eARC Review: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X Chang
Fantasy
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods
Book Info
Released Date: April 9th
Publication: Random House
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
“will always support women’s wrong in fantasy books”
Since I saw the book cover on Instagram, I knew that I needed to read this book. I didn’t care what it was about. I just knew I needed to read this book. And after I finished it, I got to say that I was glad that I went in blind. The book summary spoils a bit of the plot of the book. Regarding this book, it is for morally gray fantasy readers.
I know, I know. We all love morally gray characters, and we absolutely love it when it is a female morally gray character in fantasy books. We will always support women's wrong in fantasy books. You always know that it had to be something or someone who pushed them into their morally gray era. And Ruying was no exception.
I don’t care what people say, but I fully support Ruying no matter what. She always knew her gifts, aka magic, were a death sentence. She never wanted it because her magic will always be seen as a weapon, no matter what she wants. People won’t understand, especially her sister. And that’s what separates Ruying from everyone else. She may not do what people expect her to do with her magic, but she will always protect her remaining family at all costs in times of war.
You may call her selfish since Ruying has to work with her world enemy. But what choices does she have in this time of war? She has no power or connections that can help her protect her family. She did what she needed to do for her family to stay alive, even though she questioned everything about herself.
It's a bit hard to read about Ruying's pain. She never wanted to work for the enemy. And she never wanted to use her magic. But war is never kind. She has to do what she has to do to survive, and that’s going to cost her.
I will say that I admire Ruying's strength in protecting her family. She is doing what she can to protect them. It’s sad that her sister doesn’t understand. For me, I don’t like her sister at all. I find her selfish. She only cares for power and drugs. She doesn’t know how much it hurts Ruying to do what she has to do in order to protect. She thinks it’s easy, but life in the war isn’t.
