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priesty23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
4 stars
The Night Ends With Fire is the first instalment of a duology. It is very much a Disney Mulan retelling with a twist. In the author's note K. X. Song describes her motivation for this book to be questions surrounding:
"What would happen to Mulan if she were no longer content? What if upon experiencing independence and freedom as a man, she no longer wished to confine herself to the restrictive boundaries of her society? Would society accept her as she was, or, by transgressing the norm, would they punish her for aspiring for more?"
With the above in mind, I think the author does a fantastic job. This book contains magic, adventure, feminism, betrayal, and hope. I found it very easy to read, there were a lot of action scenes and comradery, but there is also a lot of questions around trust - can Meilin trust anyone as a woman dressed as a man? Who is a friend and who is a foe? This story is great at making these questions hard to answer and is one of the many reasons I ended up being engrossed in this story.
This might be a Mulan retelling but it is far from a Disney story; it is dark and brutal at times with some heart breaking scenes thrown in for good measure. I found myself frustrated and heartbroken, but I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and how our main character develops further.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Night Ends With Fire is the first instalment of a duology. It is very much a Disney Mulan retelling with a twist. In the author's note K. X. Song describes her motivation for this book to be questions surrounding:
"What would happen to Mulan if she were no longer content? What if upon experiencing independence and freedom as a man, she no longer wished to confine herself to the restrictive boundaries of her society? Would society accept her as she was, or, by transgressing the norm, would they punish her for aspiring for more?"
With the above in mind, I think the author does a fantastic job. This book contains magic, adventure, feminism, betrayal, and hope. I found it very easy to read, there were a lot of action scenes and comradery, but there is also a lot of questions around trust - can Meilin trust anyone as a woman dressed as a man? Who is a friend and who is a foe? This story is great at making these questions hard to answer and is one of the many reasons I ended up being engrossed in this story.
This might be a Mulan retelling but it is far from a Disney story; it is dark and brutal at times with some heart breaking scenes thrown in for good measure. I found myself frustrated and heartbroken, but I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and how our main character develops further.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
bookishshafaq's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
3.0
notcheryne's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Every now and then I’ll pick up a fantasy book and every time I’m reminded that I need it more often!!! This one’s a Mulan retelling woven with mythological magic, warring territories, and distinct characters that’ll easily paint this 400+ pg story
It’s a stunningly thicc book but the story moves quick with its short chapters!! There’s ambition, war strategies, secrets, historical magic, dragons, a phoenix!!! As a romance girlie, I was hoping for moooore romance but I guess when am I not asking for more of that.
rmyd42's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
I *ate* this book. I breathed this book. I can't stop thinking about The Night Ends With Fire. If there isn't a sequel, my howls of indignation will be heard across the land.
noreimerreason's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
K.X. Song has created a Mulan retelling for the ages with her cinematic writing. Fundamentally a story about ambition and it's costs, I was left racing through the pages hoping that a happy ending was right around the corner. Meilin's sheer wanting will resonate with anyone who's ever wanted more from their life.
mspilesofpaper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc.
The Night Ends with Fire is the first part of a duology, which is a Mulan retelling at its core with the difference that the Mulan in this story is motivated by greed and isn't content with her allotted slot in life.
Please be aware that the following review includes spoilers.
PLOT OVERVIEW
Set in Tianjia, tensions escalate among the three kingdoms of Anlai, Ximing and Leyuan. Through the eyes of Hai Meilin from Anlai (our Mulan), we witness that her father is not an honourable man who will listen to the Imperial's call for arms but a greedy, abusive opium junkie with a gambling addiction. The family is destitute and requires Meilin to marry into a wealthy household as the dowry would offer financial stability for the family. Upon discovering her abusive fiancé and her desire to have "just a little more time", Meilin enlists in her father's steed - as his son Hai Ren who is born out of wedlock - despite her step-mother's worries that they will never allow a woman to hold onto power.
Upon leaving the family, her step-mother gives Meilin a jade amulet, which had belonged to her late mother. Unbeknownst to both women, the necklace contains a cardinal spirit: the dragon Qinglong. Concealing her identity as a woman and a spirit medium becomes crucial, as exposure could mean certain death, given the societal prohibition against women in warfare and the practice of black magic. Being assigned to the Seventh Company, led by the Seventh Prince of Anlai, Liu Sky, Meilin learns to fight and to be courageous. However, she discovers relatively soon that she is not the only spirit medium in the world; a vengeful man named Sima carries the seal of the phoenix: Zhuque. Where Qinglong feeds on greed, Zhuque feeds on vengeance. When the seal is stolen and broken, setting off a chain of events, Meilin embarks on a quest to find the remaining pieces to thwart Sima's plans.
CHARACTERS
There are three main characters, Meilin, Sky and Lei, who are accompanied by several side characters of different importance.
Meilin is, at her core, a greedy and power-hungry person who desires more than what society expects from a woman. I don't think that Song meant to portray her as a good and enjoyable character because, to me, she feels like a morally grey character who is selfish and driven by their own ambition and desire for more. Yes, she is a compelling main character as she grapples with her identity and confronts societal expectations in Anlai, but she is not a good character. Unfortunately, her greed makes her partly blind and stupid to anything around her (other characters, the environment, ...), which is always the reason for her getting hurt or getting into trouble.
The Night Ends with Fire is the first part of a duology, which is a Mulan retelling at its core with the difference that the Mulan in this story is motivated by greed and isn't content with her allotted slot in life.
Please be aware that the following review includes spoilers.
PLOT OVERVIEW
Set in Tianjia, tensions escalate among the three kingdoms of Anlai, Ximing and Leyuan. Through the eyes of Hai Meilin from Anlai (our Mulan), we witness that her father is not an honourable man who will listen to the Imperial's call for arms but a greedy, abusive opium junkie with a gambling addiction. The family is destitute and requires Meilin to marry into a wealthy household as the dowry would offer financial stability for the family. Upon discovering her abusive fiancé and her desire to have "just a little more time", Meilin enlists in her father's steed - as his son Hai Ren who is born out of wedlock - despite her step-mother's worries that they will never allow a woman to hold onto power.
Upon leaving the family, her step-mother gives Meilin a jade amulet, which had belonged to her late mother. Unbeknownst to both women, the necklace contains a cardinal spirit: the dragon Qinglong. Concealing her identity as a woman and a spirit medium becomes crucial, as exposure could mean certain death, given the societal prohibition against women in warfare and the practice of black magic. Being assigned to the Seventh Company, led by the Seventh Prince of Anlai, Liu Sky, Meilin learns to fight and to be courageous. However, she discovers relatively soon that she is not the only spirit medium in the world; a vengeful man named Sima carries the seal of the phoenix: Zhuque. Where Qinglong feeds on greed, Zhuque feeds on vengeance. When the seal is stolen and broken, setting off a chain of events, Meilin embarks on a quest to find the remaining pieces to thwart Sima's plans.
CHARACTERS
There are three main characters, Meilin, Sky and Lei, who are accompanied by several side characters of different importance.
Meilin is, at her core, a greedy and power-hungry person who desires more than what society expects from a woman. I don't think that Song meant to portray her as a good and enjoyable character because, to me, she feels like a morally grey character who is selfish and driven by their own ambition and desire for more. Yes, she is a compelling main character as she grapples with her identity and confronts societal expectations in Anlai, but she is not a good character. Unfortunately, her greed makes her partly blind and stupid to anything around her (other characters, the environment, ...), which is always the reason for her getting hurt or getting into trouble.
I needed to prove that I, as a woman, could be better than the rest of them. That I too could belong. That I too could be free.
Liu Sky is, on the other hand, the least power-hungry person in the story. While he is a kind and gentle character, who cares deeply for his people, his short temper and his sense of honour and duty are his main flaws. The only time where he moves away from following the law is when he discovers Meilin's gender. Instead of executing her for treason, which would have been expected of him, he tries to send her home to protect her as he cares deeply about her. I think, if Meilin hadn't been promised to another man, and if the war wouldn't happen, he would have asked for her hand in marriage relatively quickly (as they met at the beginning of the book where he saves her). In another life, he would have been a good husband for her as she deals with a lot of trauma from her childhood and early adulthood (loss of her mother, abusive father, ...) as he's a gentle character.
If only my men riding out to war tomorrow could be half as fast and clever as you.
Cao Ming Lei, on the other hand, is Sky's total opposite. Where Sky is kind and gentle, Lei is enigmatic, indifferent, sly and ambitious, but also deeply vain. A rather morally grey character who also suffers from trauma (loss of his mother, abusive older brother, strained relationship with his father). While Sky says that he wouldn't use Meilin as a weapon, Lei doesn't hide it. He tortures her for his own gain and uses her as a tool to achieve his own goals, which are still unknown by the end of the book. While I don't doubt that he desires her, he feels like someone who would sacrifice Meilin if it meant that he would win in the end. Rather possessive as well but you have to protect your assets to win a war, I suppose.
His eyes crinkled again. He was very handsome when he smiled, I thought; he was very handsome all the time. But that just made it easier for him to deceive.
WORLDBUILDING AND MAGIC
The story is set in Tianjia, which is a fantasy version of China in a way. Unlike the Disney version, the war in The Night Ends with Fire is caused by infighting between the three kingdoms. I felt that worldbuilding is the weakest part of the book as it's mostly created through reports or annals at the beginning of each chapter.
The strongest worldbuilding aspect is the magic. Song has created a whole new dynamic through the inclusion of forbidden magic and the Cardinal Spirits with their seals. Cardinal Spirits are the four spirits representing and controlling the time of day, seasons, elements and directions. These are:
⋙ Xuanwu - north, tortoise
⋙ Zhuque - south, phoenix - fire
⋙ Qinglong - east, dragon - water
⋙ Baihu - west, tiger
While only Qinglong and Zhuque play a role in the first instalment, there is a poem about all four seals, which gives me hope that we will meet the characters who will carry the spirit seals for Xuanwu and Baihu in the second instalment. As Qinglong is already associated with water (despite its element being wood in Qi Gong if I'm not mistaken), I think that Xuanwu will either be earth and Baihu will be metal or Song will go the traditional Western view of elements and will use earth and air for them.
One buried.
One drowned.
One stolen.
But none so pitiful as one forgotten.
Due to its traditional link with water, I think Xuanwu might be the one behind "one drowned" and Baihu being "one forgotten".
I want to point out, as it is a Mulan retelling that uses elements of the Disney version as well, that Qinglong is not Mushu. Yes, he's a dragon but where Mushu is there for comedic relief, Qinglong has his own agenda. He's sinister, cryptic and greedy. He uses Meilin as much as she uses him.
Never trust a dragon.
TL;DR
An epic fantasy book, blending elements of myth, history, and fantasy into a mesmerizing tapestry of adventure and intrigue. As readers embark on Meilin's odyssey, they are transported to a world teeming with magic, danger, and untold possibilities, ensuring that the flames of anticipation burn brightly for the next instalment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: War, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
eressea's review
adventurous
challenging
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
4.0
The Night Ends With Fire by K.X. Song is a Mulan retelling set in a fantasy world resembling ancient China. Meilin lives with her addicted and abusive father in relative peace, until she must marry with a man who seems to be just as abusive as her father. Meilin decides she wants freedom, wants to have choice, so she enlists in the army instead, knowing the penalty for a woman to do so is harsh. When she leaves, her stepmother gives her an amulet that belonged to her mother and that unbeknown to them contains a dragon and the dragon’s water powers. In the army she decided she doesn’t simply want to survive, she wants to thrive, and she trains more than everyone else, which is being noticed by the handsome prince who is also leading the battalion. They become friends, but war is looming and everything is changing when the other side has fire magic on its side.
I really liked this retelling. I have to say, especially the beginning and some scenes reminded me a bit too much of the Disney version, and I wished the author would have tweaked it a little more, they felt a bit boring for me to read, but about halfway the story deviates enough to be wholly new and exciting. Meilin herself is an excellent character to have in a story, as she throws herself into any situation without thinking, and her willingness to prove herself is a great help, especially when you have a dragon backing you up. She has a lot of self reflection, if it is really so greedy to want more as a woman. The story was very feministic and empowering, sometimes a bit too much but I think that’s a good thing for a younger audience.
There is some sort of a love triangle in this book, but thank goodness Meilin is a bit too busy at war to be fully emerged in this, she has priorities straight. Both boys are very intruiging though, and both quite morally grey, which is a theme within this book and I’m here for it. The other characters fell a little flat for me, like her fellow soldiers. I don’t really know what they are like, and I would have liked to see more of the friendship with her stepmother, as this book doesn’t have many female characters (later on there is one but that one is a bit ambiguous).
This book is quite fast paced, and plotwise a lot happens, but I can’t really talk about it without spoilering. I liked how expecially the second half never got boring, that one has both action and intrigue in it and lots of scenery changes and new characters, the world got a lot bigger too. The antagonist was perfect, I loved to hate him, and the resolution was epic. I was a bit disappointed in the actual ending though, it was an unexpected turn but it annoyed me more because we have a cliffhanger than that I was shocked.
All in all, I recommend this book to everyone, especially anyone who loved Mulan and who likes epic adventures with lots of feminism.
I received a free copy through Netgalley but my thoughts are my own.
I really liked this retelling. I have to say, especially the beginning and some scenes reminded me a bit too much of the Disney version, and I wished the author would have tweaked it a little more, they felt a bit boring for me to read, but about halfway the story deviates enough to be wholly new and exciting. Meilin herself is an excellent character to have in a story, as she throws herself into any situation without thinking, and her willingness to prove herself is a great help, especially when you have a dragon backing you up. She has a lot of self reflection, if it is really so greedy to want more as a woman. The story was very feministic and empowering, sometimes a bit too much but I think that’s a good thing for a younger audience.
There is some sort of a love triangle in this book, but thank goodness Meilin is a bit too busy at war to be fully emerged in this, she has priorities straight. Both boys are very intruiging though, and both quite morally grey, which is a theme within this book and I’m here for it. The other characters fell a little flat for me, like her fellow soldiers. I don’t really know what they are like, and I would have liked to see more of the friendship with her stepmother, as this book doesn’t have many female characters (later on there is one but that one is a bit ambiguous).
This book is quite fast paced, and plotwise a lot happens, but I can’t really talk about it without spoilering. I liked how expecially the second half never got boring, that one has both action and intrigue in it and lots of scenery changes and new characters, the world got a lot bigger too. The antagonist was perfect, I loved to hate him, and the resolution was epic. I was a bit disappointed in the actual ending though, it was an unexpected turn but it annoyed me more because we have a cliffhanger than that I was shocked.
All in all, I recommend this book to everyone, especially anyone who loved Mulan and who likes epic adventures with lots of feminism.
I received a free copy through Netgalley but my thoughts are my own.
nsnyder22's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
bookishspy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
This was a wild ride and one I didn't think I'd fall in love with like I have
Meilin
Meilin
A woman would know, I thought with hate, glaring up at him. Pity you're not one.
Her character progression throughout this story was undeniable. I can't say it was an improvement, but it was definitely progression. She was a badass, but also, it was sad at times how trusting she was.
Prince Liu Sky
"I can't protect you out here. Half the time, I can't even concentrate— I'm only fighting with half a mind because... the other half is looking for you, making sure you're okay, wondering where you are..."
Sky is such a sweetie. I feel so much for him. The way he looks out for Meilin is so sweet. I am scared that he will turn on her at some point, though, but I really hope not
Cao Ming Lei
"I'm chained, unarmed, and can barely walk on my own. Do I pose a threat to you?"
"Yes," he said, his dark gaze flicking to me, to my eyes. "Several."
Did I hate him? Kind of. Do I currently hate him? No. This man is everything to me. I should hate him, but nah, I knew it from the second he appeared.. he's the morally grey man I've dreamt of. I want so much more of him. And the scene with him and Sky? I live for that. So much. Give me the drama 🤭
Plot and Pacing
Not gonna lie, I did get a bit confused at times while reading this, but it wasn't anything I couldn't figure out. It was mostly the way characters were sometimes hard to differentiate between, for example, the two (or technically 7? I think?) Prince Lei's. Eventually, I figured it out, but it took a bit of effort at times.
Also, if you've seen Mulan, you do know the basis of this story. Is it exactly the same? Not at all. But did it have extremely similar elements, even down to the use of the name 'Mulan' at times? Yes. It did. This just meant the story was on the predictable side. Not always a bad thing, but I did wish that some parts didn't feel like they'd been taken straight from the movie, such as the hot springs bathing scene.
While I did enjoy this story, the pacing was a bit off. For the first half of this book, I was bored. Not completely, but I did almost put this down. It was very slow. But then it suddenly changed, and I found myself getting drawn in and excited about what would happen next. By the end, I was hooked. I just wish that first half had been a bit quicker.
Overall, I truly thought this was a great story with everything I really enjoy in a fantasy book. Also, the authors note at the end was also an essential read, in my humble opinion. I'm impatiently awaiting the next book after that ending 🥲
➛ 𝟒 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘒.𝘟. 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
sophiesapphire's review against another edition
5.0
The Ballad of Mulan and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms meet the likes of The Poppy War and Six Crimson Cranes in this first part of K.X. Song's upcoming duology: “The Night Ends with Fire” is a tale of magic, adventure, war, love, corruption, betrayal, oppression, freedom, feminism, wuxia (martial arts) - and do not forget dragons! This book really ought to spread like wildfire when it comes out because let me tell you: it is deserving of every praise it receives!
[Contains some spoilers.]
PLOT SUMMARY
In the lands of Tianjia, war between the Three Kingdoms of Anlai, Ximing and Leyuan is brewing. Told through the first-person narrative of 18-year-old Hai Meilin from Anlai (our Mulan in this tale), we find her father does not want to answer his summons to fight as he believes it won’t benefit him. In this version, he is abusive, has made the family destitute through his gambling and addiction to opium and is heavily relying on Meilin's dowry when she weds. Upon discovering her fiancé is also abusive, Meilin decides to enlist in the war in place of her father as a man under the alias Ren.
She is allocated to the Seventh Company where the leader is none other than the dashing Liu Sky (Shang equivalent), Seventh Prince of Anlai, who had saved her previously. As well as this, Meilin has brought with her a mysterious newly-acquired jade necklace that her late mother wore, unbeknownst that this is a spirit seal containing the Dragon, Qinglong (Mushu equivalent), providing her wisdom and the power (lixia) of water. Now, she has to conceal she is a woman and a spirit medium, for risking revealing her true identity would mean death! Women are not permitted to fight in wars, and the practice of black magic and spirit mediums as well as the worship of spirits have been banned.
But soon Meilin discovers she is not the only spirit medium, a man named Sima hellbent on revenge wields the power of a Phoenix through a scarlet seal. A thief steals the seal and breaks it but it comes back in pieces as it cannot be easily destroyed. Sima has found one piece on one shore; Meilin must find the other two pieces to stop him.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
What an incredible story to read! I could not put it down. Like Meilin’s greed being the driving force behind Qinglong’s powers, my own greed to read and know more propelled me quickly through this book. The pacing was ideal with plenty of description. A few times I laughed, a few times I gasped. The world-building was excellent: K.X. Song has a way of transporting you into this world and exploring aspects of both the spirit realm and reality, as well as providing historical information about the history of the Three Kingdoms.
Also, she very kindly provides us with a map which I always love as it helps me imagine things better!
Split into three parts, there were plenty of twists and turns: some I did not see coming others, probably a lot of them, were predictable but enjoyable to see .
Had this been a single book, I would have rated it a 4 for the ending because it felt anticlimactic and also rather sad after everything that Meilin has been through. Knowing that the story is to be continued, that there is a second book in the works made this even better. Otherwise, I would have screamed haha! I do prefer being able to read a book as a standalone rather than wait for its conclusion later but I am excited to see the direction this story goes. She’s best get her revenge because I am rooting for her.
RETELLING OR REINVENTING?
This story is primarily based on the legend of Mulan. As Song mentions in her author’s note, most of the Western culture is familiar with the story of Mulan through Disney’s film Mulan from 1998 (as well as its sequel Mulan 2 in 2004) and the live-action of the same name from 2020. That is certainly how I know of it, being brought up with Disney films all my life.
Now, I cannot say anything about the historical accuracy of this tale, so I understand if those who are from the culture do not find some of the tale appropriate. For me, this was a refreshing take on the story I do know.
You can certainly see that Song has based a lot of this tale on the live-action Mulan. There are plenty of scenes that harken back to this. To name a few: our heroine knows martial arts before she even enlists, she trains at night herself away from the men, the bathing sequence, the presence of a phoenix.
But there are many differences too. While I am aware some people did not finish even reading it because it felt too much like “Mulan fanfiction”, the point of a retelling is to tell a story again but it should have some unique qualities of its own. And unique qualities it did, especially past the halfway point, because even I at one point was beginning to think it was a little too similar.
Song has created a whole new dynamic through the inclusion of forbidden magic and the Cardinal Spirits with their seals. Cardinal Spirits are the four spirits representing and controlling the time of day, seasons, elements and directions. These are:
Women were yin—weak and fickle, governed by their flighty emotions. Men were yang—rational, calm, and unyielding. We were told as children that women could not lead, fight, or govern, for they were too easily swayed, prone to hysteria and fitfulness. But I had proven them wrong.
[Contains some spoilers.]
PLOT SUMMARY
In the lands of Tianjia, war between the Three Kingdoms of Anlai, Ximing and Leyuan is brewing. Told through the first-person narrative of 18-year-old Hai Meilin from Anlai (our Mulan in this tale), we find her father does not want to answer his summons to fight as he believes it won’t benefit him. In this version, he is abusive, has made the family destitute through his gambling and addiction to opium and is heavily relying on Meilin's dowry when she weds. Upon discovering her fiancé is also abusive, Meilin decides to enlist in the war in place of her father as a man under the alias Ren.
She is allocated to the Seventh Company where the leader is none other than the dashing Liu Sky (Shang equivalent), Seventh Prince of Anlai, who had saved her previously. As well as this, Meilin has brought with her a mysterious newly-acquired jade necklace that her late mother wore, unbeknownst that this is a spirit seal containing the Dragon, Qinglong (Mushu equivalent), providing her wisdom and the power (lixia) of water. Now, she has to conceal she is a woman and a spirit medium, for risking revealing her true identity would mean death! Women are not permitted to fight in wars, and the practice of black magic and spirit mediums as well as the worship of spirits have been banned.
But soon Meilin discovers she is not the only spirit medium, a man named Sima hellbent on revenge wields the power of a Phoenix through a scarlet seal. A thief steals the seal and breaks it but it comes back in pieces as it cannot be easily destroyed. Sima has found one piece on one shore; Meilin must find the other two pieces to stop him.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
What an incredible story to read! I could not put it down. Like Meilin’s greed being the driving force behind Qinglong’s powers, my own greed to read and know more propelled me quickly through this book. The pacing was ideal with plenty of description. A few times I laughed, a few times I gasped. The world-building was excellent: K.X. Song has a way of transporting you into this world and exploring aspects of both the spirit realm and reality, as well as providing historical information about the history of the Three Kingdoms.
Also, she very kindly provides us with a map which I always love as it helps me imagine things better!
Split into three parts, there were plenty of twists and turns: some I did not see coming
Spoiler
like the mother’s murderSpoiler
– that iron is a weakness to all lixia not just the Phoenix’s, that Sky’s father is the one who murdered Sima’s wife and child, that Lei was not to be trusted and was that thief she sawHad this been a single book, I would have rated it a 4 for the ending because it felt anticlimactic and also rather sad after everything that Meilin has been through. Knowing that the story is to be continued, that there is a second book in the works made this even better. Otherwise, I would have screamed haha! I do prefer being able to read a book as a standalone rather than wait for its conclusion later but I am excited to see the direction this story goes. She’s best get her revenge because I am rooting for her.
RETELLING OR REINVENTING?
This story is primarily based on the legend of Mulan. As Song mentions in her author’s note, most of the Western culture is familiar with the story of Mulan through Disney’s film Mulan from 1998 (as well as its sequel Mulan 2 in 2004) and the live-action of the same name from 2020. That is certainly how I know of it, being brought up with Disney films all my life.
Now, I cannot say anything about the historical accuracy of this tale, so I understand if those who are from the culture do not find some of the tale appropriate. For me, this was a refreshing take on the story I do know.
You can certainly see that Song has based a lot of this tale on the live-action Mulan. There are plenty of scenes that harken back to this. To name a few: our heroine knows martial arts before she even enlists, she trains at night herself away from the men, the bathing sequence, the presence of a phoenix.
But there are many differences too. While I am aware some people did not finish even reading it because it felt too much like “Mulan fanfiction”, the point of a retelling is to tell a story again but it should have some unique qualities of its own. And unique qualities it did, especially past the halfway point, because even I at one point was beginning to think it was a little too similar.
Song has created a whole new dynamic through the inclusion of forbidden magic and the Cardinal Spirits with their seals. Cardinal Spirits are the four spirits representing and controlling the time of day, seasons, elements and directions. These are: