A review by illstoptheworldandreadwithyou
The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

4.25

From the Goodreads synopsis: “Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.” 

 

Three kingdoms at war; a gambling, opium-addicted father, who refuses to join the army; a young woman on the eve of being married to an abusive merchant; and the unexpected gift her late mother left for her—these elements set the stage for K.X. Song’s The Night Ends with Fire. 

 

Meilin finds death in war preferable to marrying the merchant, so she binds her chest, dresses as a man, tucks her mother’s pendant under her tunic, and heads off to enlist. 

 

She’s already trained in qi gong and kung fu, but she still has a lot to learn. 

 

Juxtaposed against the training and experiences in war are Meilin’s trials and tribulations learning to harness her own magic and the spirit power channeled to her through her mother’s jade pendant. The dragon spirit connected to the jade isn’t the Mushu from Disney’s version of Mulan, though, and there’s a learning curve for Meilin when it comes to her levels of trust with him. 

 

There’s also the beginning of a love triangle. (This is the first book in a series.) One love interest is bound by duty; the other is not exactly what he seems. I’m interested to see where these relationships go. 

 

Please note that, while our heroine is quite young, some of the content is not. 

 

Also expect to see discussions of gender and gender roles, the characteristics attributed to, the expectations of, and the liberties (or lack thereof) awarded to each. Meilin is a woman masquerading as a man, after all, and she struggles to accept her own ambition. 

 

I received an advance copy of the book from Berkley/Ace and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.