A review by zagfros
The Night Ends With Fire by K.X. Song

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

The Night Ends With Fire is a fascinating retelling of Mulan, including elements of the supernatural. We see Meilin struggle not just due to her place in society as a woman but also having access to magic which is outlawed. A big theme in the book is isolation and not just because of her circumstances but also due to the other characters motivations. The book can at times feel lonely as there's downsides to all of Meilin's potential allies, even Meilin herself is dealing with controlling her impulses due to her magic's influence. It makes it all feel rather hopeless at times, not knowing who to trust has you second guessing everyone's motivations and even Meilin. Despite this or because of this... The novel itself is a riveting read and flows well as Meilin escapes her marriage and joins the army in the three kingdoms war.

The cast of supporting characters are great and standouts such as Autumn, Lei and Sparrow really bring the book together even with you guessing the motivations and how they'll react if they discover Meilin's secrets.

I look forward to seeing what happens next in Meilin's story and if she can find some allies she can confide in! Thanks to Netgalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the arc.