I love fairy tale retellings, especially those starring an antihero. Although I am about as white as they come, I ache for diversity. This was a fabulous freshman novel. I can't wait to read more!

I have been a huge fan of villain stories for the longest time. Whether it be a short retelling / re-imagining, or a series that’s entirely centered on how a villain came to be, I am honestly all for it. There’s something about the concept that screams justice, and revenge, and I find that these kinds of stories often have amazing character build-up that almost always leaves me wanting more. And I’m proud to say the same of Julie C. Dao’s debut novel, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns.

The first thing that I want to tackle in this review is the luscious and lyrical writing style. I’d like to be dramatic and say first and foremost that one of the aspects that I immediately fell in love with is how the author was able to put heart and emotion into every page that she’s written. Every chapter that helped to tell Xifeng’s story is filled with strong sentiments that helped me let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding when I read it. It’s been a while since I read a fantasy story that is as moving as this one, and I’m glad I stumbled upon a debut, as I love supporting new authors that would like to make their first “mark” in literature.

I also adored how the author made each of the characters equally relevant to the story. Personally, it’s hard for me to get into a book that has too many characters, whether they be major or minor ones. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to follow through with a story that seems a little too overcrowded, but that certainly wasn’t the case in this book. Every single character played a vital role in order for Xifeng to become the Empress of Feng Lu. I love how even if some of the characters were minor ones, they still had their share of the spotlight, helping the readers get to know them very well within a few scenes, chapters, or pages.

Another impressive aspect that I wanted to focus on is the positive Asian representation that this book was able to pull off. When I saw this book’s synopsis which says “An East-Asian fantasy re-imagining of The Evil Queen legend…”, I was automatically sold! I’m on an endless journey trying to find diverse books by diverse authors, and I am so utterly impressed with this one. The festivals, the environment, the delicacies, whether they be sweet or savory, they all gave me a brief glimpse of what life could be like if I ever find myself in a place like Feng Lu. And I have to say, it definitely got me excitedly daydreaming. Which is a good thing, obviously.

And as for the ending, I love how it left a few unanswered questions for readers (which I won’t share so as to keep this review spoiler-free, don’t worry.) which opened up tons of details to anticipate in the sequel. I know this might sound contradicting coming from a reader who hates cliffhangers, but I was actually pretty satisfied with how this story ended. Yes, I wanted answers to some of my questions, but I respect the story and the series enough to wait for the sequel, even if it’ll be treacherous. I’m saying this because there are tons of fantasy books out there that don’t end as impressively as this book does. It definitely satisfied me, and I’m pretty sure a lot of readers will be satisfied with it as well.

“Exquisitely written and filled with endless wonder, magic, and aspiration, Xifeng’s story in Forest of A Thousand Lanterns will have readers on the edge of their seats waiting in anticipation to know the lengths a determined young woman would go to just to see her dreams realized. Even if it means losing the things she hold close to her heart. It’s filled with ambition, lyrical narration, characters that are easy to root for, and a concept that is as captivating as it is alluring. Easily one of my 5-star reads this year so far.”

For a more in-depth review watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S3TO...

In the re-telling of the origin story of the Snow White's evil queen Xifeng is a beautiful commoner who is lured by the promise of her destiny to do whatever it takes to become the new empress even if it involves dark magic and murder.

After reading the description I had high hopes for this book and they were almost completely met. First, this is a debut novel and based on that it is quite well done. The mythology and the descriptive writing help advance this beyond a normal first book. However, the character never felt completely developed and I never felt like I actually got to know any of the character or care about them. I will keep reading the series for the interesting take on the original fairytale.

I really support this new trend of Snow White retellings (so much better than the Peter Pan trend of 2015) and I really wanted to like this book, I really did.

I would read two or three pages and then get distracted by a different book that appealed to me more. It just wasn't able to capture my attention as much as I would have liked.

And it just wasn't my thing. I'm not really in to anti-heroes, as much as I'd like to be, and even though at times I don't mind reading violence, I'm just not at a place right now where I can read a lot of it.

I'll probably pick this back up again in the future, when I'm looking for a good high-fantasy novel to read. But for now, I'm done with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. I would recommend it to high-fantasy fans.

Xifeng is the anti-heroine you love to hate. Once I got past the first one hundred pages (oh, they dragged), the story really picked up. The examination of what a young woman, without a lot of opportunities, would do to pursue her destiny was thrilling and horrific. It begs the reader to ask: what would the reader do in her place?

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Julie C Dao for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is the debut novel from Julie C Dao and the first in the series Rise of the Empress. There is a rise in Eastern Asian fantasy fiction at the moment but I think it’s safe to say that with this debut Julie C Dao is leading the pack. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is one of the most gripping, engaging and heart stopping novels I have read across any genre.

The main character Xifeng is the perfect anti heroine. Like many others I become tired of storylines involving the little poor girl who gets noticed by the handsome prince and finds herself elevated and rescued. Xifeng is the opposite, she uses her beauty to become brutal, unrelenting and fearless as she scratches her way to the top and what she views as her destiny, not caring who she steps on, on the way up. She fully embraces the darkness inside her with barely any hesitation. She knows what she wants and doesn’t really care how she gets it.

The writing is absolutely lush, and the story itself makes this novel impossible to put down. There’s a small part of you that cries out for Xifeng to find redemption but a larger part, is secretly relishing her ruthless personality. Woven in with myth, magic, legend, God’s and monsters, what’s not to like?

Xifeng is a poor young girl, schooled by her aunt Guma who does nothing but whip and abuse her and force her towards what she sees as Xifeng’s Destiny to become Empress of all Feng Lu. But there is something else influencing Xifeng. A darkness inside her which her aunt cannot protect her from, a darkness that sees Xifeng’s destiny as it’s own. Xifeng travels to the Imperial City, determined to achieve great things, no matter what the cost.

I literally cannot wait for the second instalment in what is promising to be a fantastic new series!

It was quite interesting. I liked the idea of the evil queen plot, but I felt the pacing of the story was a little off. In the end I did quite enjoy it but the pacing and plot needed some work.

My Review:

I read the synopsis but it was only upon reading this book did I know that it is an anti-heroine book. I have always been curious about the story of Disney's Villains. In one of the books I own, The Evil Queen was considered as the most evil of them all because she didn't have any reason to be evil but she is anyway.

And so, I devoured this retelling of her story in 2 days not only because I was curious but also because Julie C. Dao wrote it in a way that it would hypnotize you to not stop until you finish it.

The main character of the story, Xi Feng experienced pain early on in life, but in truth, I believe that it is her faith in magic and fate that truly sets her to have the courage to go out of the comfort and familiarity of the little village she grew up in.

Reading FoaTL feels like watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but not. It has the essence of the classic story but as well as the gory details that the other version doesn't have.

What an amazing experience reading this book was. What a sad realization it is for me that I'd be waiting for it's next installment.

But nevertheless, bravo to Julie C. Dao, for writing an awesome anti-heroine book.

3.5 Stars
This book was an amazing retelling of the origins of the Evil Queen in the Chinese East-Asian style! I loved the setting although the plot was a little slow and slightly boring at times. Xifeng has undergone abuse under the hands of her aunt, Guma who had shaped who she was. The main character was a great anti-hero who I loved with her scheming, her strengths and weaknesses and all in all her story which is fit for a dark queen 👑.

Xifeng has her own strength and it showed via the alluring writing style and her beauty.

This book was everything that I enjoy in a fairy tale retelling. Its fairy tale roots are recognizable, but there's enough new and original to keep me intrigued. This was very dark, darker than I normally like, but because this is from the POV of the woman who becomes the Evil Queen, the darkness totally works.

I had always wondered why exactly the Evil Queen asked the Huntsman for Snow White's heart. Just because she could? This story paves the way for that request to make a lot more sense. It won't be any less evil, in fact it will still be creepy and wrong, but it will make sense.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

The minute I heard about Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, I knew it was going to be a must-read! This debut novel from Julie C. Dao combines the culture of Eastern Asia with the whimsy of a fairytale, and it is incredible. Centered around Xifeng, a rare beauty with a promising destiny, the story allows the reader to join Xifeng as she follows her path towards becoming the Empress of Feng Lu. In order to achieve her goal, Xifeng must go through heartbreak and horrors alike - and decide, in the end, whether or not her destiny is worth the sacrifices she's going to have to make.

I'm thrilled to be able to say that Forest of a Thousand Lanterns lived up to and, dare I say, surpassed the expectations I had before going into it. It was like reading a fairytale, complete with the whimsy, charm and darker undertones of the classic fairytales I read over and over as a child. But it was also an epic fantasy novel all on its own, complete with political intrigue, complicated relationships and impossible magic that reeled me right in from start to finish. In addition to an already wonderful story, I also loved the settings, brought to life by the vivid details of locales, clothing, food and culture.

The one thing I was slightly hesitant about was Xifeng herself. How would I fare with a character who might not necessarily always choose the course that I thought best, who might even stoop to doing *gasp* unlikeable, terrible things? Well, let me tell you, it was all too easy for me to root for Xifeng and her success despite the many things that I didn't necessarily approve of. She's an ambitious girl who chases her deepest desire and won't let anyone or anything get in her way, no matter what she has to do. I admired her just as much as I feared her! I can only conclude that she was deliberately written to be a character you could both feel for and be terrified of, and in that respect, Dao really toed the line successfully.

In case you were wondering, I adored Forest of a Thousand Lanterns! I enjoyed Xifeng's story, her ambitious journey to get the results she desired. The writing is mesmerizing, the story immersive and it is, without a doubt, a well-constructed, well-told tale. I'm really pleased I enjoyed it as much as I expected to, and I truly look forward to reading the companion sequel (and anything Julie will be writing in the future!)

This was an amazing, dark magical book, full of both darkness and light with a powerful message <3 I really enjoyed it, readers won´t be able to put the book down once they start to read it. Xifeng was a very determined and strong character who knew what she really wanted in her life. She made hard decisions to be where she wanted to be but at the same time, I could perceive how vulnerable she was, how she really struggled to get there and how much she cared for others deep inside. The ending was amazing, I really loved it because it ended with love and hope, I can´t wait to read the next book!