at hand, and a revolution brewing. Zhong Ning'er is a thief who needs money, and her latest job has her working with people she never imagined, from a sad eyed army boy who dreams of insurrection, a former rebel leader trapped inside a secret lab, and group of aspiring revolutionaries. Ning'er is hired to break out the Lark, a former rebel leader, and this job is going to start a revolution. She's never much cared for politics, having to focus on her own problems and cynicism, yet this new job has her questioning everything and possibly giving into hope for change. This was a mix of Les Miserables, sci-fi heists, and a touch of romance and revolution. It was definitely a unique story and the overall plot was interesting. I was kind of wishing there was more though, I adore Six of Crows and Fullmetal Alchemist and there were elements of both in this book yet I just kind of wish there was more. The ending was interesting and you could have a second book, but this one could also work as a standalone. Overall if you enjoy stories with heists, political revolutions, and a touch of romance, definitely give this one a go.
*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
February 5, 2024
Dziś przychodzę do Was z lekturą Andrei Tang pt. „Kingdom of Without”, która klimatem zabierze Was do ogarniętego rewolucją Pekinu.
Miasto, w którym żyje Zhong Ning'er jest podzielone na Sześć Kręgów. Dziewczyna wychowała się w tym najgorszym, dlatego bardzo dobrze wie, jak radzić sobie w tym trudnym świecie. Praca w skromnym barze nie wystarcza jej na standardowe opłaty, nie wspominając już o jedzeniu, dlatego Ning'er jest jeszcze kimś. Złodziejką. Szmuglerką. I właśnie w wieku siedemnastu lat sprzedała swoje dwie mechaniczne kończyny...
Dlatego, kiedy dostaje propozycję skoku, nie waha się zbyt długo. Jednak, jak się okazuje, życie zawsze lubi się komplikować.
Powiem Wam, że z zainteresowaniem czytałam tę historię. Fakt, widać, że to debiut autorki. I fakt, może nie wszystko jest tak dopracowane jak by mogło być, ale to naprawdę nie przeszkadzało mi w odbiorze.
Poznajemy świat trudny, gdzie ludzie by przeżyć, handlują kończynami, i to nie zawsze tymi mechanicznymi. Da się wyczuć klimat takiego cyberpunkowego świata, ale jeśli już dłużej siedzicie w tych klimatach, to ta książka, cóż, to może być dla Was za mało.
Jeśli chodzi o akcję, to fajnie się to tutaj toczy. I dość szybko. Bohaterzy są dość zróżnicowani, dzięki czemu jesteśmy w stanie poznać ich z innej strony.
Ja się nie nudziłam, może gdzieniegdzie mi czegoś brakowało, ale hej, czy to odbierało mi przyjemność z czytania? Bynajmniej! Dobrze się bawiłam!
Miasto, w którym żyje Zhong Ning'er jest podzielone na Sześć Kręgów. Dziewczyna wychowała się w tym najgorszym, dlatego bardzo dobrze wie, jak radzić sobie w tym trudnym świecie. Praca w skromnym barze nie wystarcza jej na standardowe opłaty, nie wspominając już o jedzeniu, dlatego Ning'er jest jeszcze kimś. Złodziejką. Szmuglerką. I właśnie w wieku siedemnastu lat sprzedała swoje dwie mechaniczne kończyny...
Dlatego, kiedy dostaje propozycję skoku, nie waha się zbyt długo. Jednak, jak się okazuje, życie zawsze lubi się komplikować.
Powiem Wam, że z zainteresowaniem czytałam tę historię. Fakt, widać, że to debiut autorki. I fakt, może nie wszystko jest tak dopracowane jak by mogło być, ale to naprawdę nie przeszkadzało mi w odbiorze.
Poznajemy świat trudny, gdzie ludzie by przeżyć, handlują kończynami, i to nie zawsze tymi mechanicznymi. Da się wyczuć klimat takiego cyberpunkowego świata, ale jeśli już dłużej siedzicie w tych klimatach, to ta książka, cóż, to może być dla Was za mało.
Jeśli chodzi o akcję, to fajnie się to tutaj toczy. I dość szybko. Bohaterzy są dość zróżnicowani, dzięki czemu jesteśmy w stanie poznać ich z innej strony.
Ja się nie nudziłam, może gdzieniegdzie mi czegoś brakowało, ale hej, czy to odbierało mi przyjemność z czytania? Bynajmniej! Dobrze się bawiłam!
December 9, 2023
2/5
myślałam, że to będzie coś lepszego. miałam akurat ochotę na dobre sci-fi, ale nie pykło.
jak tak przypominam sobie fabułę, to tak naprawdę mało co się tam działo. niby była jakaś rebelia, ale kończyła się na trzech takich ważnych wydarzeniach, a pomiędzy to właściwie takie niewiadomo co. polubiłam trochę tego lekarza, a do reszta była mi całkowicie obojętna.
zresztą co do postaci - nie przekonuje mnie główna bohaterka. przez całe życie musiała sobie radzić i nie była w łatwej sytuacji. autorka przedstawiła ją jako osobę niechętna do nawiązywania relacji, ale już gdzieś w 1/3 książki zaprasza typa do domu jakby był to jej najlepszy ziomek. zresztą ten "wątek romantyczny" był delikatny i bardzo szybki.
pomysł na fabułę nie był zły, naprawdę. typowa, dystopijna walka z rządem i z korporacją. jakby dodać jakiś intryg politycznych z walkami rebelianckimi to mogłoby wyjść ciekawie. wątki były za mało rozwinięte. (na Legimi ma 322 strony, co moim zdaniem trochę mało jak na taką opowieść) zresztą wątek skowronka miał również zmarnowany potencjał.
końcówka podobała mi się, ale nie wystarczająco, żebym tą książkę lepiej oceniła.
podsumowując: ciekawy pomysł zmarnowanym potencjałem. nie polecam, tutaj autorka poszła zdecydowanie na łatwiznę.
jak znacie jakieś fajne sci-fi to dajcie znać, bo chętnie przeczytam
myślałam, że to będzie coś lepszego. miałam akurat ochotę na dobre sci-fi, ale nie pykło.
jak tak przypominam sobie fabułę, to tak naprawdę mało co się tam działo. niby była jakaś rebelia, ale kończyła się na trzech takich ważnych wydarzeniach, a pomiędzy to właściwie takie niewiadomo co. polubiłam trochę tego lekarza, a do reszta była mi całkowicie obojętna.
zresztą co do postaci - nie przekonuje mnie główna bohaterka. przez całe życie musiała sobie radzić i nie była w łatwej sytuacji. autorka przedstawiła ją jako osobę niechętna do nawiązywania relacji, ale już gdzieś w 1/3 książki zaprasza typa do domu jakby był to jej najlepszy ziomek. zresztą ten "wątek romantyczny" był delikatny i bardzo szybki.
pomysł na fabułę nie był zły, naprawdę. typowa, dystopijna walka z rządem i z korporacją. jakby dodać jakiś intryg politycznych z walkami rebelianckimi to mogłoby wyjść ciekawie. wątki były za mało rozwinięte. (na Legimi ma 322 strony, co moim zdaniem trochę mało jak na taką opowieść) zresztą wątek skowronka miał również zmarnowany potencjał.
końcówka podobała mi się, ale nie wystarczająco, żebym tą książkę lepiej oceniła.
podsumowując: ciekawy pomysł zmarnowanym potencjałem. nie polecam, tutaj autorka poszła zdecydowanie na łatwiznę.
jak znacie jakieś fajne sci-fi to dajcie znać, bo chętnie przeczytam
July 23, 2024
Kingdom of Without is a cute book, if I can call a book set in a hyper-capitalist, imperial police state in the not-so-distant future cute. I’m sad that I feel like I can’t give the book more than three stars.
Kingdom of Without is a study on the nature of revolutions disguised as a novel about teenagers executing a heist. As such, the plot is not as strong as it could be, and some of the characters are courtesy markers rather than humans. I also feel disillusioned because I thought that one of the points the books was making was to discredit the use of figureheads or sole leaders in real revolutionary action/liberate Cheng Yun from his savior complex, but, in the end,
To be fair, I love Ning’er and Cheng Yun’s ISTP x ENFJ dynamic. I’m convinced that the author based Cheng Yun on Luo Yizhou, and I’m obsessed.
In summary, Kingdom of Without has great bones, but its execution needs improvement.
Kingdom of Without is a study on the nature of revolutions disguised as a novel about teenagers executing a heist. As such, the plot is not as strong as it could be, and some of the characters are courtesy markers rather than humans. I also feel disillusioned because I thought that one of the points the books was making was to discredit the use of figureheads or sole leaders in real revolutionary action/liberate Cheng Yun from his savior complex, but, in the end,
To be fair, I love Ning’er and Cheng Yun’s ISTP x ENFJ dynamic. I’m convinced that the author based Cheng Yun on Luo Yizhou, and I’m obsessed.
In summary, Kingdom of Without has great bones, but its execution needs improvement.
October 9, 2023
↦ 239/ 100
I didn't have many high hopes going into this, but I couldn't really pick anything out of this book that I enjoyed so thus I present you with a one-star book.
Honestly, it's my bad, I didn't really read the synopsis thoroughly before I downloaded this digital advanced reader copy and this doesn't seem much like something I would enjoy in a standalone sci-fi novel.
The story follows Ning'er who LITERALLY sold her arm and leg to survive in this dystopian Beijing society. She gets by being a burglar and is a part of the sixth ring community. Beijing is separated by six rings which is meant to be geographically, but is actually based on their class levels. Slowly but surely she meets people within this community who want to start a revolution, however, in this society, she's seen revolutions and uprisings fail on and on again. Time is running out and she doesn't know if she should sit and watch or have some hope and die trying.
This novel releases on November 28, 2023 from Simon & Schuster!
I didn't have many high hopes going into this, but I couldn't really pick anything out of this book that I enjoyed so thus I present you with a one-star book.
Honestly, it's my bad, I didn't really read the synopsis thoroughly before I downloaded this digital advanced reader copy and this doesn't seem much like something I would enjoy in a standalone sci-fi novel.
The story follows Ning'er who LITERALLY sold her arm and leg to survive in this dystopian Beijing society. She gets by being a burglar and is a part of the sixth ring community. Beijing is separated by six rings which is meant to be geographically, but is actually based on their class levels. Slowly but surely she meets people within this community who want to start a revolution, however, in this society, she's seen revolutions and uprisings fail on and on again. Time is running out and she doesn't know if she should sit and watch or have some hope and die trying.
This novel releases on November 28, 2023 from Simon & Schuster!
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