I feel like there’s not really a whole lot I can say without spoiling the main plot line of this book, so I’ll split my impressions up in half, one for the 1st half, and one for the 2nd.
For the first half, the characters have successfully dealt with the locust plague, but there are still dire issues remaining. Much of the food has been wiped out, and the population is going to slowly starve to death if they don’t manage to import food and grow something. And even if people have something to eat, their anxieties about the current situation can still spiral out of control.
Since Maomao is an apothecary, her main task as part of Jinshi’s entourage is to find alternate plants for medicines and food sources. I enjoyed hearing how Lahan’s Brother (lol) talks through why certain crops can’t useful. His knowledge as a true farmer shines, and we’re still waiting to learn his name (one day!).
There are several minor mysteries that crop up, and by this point in the series, we know that they’ll all tie together somehow. However, in this volume, Maomao truly takes a backseat as the main character, as other characters’ stories shine.
All of the books are good, but the plot twists in this one were great! This volume had it all: humor, mystery, and politics.
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