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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75? Rounded up to 4
TL;DR: If you enjoy non-stop YA fantasy this is the one for you. I really enjoyed a lot of this but found the pace a bit too fast.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night has me on the fence. It follows, primarily two characters. Lan is a 'songbird', a girl who works in a tea parlor singing for work. The city and land she lives in has been conquered by an invading force, her culture and people repressed and destroyed. Our second character is Zen, a young practitoner who is seeking out others like him and information about the magic and culture that they've lost. The two come in contact and the book explodes (almost literally) out from there.
My biggest problem with Song of Silver is the pacing which is breakneck for me. It was so fast, there were little to no quiet moments, no moments of reprieve for the characters. One good thing would happen, or five mins of dialogue and then immediately there is an emergency or a dire situation. Fast paced books are fine, but this felt almost as if our author just did not want or know how to give the characters rest. I felt so bad for them because of how much they seemed to deal with in such fast succession. There was one period of time that the characters didn't have a pressing emergency and that was described as 'And time passed'. Which during that time we had to assume that our characters grew attached to certain things and people but we never saw it.
Past this I loved a lot about this book! I want more of the characters we were introduced to, especially the side characters and the system and world is beautiful. The themes that the author is struggling with and representing, I felt were clear and heartbreaking (as they should have been). The villains did end up feeling a little over the top, especially in a final scene, but considering the wuxia/xianxia style of the action and magic in this I think that can be forgiven. The setting and magic were incredible and really that's what kept me coming back.
So while I wish the story had more time to breath and give us a breath this was a beautiful ride. If you don't mind books that just 'go, go, go' pick this up. It's got an amazing setting, beautiful magic, and over the top fighting that will not miss if you love that sort of thing.
4 out of 5 Ocarinas.
TL;DR: If you enjoy non-stop YA fantasy this is the one for you. I really enjoyed a lot of this but found the pace a bit too fast.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night has me on the fence. It follows, primarily two characters. Lan is a 'songbird', a girl who works in a tea parlor singing for work. The city and land she lives in has been conquered by an invading force, her culture and people repressed and destroyed. Our second character is Zen, a young practitoner who is seeking out others like him and information about the magic and culture that they've lost. The two come in contact and the book explodes (almost literally) out from there.
My biggest problem with Song of Silver is the pacing which is breakneck for me. It was so fast, there were little to no quiet moments, no moments of reprieve for the characters. One good thing would happen, or five mins of dialogue and then immediately there is an emergency or a dire situation. Fast paced books are fine, but this felt almost as if our author just did not want or know how to give the characters rest. I felt so bad for them because of how much they seemed to deal with in such fast succession. There was one period of time that the characters didn't have a pressing emergency and that was described as 'And time passed'. Which during that time we had to assume that our characters grew attached to certain things and people but we never saw it.
Past this I loved a lot about this book! I want more of the characters we were introduced to, especially the side characters and the system and world is beautiful. The themes that the author is struggling with and representing, I felt were clear and heartbreaking (as they should have been). The villains did end up feeling a little over the top, especially in a final scene, but considering the wuxia/xianxia style of the action and magic in this I think that can be forgiven. The setting and magic were incredible and really that's what kept me coming back.
So while I wish the story had more time to breath and give us a breath this was a beautiful ride. If you don't mind books that just 'go, go, go' pick this up. It's got an amazing setting, beautiful magic, and over the top fighting that will not miss if you love that sort of thing.
4 out of 5 Ocarinas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it's a perfect book for Daughter of the Moon Goddess fans and those who love reading books inspired by Chinese mythology. Song of Silver, Flame like Night is YA fantasy (and a little bit romance) book which absorbs every reader to its world and holds their attention until the very last words. Told in multiple POVs, mainly our main characters Lan and Zen, the author gives them balanced portion of pages to tell their stories with distinctive voices. You can easily know which one is Lan's and Zen's since the two spoke differently. It's a book which is a little bit difficult to follow at first since it used new terms and it gets easier as we get deeper into the book. Some explanations were longer than the others especially about the magic system and world building related ones, yet since it's given to the right character to 'explain', it's an okay for me. For the romance part, as a reader who prefer less romance part in a fantasy book, this book has the right amount of romance I need in a book even though it needs a little bit pages to show the chemistry between Lan and Zen. I love how Book 1 ended especially the last chapter and epilogue which showed the readers what to expect within the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Trafficking
Minor: Genocide, Cannibalism
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
A beautifully crafted and utterly compelling, Xianxia-style fantasy, steeped in Chinese mythology which was thrilling and heart-wrenching in equal measure. This is actually only the first of Amélie Wen Zhao’s books that I’ve ever read. And given the gorgeously detailed world building, complex (and multidimensional) characters and the skilful tackling of important themes (such as: generational trauma, the price of power and the untold destruction colonialism causes) it certainly won’t be the last.
It follows Lián’ér a member of the Hin people who—after her country falls to Elantian colonisers—finds herself scavenging for scraps of the past or anything that will help her to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before death.
Having been forced to take a new name by the people who killed her mother, outlawed her country’s unique magic and steal its precious resources for its own gain; Lan—now a song girl at the Rose Pavilion Teahouse, spends her days earning her keep by singing to Madam Meng’s patrons.
No one can see the mysterious mark… until Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life. Zen is a practitioner (a fabled magician whose magical abilities are rumoured to come from the demons they commune with.) Magic that was long thought lost, and which could be the key to understanding the mark and the secrets that died with her mother. But the magic must remain hidden at all costs.
Despite each of their own long buried secrets, Lan and Zen’s have been brought together by fate—but their destiny still has yet to be written. For the power they both hold could free the kingdom and it’s people… or cause the world’s very destruction.
This was an incredible read and I enjoyed just how all encompassing and immersive it was! The world building was especially good and soo detailed that I definitely lost myself in all the incredible descriptions for a while. And, despite the sheer depth and breadth of the mythology that Wen Zhao intricately crafts (the history surrounding the ninety nine clans, each Kingdom era and the lore surrounding the four demons) the pace was remarkably consistent and never dragged or felt slow. Likewise, the magic system was incredibly intriguing—the concept of balance being necessary for the Kingdom (and the world’s survival) was especially interesting.
But personally, it was the nuanced, flawed and multifaceted characters that I intrigued me the most. Lan, was such a sassy and genuinely funny protagonist who despite all the heartbreak and pain she’s had to endure, shows great courage in facing once again having to face the perpetrators who have caused it all. Her journey (and her path to self discovery) was truly inspiring. I don’t think I could be half a courageous if put in her position.
Zen too, was a really interesting character who is dealing with struggles of his own that we don’t really get to know a lot about until the second half of the book. I enjoyed the air of mystery that surrounds him but the exquisitely developed personal arc (in which Zen must make some truly difficult choices) was masterfully done and really kept an edge of intense ambiguity right up until that phenomenal ending.
It is told through both Lan and Zen’s alternating POVs which I really enjoyed and felt it added soo much depth to both characters, as we watch their interactions turn from reluctant allies to friends and then, into something more. I was definitely a fan of the playful teasing and flirtatious banter we’re treated to. If you love your romance swoon worthy and deliciously slow burn then you’re gonna adore these two.
I also wanted to mention that themes centred around some pretty heavy subject material are explored; involving colonialism, cultural appropriation and exploitation (as well as racism, sexism and brief mentions sexual harassment/violence) so do bare this in mind before reading. That being said, it’s definitely handled sensitively and does highlight some important and relevant issues that definitely need to be discussed further.
Overall, an exquisite and breathtakingly masterful series starter that lovers of sweeping fantasy epics and unforgettably complex characters are going to absolutely devour. I’m genuinely excited to see what happens next.
Also, thanks to Random Things Tours and Harper Voyager UK for this absolutely gorgeous finished copy.
It follows Lián’ér a member of the Hin people who—after her country falls to Elantian colonisers—finds herself scavenging for scraps of the past or anything that will help her to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before death.
Having been forced to take a new name by the people who killed her mother, outlawed her country’s unique magic and steal its precious resources for its own gain; Lan—now a song girl at the Rose Pavilion Teahouse, spends her days earning her keep by singing to Madam Meng’s patrons.
No one can see the mysterious mark… until Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life. Zen is a practitioner (a fabled magician whose magical abilities are rumoured to come from the demons they commune with.) Magic that was long thought lost, and which could be the key to understanding the mark and the secrets that died with her mother. But the magic must remain hidden at all costs.
Despite each of their own long buried secrets, Lan and Zen’s have been brought together by fate—but their destiny still has yet to be written. For the power they both hold could free the kingdom and it’s people… or cause the world’s very destruction.
This was an incredible read and I enjoyed just how all encompassing and immersive it was! The world building was especially good and soo detailed that I definitely lost myself in all the incredible descriptions for a while. And, despite the sheer depth and breadth of the mythology that Wen Zhao intricately crafts (the history surrounding the ninety nine clans, each Kingdom era and the lore surrounding the four demons) the pace was remarkably consistent and never dragged or felt slow. Likewise, the magic system was incredibly intriguing—the concept of balance being necessary for the Kingdom (and the world’s survival) was especially interesting.
But personally, it was the nuanced, flawed and multifaceted characters that I intrigued me the most. Lan, was such a sassy and genuinely funny protagonist who despite all the heartbreak and pain she’s had to endure, shows great courage in facing once again having to face the perpetrators who have caused it all. Her journey (and her path to self discovery) was truly inspiring. I don’t think I could be half a courageous if put in her position.
Zen too, was a really interesting character who is dealing with struggles of his own that we don’t really get to know a lot about until the second half of the book. I enjoyed the air of mystery that surrounds him but the exquisitely developed personal arc (in which Zen must make some truly difficult choices) was masterfully done and really kept an edge of intense ambiguity right up until that phenomenal ending.
It is told through both Lan and Zen’s alternating POVs which I really enjoyed and felt it added soo much depth to both characters, as we watch their interactions turn from reluctant allies to friends and then, into something more. I was definitely a fan of the playful teasing and flirtatious banter we’re treated to. If you love your romance swoon worthy and deliciously slow burn then you’re gonna adore these two.
I also wanted to mention that themes centred around some pretty heavy subject material are explored; involving colonialism, cultural appropriation and exploitation (as well as racism, sexism and brief mentions sexual harassment/violence) so do bare this in mind before reading. That being said, it’s definitely handled sensitively and does highlight some important and relevant issues that definitely need to be discussed further.
Overall, an exquisite and breathtakingly masterful series starter that lovers of sweeping fantasy epics and unforgettably complex characters are going to absolutely devour. I’m genuinely excited to see what happens next.
Also, thanks to Random Things Tours and Harper Voyager UK for this absolutely gorgeous finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Genocide, Sexual violence, Torture, Grief, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
"It is the duty of those with power to protect those without."
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC of this book!
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is inspired by ancient Chinese folklore and mythology. It follows Lan as she tries to uncover the mystery behind a symbol burned onto her wrist by her mother as she died. Lan is saved by Zen, a practitioner who wields magic and is the first person who can actually see the mark on Lan's wrist. Together, they reveal the secrets about their fallen kingdom and the magic that many thought was lost.
This book absolutely blew me away. I fell in love with this world. The world building is so intricate and full of rich histories that it makes everything feel so realistic. I loved The attention to detail when it came to the magic system and the history of the dynasties previously. This book was action packed and had so many twists that kept me begging for more. I fell in love with the main characters and resonated with the losses they were feeling. I loved this book's take on colonization and the impacts that it has on civilizations. What I loved most about this book was it's commentary on the balance of power and how good and evil cannot exist without one another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC of this book!
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is inspired by ancient Chinese folklore and mythology. It follows Lan as she tries to uncover the mystery behind a symbol burned onto her wrist by her mother as she died. Lan is saved by Zen, a practitioner who wields magic and is the first person who can actually see the mark on Lan's wrist. Together, they reveal the secrets about their fallen kingdom and the magic that many thought was lost.
This book absolutely blew me away. I fell in love with this world. The world building is so intricate and full of rich histories that it makes everything feel so realistic. I loved The attention to detail when it came to the magic system and the history of the dynasties previously. This book was action packed and had so many twists that kept me begging for more. I fell in love with the main characters and resonated with the losses they were feeling. I loved this book's take on colonization and the impacts that it has on civilizations. What I loved most about this book was it's commentary on the balance of power and how good and evil cannot exist without one another.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3 Stars
I loved this author's first series Blood Heir so I was really looking forward to this books and over the moon when I got an e-arc! Unfortunately it let me down in many ways and although in the end I did enjoy it, it wasn't the book I was hoping for.
Firstly, I loved the setting for this book. The chinese aspects were beautifully described and I loved how they were interwoven into the fantasy aspects. It added a wonderful depth to the magic and background. That being said, I generally felt the world building was quite poor. It was basically a load of info dumps that were incredibly complex. They sometimes came in great monologues from characters as well which wasn't good. I love when world building is something you slowly learn and makes up the foundation of the book... not when it is just dumped at your feet in long paragraphs.
I was also confused with some of the language. This feel like an ancient chinese setting, yet the characters use modern day words including "fart" which I found really odd.
The first half of the book was very slow and I nearly dnfed multiple times. Thankfully the second half picked up and the story and characters became more interesting. However I did guess a few plot twists and wanted to shake some of the characters for their ridiculous choices. I feel like I have read this type of story many times and sadly it has been done better (Daughter of the Moon Goddess for example).
What I did LOVE was the magic! I thought it was used really well and loved that it had so many aspects to it. It definitely reminded me of the magic in The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson with the push/pull element to it, although this was definitely more complex.
The characters are decent and definitely have some progress through the book. The lead female Lin is interesting and I liked the fight in her even if she was a little annoying at times. I found the romance to be forced and didn't feel the connection at all.
Overall, it was a bad start and a decent ending but I am unsure whether I even want to continue the series. A few aspects of the ending irritated me and I am not sure I can deal with much more of the same scenario played out over and over again. So it is likely I won't continue. I definitely think there are better books that are similar. I am gutted that this didn't work for me!
I loved this author's first series Blood Heir so I was really looking forward to this books and over the moon when I got an e-arc! Unfortunately it let me down in many ways and although in the end I did enjoy it, it wasn't the book I was hoping for.
Firstly, I loved the setting for this book. The chinese aspects were beautifully described and I loved how they were interwoven into the fantasy aspects. It added a wonderful depth to the magic and background. That being said, I generally felt the world building was quite poor. It was basically a load of info dumps that were incredibly complex. They sometimes came in great monologues from characters as well which wasn't good. I love when world building is something you slowly learn and makes up the foundation of the book... not when it is just dumped at your feet in long paragraphs.
I was also confused with some of the language. This feel like an ancient chinese setting, yet the characters use modern day words including "fart" which I found really odd.
The first half of the book was very slow and I nearly dnfed multiple times. Thankfully the second half picked up and the story and characters became more interesting. However I did guess a few plot twists and wanted to shake some of the characters for their ridiculous choices. I feel like I have read this type of story many times and sadly it has been done better (Daughter of the Moon Goddess for example).
What I did LOVE was the magic! I thought it was used really well and loved that it had so many aspects to it. It definitely reminded me of the magic in The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson with the push/pull element to it, although this was definitely more complex.
The characters are decent and definitely have some progress through the book. The lead female Lin is interesting and I liked the fight in her even if she was a little annoying at times. I found the romance to be forced and didn't feel the connection at all.
Overall, it was a bad start and a decent ending but I am unsure whether I even want to continue the series. A few aspects of the ending irritated me and I am not sure I can deal with much more of the same scenario played out over and over again. So it is likely I won't continue. I definitely think there are better books that are similar. I am gutted that this didn't work for me!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, War
Minor: Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
A great way to start the New Year off right, I highly recommend "Song of Silver, Flame Like Night".
Fans of "Girls of Paper and Fire" will enjoy this quick read.
Could not put the book down and already ready for book two despite this book not technically being out for release yet. On that note, shoutout to NetGalley.com for this free copy. I will be buying two copies on it's release date, one for my personal collection and one for a friend.
Fans of "Girls of Paper and Fire" will enjoy this quick read.
Could not put the book down and already ready for book two despite this book not technically being out for release yet. On that note, shoutout to NetGalley.com for this free copy. I will be buying two copies on it's release date, one for my personal collection and one for a friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Death of parent, War
Moderate: Sexual violence
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
"Live not for those whose souls rest in eternal slumber in the next world... but for those still struggling to find peace in this one."
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is my first novel by Amélie Wen Zhao, and I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait. I've always considered reading her Blood Heir trilogy, but this book solidified her as a stunning writer in world building, lore, and characterization. I'm gonna have to do some backtracking via her older works. I expected a few of the plot trajectories within SOSFLN, but overall, I was STUNNED by quite a few revelations. I think this duology has a good chance of becoming a favorite of mine.
"So long as there was war, there was sacrifice. So long as there was power, there was bloodshed. So long as there was life, there was hope."
Now the characters were immensely interesting. Lan reminds me a bit of typical YA girl protagonist with her love of comfort food, snarky sass, and fast proficiency at utilizing her magic—aka her qí—so it took me a bit longer to fall for her because she felt a bit copy and paste at first glance. But once she started to interact with other characters, specifically Zen, Lan really starts to grow and develop into who she was meant to be... Or who she will be within the second book honestly. She goes through eons worth of development, and I can't help but think of her in her final few chapters torn between what one group of people tell her vs. her mother. It's a very raw moment.
"Power was a blade, and the only blame was in that its wielder's hand was too weak."
Then, there's Zen. HAHA. He is the other main character of this book and a downright mess and a half if I'm being honest. He initially comes off as this calm, collected, cool dude, but chaos kicks in soon after and he's about as confused as Lan. But in all seriousness—he's actually a great foil/ contrast to Lan because both are surrounded by ying energies (pain, anger, death, etc.), but they act on those feelings in completely different ways. Lan has an outlet for her pain through her experiences with loved ones and friends, also just her aspirations for answers via her mother; whereas, Zen has always internally coped with his feelings, particularly because nobody ever accepted him due to certain circumstances (aka spoilers haha).
"As we live today, it is either everything or nothing."
Now let's get to my favorite part of this book—the world building and lore. I'll admit that Amélie likes to lean heavily into info-dumping throughout the course of Lan's tutelage and qí discovery. It gets old a bit because a lot of information gets thrown at you in a sort of lecture context, but I'm willing to let that critique slide quite a bit because it allows readers to jump faster into the history and lore AKA THE BEST PART. They're four Demon Gods (Azure Tiger, Silver Dragon, Crimson Phoenix, and Black Tortoise) that plague the Hin kingdom and their respective clans throughout the course of this country's history, and of course, minor demons cause plenty of strife too. We get to meet quite a few throughout the entirety of the book. Although, these demons are not brought to the forefront of the story until about 50% into the book, so our first antagonist is actually the Elantian people who have been decimating the Hin for over a decade. Instead of qí the Elantians use a metal magic, and their goal for years is to completely eradicate the practitioners of qí and possibly find any information on the Demon Gods. Elantians killed Lan's mother in the opening prologue, and they are the shadows hot on her heels for the entire book as she searches for answers. Readers do get the truth of what happened exactly the night Lan's mother dies, and it is without a doubt the most impactful scene within SOSFLN. So colonialism and racism are the central destructive force of this book in my opinion because while these Demon Gods have done their fair share of death on the Hin people (you'll find out how via the history info-dumps), the Elantians are trying to weaponize them to further control the Hin and probably the world at large. It made me sick to read the one Elantian POV at the end of this book because just as Lan says somewhere within the story—it hasn't been the demons she's had to worry about for the last decade... but rather power hungry Elantians.
"If I must see darkness for our people to find light, then I will make that same choice, over and over and over again."
At the end of the day, this first book in the duology is about Lan's journey to finding answers about her mother. I get so tired of authors constantly killing off parents to their protagonists, but SOSFLN is one of those rare examples where I felt the death and parental-child relationship were done right. I saw myself in Lan's shoes because her mind was constantly drawn back to her mother. Lan doesn't even know her mom's name at one point due to her trauma/ memory issues, so her discovery of her mother's truth felt raw. This whole book is about relationships, even ancestry and what that means for descendants, and by the end, you'll lean back into her pillows or wherever you read and just wonder about the implications of everyone's decisions within SOSFLN. Are we doomed to follow the mistakes or journeys of our parents/ great grandparents? Can we break the cycle of previous family members? You'll be reeling with questions like these once you finish, and I can't believe I have to wait over a year for the sequel.
"In a conquered land, the only way to win was to survive."
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is my first novel by Amélie Wen Zhao, and I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait. I've always considered reading her Blood Heir trilogy, but this book solidified her as a stunning writer in world building, lore, and characterization. I'm gonna have to do some backtracking via her older works. I expected a few of the plot trajectories within SOSFLN, but overall, I was STUNNED by quite a few revelations. I think this duology has a good chance of becoming a favorite of mine.
"So long as there was war, there was sacrifice. So long as there was power, there was bloodshed. So long as there was life, there was hope."
Now the characters were immensely interesting. Lan reminds me a bit of typical YA girl protagonist with her love of comfort food, snarky sass, and fast proficiency at utilizing her magic—aka her qí—so it took me a bit longer to fall for her because she felt a bit copy and paste at first glance. But once she started to interact with other characters, specifically Zen, Lan really starts to grow and develop into who she was meant to be... Or who she will be within the second book honestly. She goes through eons worth of development, and I can't help but think of her in her final few chapters torn between what one group of people tell her vs. her mother. It's a very raw moment.
"Power was a blade, and the only blame was in that its wielder's hand was too weak."
Then, there's Zen. HAHA. He is the other main character of this book and a downright mess and a half if I'm being honest. He initially comes off as this calm, collected, cool dude, but chaos kicks in soon after and he's about as confused as Lan. But in all seriousness—he's actually a great foil/ contrast to Lan because both are surrounded by ying energies (pain, anger, death, etc.), but they act on those feelings in completely different ways. Lan has an outlet for her pain through her experiences with loved ones and friends, also just her aspirations for answers via her mother; whereas, Zen has always internally coped with his feelings, particularly because nobody ever accepted him due to certain circumstances (aka spoilers haha).
"As we live today, it is either everything or nothing."
Now let's get to my favorite part of this book—the world building and lore. I'll admit that Amélie likes to lean heavily into info-dumping throughout the course of Lan's tutelage and qí discovery. It gets old a bit because a lot of information gets thrown at you in a sort of lecture context, but I'm willing to let that critique slide quite a bit because it allows readers to jump faster into the history and lore AKA THE BEST PART. They're four Demon Gods (Azure Tiger, Silver Dragon, Crimson Phoenix, and Black Tortoise) that plague the Hin kingdom and their respective clans throughout the course of this country's history, and of course, minor demons cause plenty of strife too. We get to meet quite a few throughout the entirety of the book. Although, these demons are not brought to the forefront of the story until about 50% into the book, so our first antagonist is actually the Elantian people who have been decimating the Hin for over a decade. Instead of qí the Elantians use a metal magic, and their goal for years is to completely eradicate the practitioners of qí and possibly find any information on the Demon Gods. Elantians killed Lan's mother in the opening prologue, and they are the shadows hot on her heels for the entire book as she searches for answers. Readers do get the truth of what happened exactly the night Lan's mother dies, and it is without a doubt the most impactful scene within SOSFLN. So colonialism and racism are the central destructive force of this book in my opinion because while these Demon Gods have done their fair share of death on the Hin people (you'll find out how via the history info-dumps), the Elantians are trying to weaponize them to further control the Hin and probably the world at large. It made me sick to read the one Elantian POV at the end of this book because just as Lan says somewhere within the story—it hasn't been the demons she's had to worry about for the last decade... but rather power hungry Elantians.
"If I must see darkness for our people to find light, then I will make that same choice, over and over and over again."
At the end of the day, this first book in the duology is about Lan's journey to finding answers about her mother. I get so tired of authors constantly killing off parents to their protagonists, but SOSFLN is one of those rare examples where I felt the death and parental-child relationship were done right. I saw myself in Lan's shoes because her mind was constantly drawn back to her mother. Lan doesn't even know her mom's name at one point due to her trauma/ memory issues, so her discovery of her mother's truth felt raw. This whole book is about relationships, even ancestry and what that means for descendants, and by the end, you'll lean back into her pillows or wherever you read and just wonder about the implications of everyone's decisions within SOSFLN. Are we doomed to follow the mistakes or journeys of our parents/ great grandparents? Can we break the cycle of previous family members? You'll be reeling with questions like these once you finish, and I can't believe I have to wait over a year for the sequel.
"In a conquered land, the only way to win was to survive."
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Colonisation
Minor: Death of parent