Author: ftnrdake
Reviewer: Rain_dropsand_roses
Genre: Literary Fiction/Romance
Fourteen Ways of Looking at A Cicada is a story that follows Zheng Xiaofan as her entire life gets turned inside out when she goes to meet her new neighbor. To put it simply, the story revolves around the complex relationship between Zheng and Carmilla and explores deep personal themes.
First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the characters. However, at times, the story can be weighed down by drawn-out inner thoughts that wander off the actual content. But this is quickly remedied when the two characters start talking to one another. Zheng is a naive and overthinking character, always doubting, while Carmilla is more experienced and readily guides Zheng through their conversations. Both women are witty and playful with each other at times, and their chemistry is palpable even when they just stare at each other, lost in their own thoughts.
Carmilla is introduced perfectly, and from the moment Zheng sets eyes on her, we can tell that something is not quite right about her. The idea that she's a vampire is not overplayed. Apart from her bloodlust, which plays a big part in her attraction to Zheng, the story doesn't follow the typical tropes to be expected from stories with vampires in them. She has charisma, without it being forced, and even when she has moments of vulnerability, she still maintains a consistent personality and acts in a way that is expected from her.
Zheng is shown to us as an organized, detail-oriented, and meticulous woman, from the way she maintains her house to her general view of life. Despite being a housewife at such a young age, she's content with how her life turned out. However, all that changes when Carmilla walks into her life. Her world starts to fall apart the more she spends time with the vampire, but that only leaves her with Carmilla as her sole way out. She loses her marriage, control over her emotions, has constant blackouts, and honestly seems to start to lose her sanity too.
In terms of pacing, the story moves quickly, with no part of the story stagnating. However, it's difficult to keep track of time, but this is not a significant issue that detracts from enjoying the story. As a literary fiction story, reader retention is an issue that can be expected, especially for an average reader. However, I'm confident that anyone interested in this genre or anything that isn't generic romance will genuinely like this story.
Overall, I'd give Fourteen Ways of Looking at A Cicada a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.