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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved seeing these characters again and seeing their story reach it's conclusion. I definitely would have read more if there were other books in the series, but I do appreciate something good enidng well instead of being strung along and ruined. The conflict in this story was much less directed at one enemy but instead split between relationships and new characters. The ending almost made me cry and the way that the folklore is melded into the story was as beautiful as the first time.
I loooved this book. I think it might even be better than the first book. It was action-packed, full of surprises and cute friendships. The premise of a land that has been invaded and changed the culture and language of it, is something that I didn’t know I would like. The whole balance between yin and yang has been so well thought out and kudo’s to the author for that. I didn’t want to put the book down when I started reading it and the hours flew by, so I deffo recommend!
“So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they destroyed. That is our triumph.”
Amélie Wen Zhao proves once again that she is a master storyteller in the epic conclusion to her duology. This duology fixes a lot of the critiques I had for the first duology, primarily giving the side characters more screen time and development. They have significance and work closely with Lan and Zen to achieve a common goal. The magic, already so rich, expands even more and the way it is written is so immersive and clever.
Lan continues to be a favorite. She is the epitome of good and I appreciate how she was able to retain that throughout both novels. She is so strong and resilient despite what she’s gone through all while retaining her humor and craving for pork buns.
Zen may not be my type, but his storytelling is top tier. Zen is the definition of a tragic hero. He poses the question of how far one would go to obtain power for the greater good and ultimately realizes what he is willing and not willing to sacrifice for it. I liked Zen more in this novel. I could not connect with Zen in the first novel because of his stoicism, but because of the arc he goes through here, Zen is able to display more vulnerability and is more honest with his feelings, which I loved. I feel the ending to his story would have impacted me more if I had stronger affection for him though. It didn't move me as much as I thought it would.
If you’re looking for star-crossed lovers Lan and Zen encapsulate this perfectly. Their fate is preordained from the moment they are born into a world rife with so much death and destruction. Only Lan and Zen can restore balance to the world and I loved seeing this come together and the sacrifices that come with it. Their story is so unfair, so tragic yet it paved the way for some of the most emotional scenes in the novel. Reminiscing of a life never lived, trying to momentarily find peace through the chaos, it really struck a chord within me. Though their paths diverge to achieve the same goal, fate always brings them back together and I loved seeing them learn to love each other again, even knowing what fate holds for them at the end of the novel. Yes, I am fighting back tears writing this.
I think this novel would have translated better into an anime. You can almost picture the scenes springing from the pages, especially the action scenes involving magic. The novel starts off slow, but picks up in the next few chapters, though I preferred the first half over the second. There’s a new villain introduced in this novel that had promise, but ultimately felt underutilized and generic. I wasn’t sure if adding another villain was necessary when there was already one in the first novel, but I didn’t mind too much as the focus of the novel is Lan and Zen.
This may not be my favorite duology series, but it told a great story of the importance of remembering history so as to not make the same mistakes and carrying on the legacies of past ancestors no matter the cost. The themes of sacrifice are done so well and Amélie will definitely become another autobuy author.
Amélie Wen Zhao proves once again that she is a master storyteller in the epic conclusion to her duology. This duology fixes a lot of the critiques I had for the first duology, primarily giving the side characters more screen time and development. They have significance and work closely with Lan and Zen to achieve a common goal. The magic, already so rich, expands even more and the way it is written is so immersive and clever.
Lan continues to be a favorite. She is the epitome of good and I appreciate how she was able to retain that throughout both novels. She is so strong and resilient despite what she’s gone through all while retaining her humor and craving for pork buns.
Zen may not be my type, but his storytelling is top tier. Zen is the definition of a tragic hero. He poses the question of how far one would go to obtain power for the greater good and ultimately realizes what he is willing and not willing to sacrifice for it. I liked Zen more in this novel. I could not connect with Zen in the first novel because of his stoicism, but because of the arc he goes through here, Zen is able to display more vulnerability and is more honest with his feelings, which I loved. I feel the ending to his story would have impacted me more if I had stronger affection for him though. It didn't move me as much as I thought it would.
If you’re looking for star-crossed lovers Lan and Zen encapsulate this perfectly. Their fate is preordained from the moment they are born into a world rife with so much death and destruction. Only Lan and Zen can restore balance to the world and I loved seeing this come together and the sacrifices that come with it. Their story is so unfair, so tragic yet it paved the way for some of the most emotional scenes in the novel. Reminiscing of a life never lived, trying to momentarily find peace through the chaos, it really struck a chord within me. Though their paths diverge to achieve the same goal, fate always brings them back together and I loved seeing them learn to love each other again, even knowing what fate holds for them at the end of the novel. Yes, I am fighting back tears writing this.
I think this novel would have translated better into an anime. You can almost picture the scenes springing from the pages, especially the action scenes involving magic. The novel starts off slow, but picks up in the next few chapters, though I preferred the first half over the second. There’s a new villain introduced in this novel that had promise, but ultimately felt underutilized and generic. I wasn’t sure if adding another villain was necessary when there was already one in the first novel, but I didn’t mind too much as the focus of the novel is Lan and Zen.
This may not be my favorite duology series, but it told a great story of the importance of remembering history so as to not make the same mistakes and carrying on the legacies of past ancestors no matter the cost. The themes of sacrifice are done so well and Amélie will definitely become another autobuy author.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I felt the second book was rushed, especially toward the end. And the adding of the missing crown prince as the final antagonist left the last battle anticlimactic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War
The ending has me sobbing! I would have loved to see more between the two main characters, and I would love an epilogue showing their future. ❤️
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful writing. Sad but real. Hoped Zen would still survive, but it’s less cliche and more real this way. Loved their relationship and vulnerability.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes