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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Prince Xian of Wuyue, is on a desperate quest to save his dying mother. Bitten by a white snake, the only known cure is a rare spirit pearl or an antidote created from a white snake itself. In the city of Changle, he meets Zhen, a pretty stable boy whom he is instantly attracted to. Unbeknownst to Xian, Zhen is actually a white snake spirit who had gained human form after consuming the coveted spirit pearl. As Zhen soon learns that he is the very creature Xian is hunting for, what will happen to their burgeoning relationship?
The Legend of the White Snake is one of China’s four great folktales and this is an enchanting YA reimagining of this beloved folktale with a delightful BL twist
The Legend of the White Snake is one of China’s four great folktales and this is an enchanting YA reimagining of this beloved folktale with a delightful BL twist
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you're a fan of danmei novels, you need to read this book! Legend of The White Snake is a standalone YA Romantasy re-imagining of a Chinese floktale. It follows the story of a prince named Xian and a stable boy named Zhen.
When Prince Xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother, condemning her to a slow, painful death. The only known cure can be found from the rare white snake itself. Determined to save his mother, Xian travels to the city of Changle to find and capture the white snake.
In Changle, he encounters an enigmatic but beautiful stable boy named Zhen. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but what Xian doesn't know is that Zhen is the very white snake he is hunting. As their feelings grow deeper and secrets are revealed, their relationship is put to the ultimate test forcing Xian to make a decision that could make him lose both his mother and the love of his life.
The build up of the relationship between Xian and Zhen was so sweet. The way Xian is obsessed with him from the first moment they meet, the companionship they gradually develop, the 'who did this to you' moments, their incessant flirting and slow-burn — it was all incredibly fun to read.
But there was also betrayal and heartbreak to balance those happy emotions and make this book an absolute page-turner. The progress of the plot was not too rushed and successfully built up the right amount of anticipation.
I read the book in one sitting because with all the twists in the story, I needed to know what would happen. The ending almost left me devastated until it didn't. Xian and Zhen are so dear to me and they deserve all the happiness in the world.
I so wish the book was just a little longer and gave more time exploring the characters. Although it seemed well balanced between plot and character development, I was craving to see more of Xian and Zhen throughout.
When Prince Xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother, condemning her to a slow, painful death. The only known cure can be found from the rare white snake itself. Determined to save his mother, Xian travels to the city of Changle to find and capture the white snake.
In Changle, he encounters an enigmatic but beautiful stable boy named Zhen. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but what Xian doesn't know is that Zhen is the very white snake he is hunting. As their feelings grow deeper and secrets are revealed, their relationship is put to the ultimate test forcing Xian to make a decision that could make him lose both his mother and the love of his life.
The build up of the relationship between Xian and Zhen was so sweet. The way Xian is obsessed with him from the first moment they meet, the companionship they gradually develop, the 'who did this to you' moments, their incessant flirting and slow-burn — it was all incredibly fun to read.
But there was also betrayal and heartbreak to balance those happy emotions and make this book an absolute page-turner. The progress of the plot was not too rushed and successfully built up the right amount of anticipation.
I read the book in one sitting because with all the twists in the story, I needed to know what would happen. The ending almost left me devastated until it didn't. Xian and Zhen are so dear to me and they deserve all the happiness in the world.
I so wish the book was just a little longer and gave more time exploring the characters. Although it seemed well balanced between plot and character development, I was craving to see more of Xian and Zhen throughout.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lovely ya fantasy !! half a star off cause there was a bit of flirting while there were really much higher stakes happening and i always find that annoying, but overall this was wonderful :D
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
fast-paced
while this cover is simply stunning i found the book itself to be rather mid. i feel like everything just happened too fast, which made for a quick and easy read, but it also made everything lack depth. i wasn't invested in the relationship and i didn't really like the characters that much. there were moments that were supposed to have an emotional impact but they were lacking since i just didn't care about anything
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this one—it was a charming and dynamic story with fast pacing and an engaging plot. While the book is not profoundly deep or complex, relying on existing Chinese myths and lore to craft the world-building, I was still fully invested and drawn into the story. I thought the writing was natural and compelling, it wasn’t cheesy or unnecessarily elaborate. The characters were definitely the standout element— the chemistry among them is palpable, with interactions that are both heartfelt and humorous. Overall, the story is jam-packed with action and would be a great entry for someone trying to get into fantasy. I would love to read a sequel, especially because the ending was quite rushed
mysterious
sad
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
It just represents everything I would say I dislike about romance books.
The characters felt very flat and almost indistinguishable from each other, unless you read the name of the character speaking/acting. Not to mention the endless betrayal, there had to be at least be 7 different instances of ridiculous lies, horrible miscommunication (or even just lack of actual care in writing compelling characters that listen to their own freaking dialogue in stories), random kidnapping, and unnecessarily repetitive plot armor. for example, both the mom and zhen die but then come back to life. like there’s literally no impact for the story because every major point of tension (guilt, loss, sacrifice) is wiped clean. The drama was just all over the place. I also felt like the focus on the Prince Xian’s sexual history IN A FREAKING BOOK FOR 13 YEAR OLDS (and above, yes but) was a bit much. The story practically talked more about Prince Xian and his having sex with people than the actual plot, aka, rescuing his mother.
It just all felt very ridiculous, and just reaffirms that I am neither a YA girly nor a romance girly.
The characters felt very flat and almost indistinguishable from each other, unless you read the name of the character speaking/acting. Not to mention the endless betrayal, there had to be at least be 7 different instances of ridiculous lies, horrible miscommunication (or even just lack of actual care in writing compelling characters that listen to their own freaking dialogue in stories), random kidnapping, and unnecessarily repetitive plot armor.
It just all felt very ridiculous, and just reaffirms that I am neither a YA girly nor a romance girly.