I love Joan's writing style a lot but she's one of those authors that is entirely too smart for me and my brain could not keep up! So this review is just entirely a me thing and not even a writer problem. Clearly, I enjoyed the book because I actually finished it and wanted to know what happened... but for the life of me I just didn't understand the majority of the books politics. I thought the MC was a really interesting character and the journey was really cool.

One thing that did bother me was that there was a little romance laced into the story, but I feel like I didn't care? And it was an integral part of the MC's journey as she kept bringing it up, but it honestly didn't strike me as important and I didn't really "ship it". Other than that little thing, I think the character dialogue was really well written and kept me really engaged.

Honestly, I'd recommend this for those that love political dramas with twists and turns and a little bit of fantasy vibes with it. I think my brain just didn't comprehend the politics, which made the ending a lot more confusing to me but that's just a me thing.

I really wanted to love this book. At the moment it’s a DNF, but that could be because it’s not fitting the reading mood I’m in at the moment. That being said, the writing is fantastic and the storyline is wonderfully set up. I absolutely will probably pick this up again in the future. I HOPE I pick it up again and will be definitely reading He’s other books in the future.

A strategist must plan her way into helping her leader win the war... but with so many lives at stakes, hidden secrets, betrayals, and alliances occurring who is to say she can plan for the end. In the year of 414 of the Xin Dynasty the three warlordesses want to claim the continent for themselves. Zephyr is a strategist, she was orphaned at a young age and began serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess who is known for her honor... yet this honor will jeopardize their survival in a war where betrayal is the key to surviving. Zephyr strategies to infiltrate the enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers safe but finds herself facing off against the opposing strategist, Crow, a mysterious strategist who is playing his own game against her. Yet the further she plays these games... the more there is at stake and when the truth of who she really is... more than Zephyr the strategist, her whole world will be shaken but she’ll have to decide how far she will go to help Ren and what her conflicting feelings for Crow mean to her.

Let me first say, I enjoyed this, I always enjoy a good political/strategy story and seeing Zephyr be willing to do whatever it takes to win was fun, but you get to see she still has a big heart and she still cares. The romance was light but I enjoyed it, Crow was teasing and fun, and what better way to woo someone than poisoning them am I right? Their enemies/conflicted feelings thing was interesting and that last chapter had me excited to see where the next book ends! This is the first book in the duology.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

// Spoiler-free Review //
Strike the Zither - Joan He
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

My thoughts on this book have been hard to put into words, but I’ll try.

Strike the Zither is a genderbent reimagining of the Chinese military epic romance of the Three Kingdoms, in which a strategist must help her warlordess to victory against the rival kingdoms to the north and the south while overcoming her fate as written by the gods.

It is set in the year 414 of the Xin Dynasty. There is a puppet empress on the throne and the realm has been fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr becomes the best strategist of the land, and serves under the warlordess Xin Ren. Ren’s honor is what pulls Zephyr to her cause, but it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed.

Just… wow. This is a beautifully written, powerful book. There were so many times the writing just allowed me to really understand and feel for these characters, especially Zephyr. Zephyr is brilliant, but she is no where near perfect, which makes her all the more compelling.

I also loved the strategy included in this book. It held true to being a military epic, as it was based on. If you enjoyed The Poppy War, you’ll probably enjoy this as well.

The way this was written also really pulled me in. It is so beautifully written. I found myself bookmarking every other page because the way Joan He writes is so compelling, and her words really spoke to me.

This book has plot twist after plot twist, beautiful prose, and a story I won’t soon forget. I can’t wait for the next part.

Here’s the thing: I get nervous before I read every new Joan He book. It’s not that I worry I will be let down it’s that I, as a reader, will fail to read the story Joan is telling because I’ve somehow lost all my brain cells or some other irrational excuse. You see, I WANT to love her stories because Joan has a particular magic and genius for storytelling and I want to be part of said magic. So, I’m proud and happy to say I 100% love every book she has written and can (and will) boast I’ve loved her stories (and the way she tells them) from her first book (which was just rereleased yesterday)!

Strike the Zither is a grand and riveting reimagining of The Three Kingdoms. I thought about reading/researching the original tales so I would know the references, catch the tributes, but as someone who prefers to go into every story as blind as possible, I finally decided I’d wait for STZ. Which allows me to confirm that you do not need to read/research anything before reading to enjoy this absolute epic tale from Joan He!

If you like ladies with weapons (!!!!), think war stories have too many men in them, cinematic writing, are intrigued by strategic kissing, and/or need fast paced and action packed stories…I have an inkling you should probably preorder Strike the Zither before October 25.

But also, if you are convinced you don’t like action-packed stories involving war, you should give STZ a try because it’s SO much more than what I could fit in this caption. It’s fun AND funny. It’s entertaining to the nth degree. HIGHLY, highly, highly recommend.

Joan, thank you for writing incredible stories. I can’t wait for the next one! I’ve said before I don’t have favorites but I can honestly say Joan He books are auto-reads. Forever.

A kind thank you to the author for running an international giveaway for the e-ARC and to the giveaway deities that showed me mercy and had me win this.

Strike the Zither is PERFECTION. Zephyr is fire and grace and brilliance. She's unforgiving and unyielding about her brilliance and her worldview. The world-building is phenomenal. I felt the author's nuanced knowledge and genuine passion about the world, the history, and how to craft the story and reimagining of Three Kingdoms in her own way that still showed grace to the original.

I have been longing to read this book because it encapsulates everything that I love. Chinese history and culture. And a brilliant main character. I have a thing for brilliant characters/people. So, I had very high hopes and expectations for this book, and it just turned them into ashes. Strike the Zither transcended all expectations and hopes. It's not often that I can say that the story is as perfect and beautiful as its majestic cover, but in this case, it is true. Everything about Strike the Zither is perfect, and I absolutely cannot wait for book 2. The wait will hurt a lot.

If you love Chinese historical dramas, this is a must-read for you that will render you speechless and yearning for more.

This book was miles different than I anticipated it to be but it impressed me at every level. I love Joan He and I'm eager to continue to support her. She's a wonderful writer and this book really pushes my love for her books. I can't wait for more from her!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The twists and turns that this book took were exhilarating and deeply fun and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book to see what it brings (although, based on the author's previous works, I get the slight feeling it won't be entirely happy for everyone- so I'm mentally preparing myself now.

The character of Qilin/Zephyr was deeply interesting to get to know, and I'm excited to potentially find out more backstory for Crow. I was only tangentially familiar with the Three Kingdoms saga before reading this book, but even I know that adding a little magic and empowering women makes any story better.

This was A DNF for me at 25%. I might pick it back up because it could be a case of "right book, wrong time," but tell me how a book about battle strategists was this boring?

I genuinely enjoyed this book a lot, and I'm probably definitely going to buy a physical copy when it releases. I loved how it felt like I was watching a historical fantasy C-drama! I also really loved Zephyr and how empowering and confident she is.

The only downside was first getting into the book, it felt like there was just a dump of characters and I would get confused with who is who because they were all introduced so quickly. (But maybe that is just a personal, me-as-a-reader flaw.)

But anyway, I always love and am blown away by Joan He's plot twists and this book is no exception. Looking forward to the sequel!! Please pick this book up and read it -- you'll be glad you did! :)

[ 4.5/5 stars ]

Year 414 of the Xin Dynasty - the realm is divided into three fractions and a puppet empress in on the throne. Zephyr is the best strategist of her kingdom and she serves the warlordess Xin Ren. Zephyr has to infiltrate an enemy camp in order to reach victory and she encounters the opposing and evenly matched strategist, Crow.

Reading STRIKE THE ZITHER felt like a process of connecting with my Chinese roots - He attributes life to the characters, who grow out of its historical figures; the battle scenes, while refreshing for some readers, were familiar/nostalgic for me. I mostly adored the poetic instances and the obsession with zither, amongst other well-known Chinese cultural elements.

He filled the pages with war politics, scheming, manipulation, found family, betrayals and loyalties; yet the rivalry and the feeling of appreciating each other's talent stood out to me, making me enjoy the story even more. Additionally, He captures the human complexity and gives us an intimate look at sisterhood. I absolutely loved the romance and I found satisfaction in following its dynamic. The plot takes an upside-down turn at the midpoint and there are so many unexpecting and jaw-dropping twists. My small complaints are that the punch of strategies in the beginning was hard to follow, but soon I was drawn in; and while I wasn't fully attached to the characters (expect the main character), I am expecting to bond with them in the sequel.

With fluid prose, this reimagining of the Chinese epic Classic "Three Kingdoms" is a book not to be missed. I am looking forward to the sequel because that cliffhanger!

(note: I loved connecting with the author's voice in her notes about identity and tokenization, plus she offers insights about the original "Three Kingdoms" that is so interesting)

cw: (graphic) violence

This was my first from Joan He and I have to say the hype that was built up totally is worth it. This book has everything: original worlds and characters and a magic system that feels fresh and new. And the political intrigue... my goodness! I was hooked from the first page.

Whew this story was a trip in the best way. I'll admit I went into this one blind, being only vaguely familiar with Romance of the Three Kingdoms. While I'm sure that a deeper familiarity of the original story would heighten the enjoyment of Strike the Zither, that lack of knowledge in no way inhibited my understanding.

Strike the Zither follows the story of Zephyr, young strategist to Xin Ren, one of three warlordesses fighting to gain control of the throne. The problem is that Ren is honorable to a fault, and that's a danger in a world at war. In order to protect her beloved lordess and help keep her followers safe, Zephyr will have to betray Ren by going deep under cover in the enemy's camp. While there, she meets the bafflingly odd enemy strategist, Crow, who might be the only one capable of matching her in wits. But feelings for the enemy are a liability during a war when you never know who might be against you...

This was a pleasant surprise of a story. The lead characters were all fun to watch grow and develop throughout the course of the book, and the setting itself is interesting to learn about through the story of a country at war. A lot of the story does feel like it is setting up the chess pieces for the sequel, which stops it from being a five-star read, and the obvious break halfway through the book makes it feel like two separate stories in a jarring way. Overall, though, a delightful start to the series and another solid book from Joan He!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

This book follows Zephyr, a strategist for warlordess Xin Ren (who apparently is the only one who actually has the people's best interests in mind). In order to preserve the hopes of Xin Ren, Zephyr is willingly captured and becomes a double agent. However, there are other forces at work- and Zephyr doesn't just have to face human opponents.

I have very mixed feelings about Strike the Zither. There were parts that were incredible. Action scenes were incredibly vivid, and in general the world-building was very well done. I enjoyed how Joan He chose to have women as front and center characters in contrast with the actual historical figures. The last 1/5 of the book was my favorite, and I would've rated it higher if that's how it felt the entire time.

There were a couple of things that bothered me, though. First was Zephyr's relationship with Crow. It seems really forced, and we never really saw any fondness forming until it was apparently strong enough to impact decision making. It just seemed unnecessary- I think she was trying to incorporate the whole Enemies-to-Lovers bit, but it couldn't be the focus, so it fell flat. The different perspectives- from Zephyr the person to the goddess to Zephyr-as-Lotus left me feeling a bit disjointed.

I don't have much knowledge of The Three Kingdoms, but this retelling can definitely stand on its own. We follow the ambitious Zephyr as she strategizes to bring Ren's army to victory. But within this story, there's such nuance. The lines drawn between friend and foe, loyalist and traitor, they all become so muted throughout. And within this book is such expansive lore - from the land itself to the music, to the religious aspects, it's all so detailed. I don't want to spoil anything, but there were a few twists I didn't see coming and Joan He should be commended on that. Overall a really great book and I can't wait to finish out the duology.

*Thank you to Roaring Brook Press, Books Forward, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Joan He does it again! There is something that is just so immediately addicting to a Joan He novel that makes it impossible to do anything but finish it in one day. I was hooked from the very beginning and immediately interested in Zephyr and her big beautiful brain. The side characters were equally engaging, I had particular favorites in Crow, Cicada, and Cloud. (I swear I did not realize until this moment that they all began with the letter C.) There are also plenty of classic Joan He twists that feel so shocking but upon their reveal make so much sense. I'm still reeling from a final reveal at the end of the novel. I can't wait for book 2, I need it in my hands ASAP!

Strike the Zither is a YA fantasy based on a classic Chinese epic called the Three Kingdoms, mixed with inspirations from some other Chinese stories. This novel employs the classic trope of “pretend you’re defecting so you can join the enemy’s side and gain intel and then use that to turn around and destroy them.” We’ve all seen that done before but it was still enjoyable to read about here for the most part.

I struggled to follow the story a bit. Zephyr was supposed to be doing these grand things but I felt like I kept missing them happen and then the scenes would be over. For example, I’m still not sure how Zephyr convinced Miasma to let her join her side because I feel like it would have taken a lot to prove that she defected from her original leader, but she pretty much just walks up and is like “I’m on your side now” and Miasma believes her. It was very weird.

Zephyr conspires with different groups on different sides and I had a hard time gauging the layout of the land because these clans of people were battling and I didn’t think they were close in proximity but Zephyr travels back and forth like they are. I feel like the politics weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been, which made it a little difficult keeping track of the relationships and scheming between everyone.

I found it hard to emotionally connect with any part of Strike the Zither. For some reason, I felt very distanced from the story, like a far-away viewer of unknown people rather than an active participant. I don’t feel like I know Zephyr that well, or anyone else for that matter. I wasn’t emotionally invested when betrayals or deaths or big events happened, and that saddened me.

The story takes a drastic turn when stanza two begins, at the 50% mark. It’s like the book turns into an entirely different story with different characters in a different setting that felt narratively very disconnected from the first half of the story. I was quite confused and really didn’t enjoy it from then on, if I’m being honest.

Also, I found the romance, if you can even call it that, to be quite unrealistic. Zephyr never really liked Crow, until she one day did? I never understood where the attraction came from, especially since he poisoned her and didn’t seem to like her all that much either. I didn’t understand their connection at all.

Overall, I don’t think I’m the quite right audience for this book, and I can’t say for certain yet whether or not I will be reading the sequel. Strike the Zither ends on a cliffhanger of sorts that does pique my interest in how the story will progress in the next volume, but I don’t know if I’m committed enough to continue on with a series that I found to be just okay.

I enjoyed The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He, which is why I picked up Strike the Zither. Even though I didn’t enjoy her newest book as much as I enjoyed her sophomore novel, I’m curious to see what other stories she’ll write in the future as I enjoy her writing style overall and the types of stories she writes.

I am completely obsessed with this book!! Chinese mythology has become one of my new favorite things, so when I was sent this retelling of the Three Kingdoms, I was already sold before I read the first page. This was everything I wanted it to be and more, with a feisty heroine, a fabulous love interest, and stunning illustrations throughout! War, history, betrayal, magic, this has everything you could ever want in a book. Check it out next month!

"Blame me, or blame the heavens for placing us on different sides of this war. May we meet in another life."

sleeping on the highway tonight. it was nice knowing you guys. JOAN HE WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME??

thank you Macmillan for the arc!

you know what we don't get enough in fantasy? girls who get along and work together to conquer the world. it's my favorite thing in the whole wide world. AND THIS??? A THREE KINGDOMS REIMAGINING BUT ALL GIRLS ?? SO PERFECT. almost every single person in power is a woman. SLAYYYY

it has the perfect amount of war politics, found family, and action. if you loved the poppy war series, specifically kitay and his brilliant mind, you'll love STZ. one of the things i dislike in fantasy books is, for example, when they advertise the mc as a "deadly assassin" but she never does anything in the book to show for it. STZ PULLS THROUGH !! Zephyr is an amazing strategist who will go to lengths to serve her warlordess Xin Ren. you can tell she is really smart and earned her place. i love getting inside her mind

also, forced infiltrate an enemy camp? i was already sold in the synopsis.

to my tgcf lovers: it reminded such much of tgcf's writing style. as well as xie lian's time serving in the yong'an army. there are other tgcf bits similar but are spoilery so i won't say! (and tiny bits of mdzs but can't say what either) ALSO THERE IS THIS ONE SCENE THAT LOOSELY REMINDS ME OF THE COFFIN SCENE. WITH THE LOVE INTEREST. SCREAMING !! THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT IT. YOU'LL HAVE TO READ TO FIND OUT🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️)

for my fantasy romance lovers: (LISTEN TO ME)
i was not expecting romance since it was not tagged here but there is a tiny bit of it! i believe 1000% that we will get more of it in the next book. IT WAS SO GOOD THOUGH. FUCK. the love interest is the strategist for the enemy. so is it enemies to lovers? I HOPE SO. PLS I NEED BOOK 2 RN. without romance, i would have loved it just as much bc the plot and characters are so well written, you will find yourself rooting for them on page one !!

I really enjoyed this book, but I also had mixed feelings about it. I could never quite decide if the main character was the hero or villain of the story. While, as I said, I enjoyed it, I’m not certain if I’m willing to find out which she is.