January 2025

Pa Ying’s Book Review

Absurdity is what this volume is about. Xue Shan Fei Hu does an excellent job of bringing unhinged humor into this volume. What was already a funny story just got more hilarious. There are several moments where I found myself laughing until I fell over because Li Yu’s thoughts are so wild and the system is so hilariously fed up with Li Yu creating situations for himself that were unprompted and thus altering the course of the story and his missions.

If you are looking for mpreg in the most traditional form, then this volume is not for you. Li Yu is a pregnant male fish for a very short moment, and the fish eggs are incubated for a long duration before turning human. All of which is not a normal pregnancy in any sense. The science behind the pregnancy is lost so do not go into this story expecting a pregnant man or a labor scene that is reminiscent of any mammalian labor. 

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Li Yu’s transition from fish to man, a successful transgender allegory

While reading this volume, I was struck by a profound moment in Li Yu’s journey. On pages 198 and 199, right after finding out that he would need to call on the help of Prince Jing to get through the next task in his quest to return to his fully human form, Li Yu’s internal monologue details an experience that reflects that of a person struggling with dysphoria. Li Yu’s entire journey demonstrates the experience of being in a body that feels misaligned with one's identity. His quest to discover himself and transition into a body that more closely matches who he is serves as an allegory for the experiences of transgender individuals. However, this moment was so profound in how successfully it articulates the feeling of having to depend on the support of others in a moment of vulnerability that intensifies those feelings of existential discomfort. 

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UP NEXT, we’re reading Thousand Autumns Vol.2

In a world where emperors, generals, and kings battle for power, martial sects clash violently to influence the leaders of nations. Shen Qiao, a fallen sect leader, seeks a new path amidst the chaos. He finds an unlikely companion in the powerful and roguish demonic practitioner, Yan Wushi, who aids in restoring Shen Qiao's lost martial skills. As they travel together, Shen Qiao starts to believe that Yan Wushi may be warming to him. However, hidden dangers and old betrayals soon surface, and Shen Qiao must confront new enemies as the struggle for control of the Central Plains intensifies.

Check out the full reading list here.

Want to read along with us? We keep an updated list of what we plan to read next. Many of the books featured on this list are new or upcoming releases, and sometimes, the release date gets moved. When that happens, we adjust the list.

We can’t stop thinking about Thousand Autumns! While recording this month's episode, we returned to our previous conversation about Thousand Autumns Vol. 1. We are so excited to dive into the next book. In the meantime, we've released a bonus episode that revisits the first book.