A review by cakt1991
Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King by Katie Zhao

adventurous lighthearted 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

4.0

 I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King is the second fun adventure in the Winnie Zeng series. Just like the book, it’s steeped in Chinese mythology, and the world building with that aspect becomes more expansive, especially as Winnie explores more of her role as part of the Shaman Task Force. I love how there’s both a balance between the more spiritual/magical elements and the exploration of more Earth-bound elements of Chinese culture, like incorporation of various Chinese foods, including recipes in the back of the book to prompt engagement from the reader beyond the story. 

Winnie remains a compelling heroine. She’s incredibly funny, with jokes and asides peppering her narration, as well as her dialogue. She also strikes a great balance between being someone expected to help protect the world and being just a kid with her own interests, with cooking being a big one. 

Her rivalry with David, and how they must work together this time around, makes for an intriguing dynamic this time around, given the clashes not only between them, but also between their overspirits, hers being her Lao Lao and his being a former Chinese emperor. There’s also a new girl, Kelly, who believes she’s able to protect the town alone without help from the others, and that also provides a nice shakeup to their dynamic. 

This is another fun installment, and I’d recommend the series thus far to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy.