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noemi1010's review against another edition
3.0
The Night Ends with Fire mixes the story of Mulan and of ancient China. When the kingdoms are at war and Meilin's father is too high on opium to accept the draft, she masquerade as a man to go in his place and so escape an arranged marriage. While Meilin knows the art of QiGong, she's not that familiar with weapons, and when she attracts the ire of one of the commander as soon as she gets to the military camp, Meilin is in for a wild ride. If that wasn't enough, the amulet that her mother left her contains the power of a dragon. If anybody finds out, she'll be sentenced to death as magic is prohibited in her kingdom. So now Meilin needs to navigate her life as a solider and how to use the powers of the dragon to stop the neighbouring kingdom from conquering her land.
I enjoyed the setting of the story and how Chinese mythology was included in the story. However, I felt Meilin's adventure was dragged too long and she didn't grow on her journey. Moreover she went through a lot only to be betrayed at the end. I hope that in book 2 we can see more of her strength and hopefully a love story with one of the princes.
I enjoyed the setting of the story and how Chinese mythology was included in the story. However, I felt Meilin's adventure was dragged too long and she didn't grow on her journey. Moreover she went through a lot only to be betrayed at the end. I hope that in book 2 we can see more of her strength and hopefully a love story with one of the princes.
bamamelereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Ahhhhhh this was so good!! I feel like so many books have promised to be a Mulan retelling but THIS ONE actually was! And it’s a dark, brutal, subversive, feminist one at that. This ain’t Disney.
Meilin is such a complex character. She WANTS, and she yearns, and she’s greedy and ambitious. Everything a woman shouldn’t be. She pushes to prove herself, to be better than the men around her, and she succeeds. But how do the men react when they find out her secret? It’s often not pretty.
Sky is so noble and duty bound. I like his acceptance of Meilin, but I’m also wary of him still.
Lei is morally grey and intriguing. I think he accepts Meilin for who she really is, but he can’t be trusted.
I felt so many emotions throughout the book, but RAGE at the end was overwhelming. It’s a bit of a dark cliffhanger at the end. I can’t wait for the next book. I’m so ready for Meilin to claim her power and reshape the world.
If you enjoyed Dark Star Burning Ash Falls White, I particularly think you’d enjoy this. But also, just if you like a character driven and action packed fantasy book with magic and war!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
Meilin is such a complex character. She WANTS, and she yearns, and she’s greedy and ambitious. Everything a woman shouldn’t be. She pushes to prove herself, to be better than the men around her, and she succeeds. But how do the men react when they find out her secret? It’s often not pretty.
Sky is so noble and duty bound. I like his acceptance of Meilin, but I’m also wary of him still.
Lei is morally grey and intriguing. I think he accepts Meilin for who she really is, but he can’t be trusted.
I felt so many emotions throughout the book, but RAGE at the end was overwhelming. It’s a bit of a dark cliffhanger at the end. I can’t wait for the next book. I’m so ready for Meilin to claim her power and reshape the world.
If you enjoyed Dark Star Burning Ash Falls White, I particularly think you’d enjoy this. But also, just if you like a character driven and action packed fantasy book with magic and war!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What has officially become my favorite book of the year, THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE is a stunning retelling with fantastical elements and a whole lot of rage
K.X. Song really knows how to make me obsess over a book! I had to make myself out the book down during especially heightened moments where the plot got juicier and the characters grew more intriguing
Meilin, for one, is headstrong throughout (in a good way), determined to do all but go back to the oppressive future awaiting her as her father plans to marry her off. If this means committing treason by disguising herself as a man and join the army, so be it
I really liked how Song intertwines the real and spiritual realms. I was fascinated by the encounters Meilin had with the dragon in the spiritual realm. This, plus the phoenix and rest of the motive the antagonists had involving the spiritual realm, raised the stakes continuously
K.X. Song really knows how to make me obsess over a book! I had to make myself out the book down during especially heightened moments where the plot got juicier and the characters grew more intriguing
Meilin, for one, is headstrong throughout (in a good way), determined to do all but go back to the oppressive future awaiting her as her father plans to marry her off. If this means committing treason by disguising herself as a man and join the army, so be it
I really liked how Song intertwines the real and spiritual realms. I was fascinated by the encounters Meilin had with the dragon in the spiritual realm. This, plus the phoenix and rest of the motive the antagonists had involving the spiritual realm, raised the stakes continuously
phoebemagdalena's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What does our ambition cost us?
I was enthralled by this retelling of Mulan's legend entwined firmly with fantasy and history.
It was initially a bit of a challenge to get into the story as the author throws us in at the deep end with terminology and customs that aren't explained, but I quickly picked up all the important threads and got absolutely wrapped up in the story and where the characters would end up.
I was enthralled by this retelling of Mulan's legend entwined firmly with fantasy and history.
It was initially a bit of a challenge to get into the story as the author throws us in at the deep end with terminology and customs that aren't explained, but I quickly picked up all the important threads and got absolutely wrapped up in the story and where the characters would end up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and War
mrlzbth's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
lucy_is_reading's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
kathleenfairchild's review against another edition
I have received an e-ARC via Netgalley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hodder & Stoughton!
I’ll be upfront and say that I DNF’ed at about 23 %.
I have fond memories of watching the Disney movie of Mulan when I was younger and this book made me want to re-watch it, even if it ended up not being for me. I have also read a translation of The Ballad of Mulan to get myself in the right mood for this story. I could definitely see Mulan elements in the book. It is a far bleaker version than the movie, and Meilin’s motivation to join the military is different, trying to flee from an opium-addicted and abusive father as well as an abusive future husband. She seems to be quite ambitious too. That’s fine, I appreciate a different take on a familiar tale.
I kind of liked the first couple of chapters before she joined the army. The sisterly bond between Meilin and her stepmother was nice to see. Love to see female relationships. Her father read almost cartoonish? Maybe it’s because I didn’t vibe with the writing. There’s some mystery surrounding her mother’s death, the necklace she left for her daughter, and spirit magic that sounded promising.
My issue with this book was that the characters and world didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to get invested in them. It’s unfortunate because it makes the first person POV quite jarring to read when you’re not caring for the main character.
In addition to that the writing just didn’t work for me. It felt not detailed or nuanced enough. I don’t have anything against a more simplistic style. This one didn’t manage to draw me in though. There also was sometimes a repetitiveness and jumpiness to it that threw me out of the story.
Overall, this book felt like bare bones that lacked meat to me. I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. Mulan lovers might still enjoy this story, though.
I’ll be upfront and say that I DNF’ed at about 23 %.
I have fond memories of watching the Disney movie of Mulan when I was younger and this book made me want to re-watch it, even if it ended up not being for me. I have also read a translation of The Ballad of Mulan to get myself in the right mood for this story. I could definitely see Mulan elements in the book. It is a far bleaker version than the movie, and Meilin’s motivation to join the military is different, trying to flee from an opium-addicted and abusive father as well as an abusive future husband. She seems to be quite ambitious too. That’s fine, I appreciate a different take on a familiar tale.
I kind of liked the first couple of chapters before she joined the army. The sisterly bond between Meilin and her stepmother was nice to see. Love to see female relationships. Her father read almost cartoonish? Maybe it’s because I didn’t vibe with the writing. There’s some mystery surrounding her mother’s death, the necklace she left for her daughter, and spirit magic that sounded promising.
My issue with this book was that the characters and world didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to get invested in them. It’s unfortunate because it makes the first person POV quite jarring to read when you’re not caring for the main character.
In addition to that the writing just didn’t work for me. It felt not detailed or nuanced enough. I don’t have anything against a more simplistic style. This one didn’t manage to draw me in though. There also was sometimes a repetitiveness and jumpiness to it that threw me out of the story.
Overall, this book felt like bare bones that lacked meat to me. I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. Mulan lovers might still enjoy this story, though.
hangrydragon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meghannreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I’M ABSOLUTELY SCREAMING AT THE ENDING OF THIS BOOK!!!!!!! This was a fast paced, Legend of Mulan retelling that I am going absolutely feral for. If you love a fmc who goes against tradition and is selfish in their ambitions and desires, this is a must read. Mulan was one of my favorite movies growing up so it was so fun to revisit this story with a more high stakes setting and a shit ton of betrayal and not knowing who you could trust. AND A LOVE TRIANGLE!!!!!!!!! GIVE ME BOOK TWO NOW PLEASE OMFG!!!!!!!
bookishbek's review against another edition
4.5
A Mulan retelling? Sign me up!
Meilin is a young woman stuck in a life that she didn't choose for herself. In order to escape, she disguises herself as a man and enlists in the war in her opium-addicted father's place. Determined to prove herself worthy of being in the army, despite her small stature, she trains harder and longer. As she continues to train and fight, she learns more about the ancient magic of the kingdoms - and her own connection to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this adult fantasy from K.X. Song. I liked Meilin a lot. She had a lot of flaws, but underneath, she truly is loyal to the people she loves. And while I am not typically fond of the love triangle trope, I liked how it was done in this book.
I thought the magic system was unique, but not overly complicated, which I personally appreciated. The book had pretty good pacing overall. It is the first book in a series, so there are definitely loose ends, but I thought that it did wrap up nicely.
Definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.
Meilin is a young woman stuck in a life that she didn't choose for herself. In order to escape, she disguises herself as a man and enlists in the war in her opium-addicted father's place. Determined to prove herself worthy of being in the army, despite her small stature, she trains harder and longer. As she continues to train and fight, she learns more about the ancient magic of the kingdoms - and her own connection to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this adult fantasy from K.X. Song. I liked Meilin a lot. She had a lot of flaws, but underneath, she truly is loyal to the people she loves. And while I am not typically fond of the love triangle trope, I liked how it was done in this book.
I thought the magic system was unique, but not overly complicated, which I personally appreciated. The book had pretty good pacing overall. It is the first book in a series, so there are definitely loose ends, but I thought that it did wrap up nicely.
Definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.