Wow. In her novel, Zhao weaves a shocking, icy, emotional tale of a country destroyed by war, magic, and demon gods. Zen is a powerful magic practitioner who stumbles upon Lan, a song girl at a capital tea house. Zen and Lan are the last of their clans, all of their family murdered before their eyes by the dangerous metal magic wielders of the West who occupy their country through fear and blood.

Thrown into one another’s path by the red threads of fate, the two learn to love again while fighting against the hold of demon gods, long-kept secrets, and sadistic magicians. Zen wishes to destroy while Lan wishes for balance.

Zhao did a great job with the folklore in this novel. The rich, beautiful history of China intermingles with the feeling of grief from death, destruction, and loss of culture. I think the novel is beautifully written- easily one of the best I’ve read. But, there was little to no release of tension throughout the novel. If I were to add a critique of any kind, it would be that need.

Thank you Netgalley, for giving me the chance to read such wonderful book. The entire magic system that Zhao presented in this read is absolutely amazing, alongside the world building. I very much enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the book. The plot twists kept me on edge, especially towards the end of the story. The story was beautiful, I very much enjoyed the Chinese mythology and lore. I cannot wait for the next! Four star read.

Book Summary:

Lan remembers a time when she had a different name. A time before the colonizers came to her land and changed everything – their culture, their magic, even their names. Not content to live with this new life handed to her, Lan delves into her people's past. And she finds the most intriguing things – a strange mark that ties directly to her people's history—a mark left behind by her mother.

Zen is one of the Last Kingdom's fabled magicians. Quite possibly one of the last. So he knows precisely what Lan is and what the mark on her arm means. Together, they may just have what it takes to change the destiny of their kingdom.

My Review:

Oh wow. I knew that Song of Silver, Flame Like Night would be fantastic – any book written by Amelia Wen Zhao is sure to impress. And boy, I was not disappointed here! This novel is magical, fantastical, and certain to capture your imagination.

Best of all are the very real foundations found within this story and their connection to mythology. It's all so perfectly balanced. Again, if you've read anything else by Amelie Wen Zhao, you've probably come to expect that!

The worldbuilding is superb, the characters compelling, and the story rich and complex. In other words, it's the perfect novel to pick up. In fact, I'm already highly tempted to dive back in and do a second reading!

Highlights:
Asian literature
Dragons!
Mythology
Coming of Age meets Fantasy

Trigger Warnings:
Death of parents
Loss of autonomy
Racism/colonialism
War/genocide

Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers.

What a beautiful start to what promises to be a gorgeous series.
Steeped in so much culture, language, and folklore this is a truly immersive tale of a young girl named Lan, who is on an unexpected journey to discover who she is, who her mother was, and the key that she holds for the future of her people. Circling around her is another practitioner Zen, who holds many secrets of his own and could heavily influence the path Lan must follow.

I have always been a sucker for stories built around the rich Chinese culture, and this tale spins together the beauty of Chinese folklore, magic, and a unique world and history building. I could not be more in love with the complex story of the demon gods, the lost arts of practitioner and so much more!
I can not wait for the next book!

~ 2.5 Stars ~

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ecopy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Now on to the review portion.

This book’s summary was magical and enthralling. More and more books are introducing readers to folklore and cultures from the Asian continent that are not only important for understanding today’s world, but to also appreciate the collective world histories we all share as citizens of this planet. To only know one continent’s cultures or histories is really to be deprived a wealth of knowledge. I was looking forward to seeing a take on Western colonization from the perspective of those being colonized and the subjugation of a people where the majority had lived and remembered their country and clans had been prior to this foreign invasion.

At many points, the MC’s of this text point back to the differences of the here and now, and their pasts and what these invaders had cost them, and it definitely a main driving factor throughout this book. The prose is beautiful and whimsical, however I feel it’s a bit dense for teens and YA. It very much read closer to Adult fantasy fiction with regards to verbiage as well as violence and loss of life. The themes are very heavy, mainly due to the MC’s basically being in constant danger from the moment this book starts. That being said, while there is a lot going on in this travel epic, it’s quite a slow read. It’s at about 60% into this book that the story really starts to gain traction and momentum. I was very close to DNF-ing this book because it just was not hooking me. I felt so aloof and disconnected to the characters’ struggles, partially due to the third person narration, but also due to the fact that it is a travel epic with no clearly stated timeline. Days and weeks could’ve passed, and all I would know is they spent a lot of time walking or running. How much, I could never tell you. I believe at one point the FMC references that she’s been at the school for almost a full moon cycle (aka month), except that month happened maybe in two chapters..?

I think the major plot of finding the Demon Gods and wiping out the invaders on a hero’s journey is awesome! BUT the ineffectual martyrdoms and savior complexes that seem to happen to every single character just killed the ending for me. And I do mean INEFFECTUAL. Just when a dagger pierces the heart and you think it’s all over, the character resurrects and then does the same thing 5 more times. And because one character playing savior isn’t enough, a bunch of them hop on board. I believe the intended effect was to lend nobility and honor to these characters, but in the long term plot wise, just really dragged the plot on and on and made the act of possible sacrifice, disingenuous. This was about 100-150 pages too long, especially considering that this is going to be a series. The way it was laying out the plot, I was SURE this was going to be a standalone. So much was shoved into this first book, there was no way it could continue on… but it’s going to.

Lastly, the romance. I was really loving the innocence the our two MC’s and having them fall for each other because they admire the way the other survives, and the difficulties they’ve endured both together and separately. Then the tides turned when the MMC decides that he has to sacrifice it all and metaphorically “turn to the dark side”. It was like a flash of Padme pleading for Anakin Skywalker to not “go down a path” she can’t follow. It gave me Jon Snow stabbing Daenerys in the heart with his dagger… literally. It was star crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet, except there’s not real outcome from any of it. No one’s dead, no one’s sworn the other off, they just are existing together, and then they just exist apart again, not for lack of trying to sacrifice themselves or the other.

I am disappointed, because overall, I think the bones of this story are incredibly epic. But in execution this really fell flat. I most likely will not be reading the rest of this series due to all the aforementioned issues.

*eARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Cute relationship between Zen and Lan. Until, well, you know.

Slow paced.

Lovely magic system, very interesting use of demons.

I was really into this one at the beginning. Everything seemed so promising. Action, a female MC with an attitude and determination to survive, and a lot of unanswered questions about her past. But then she gets rescued by the mysterious stranger with a dark secret and everything just really slowed down for me. We started just getting background and info dumping about the man I'm assuming is the love interest and his upbringing and it felt like nothing was happening for way too long. Plus his storyline was feeling very familiar and like one big YA trope. I finally DNFed around 35% or so. Wanted to love this one but it was starting to feel like a chore. I do hope others enjoy it though!

n a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Thanks for the publisher for the early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously considered DNFing this around 35% but pushed through given the very high ratings and how many early reviewers seemed to love this. Unfortunately despite ultimately finishing it I did not end up loving it the way I wanted to. I wasn’t pulled in and despite the drama and action of the story, I found it a bit of a slog to get through personally. I was also really hoping this was a stand alone which it definitely is not, but that’s my own fault for not checking. While I did enjoy the writing and the world overall, I didn’t feel entranced and invested in the characters.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is a rich new YA fantasy that draws from Chinese mythology. Author Amélie Wen Zhao’s rich prose immediately immerses you in a different time and place. Zhao is equal parts world-builder and character developer. She strikes the perfect balance between the two, creating a fully-fleshed read.

At the center of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night are Lan and Zen, seemingly disparate characters who perfectly balance each other. Lan is a bright force in and of herself. From the beginning, she captures interest. She’s the more accessible of the two. Zen is more closed off, and it takes a bit longer to warm to him. Strong supporting characters help to fill out this grand world.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is a fast-moving and compelling YA fantasy that you won’t want to put down. I’m excited to see where Zhao takes things in the sequel.

This was a challenge for me since I’m customarily not a fantasy reader, and I’m glad I stuck with it. The characters kept calling me back, even when I felt daunted by the page count. Loved the way the magic system intertwined with the culture. My favorite aspect was probably the impact of colonialism on the characters and plot.

From my blog post: I don’t know what it is but I love a fantasy that takes place in the past or is inspired by it…maybe it’s the history nerd in me but I always feel like there is a vividness that period pieces bring. If we add in magic with the historical, then I’m fully in my element and this book checked all the boxes for me. The story gives world building, imagery, different types of magic & how to access it, mythology/mythological creatures and high stakes along with dual perspectives (which y’all know I LOVE). Since this book takes place in the past, it also deals with colonizers, their shenanigans and the fight against their antics, which I deeply felt. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings because I feel like there is a battle to be had & I want to see certain heads roll (All Queen Of Hearts)!

This book was very fast paced and entertaining. There was never a dull moment, which kept me engaged and wanting more until the very end. That being said, I felt that the book was a bit rushed at the beginning. It felt like it was jumping from one major event to the next and didn't really give the reader time to take in the characters. I prefer books that start out more gently and then crescendo into the major conflict. I think that this is just a personal preference, however, and still found the beginning of the book captivating. I found the romance within the book believable and well-paced. I wasn't sure about Lan's character at first, but she grew on me as the book progressed. One of my favorite parts about this book is the addition of Chinese mythology and legends. I loved how the whole magic system is based on qi, the life force of all things. Even though there was some lore that I was not familiar with, I think that Amelie Wen Zhao did a great job of explaining everything to the reader. She left enough room in the book for a bit of imagination without leaving the reader clueless as to what just took place. You can really tell that the author loves her heritage and has put her very heart into this book. I am very excited to read the next book in the series!

I found this world to be fascinating and something I would read time and time again. I couldn't put this story down! And in light of recent events going on in the US, I read this at the right moment.

I have been waiting for this book forever ever since I saw it all over Booktok. And I was pretty excited to read this book when I received my copy in the mail.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night did not disappoint me at all. It may have started off slow, but once I got the hang of it, I dived right in. I will say that this book is mainly YA fantasy read, not YA romance fantasy read. Keep that in mind, you will truly enjoy it.

Song of Silver, Flame-like Night brings a different type of fantasy mythology. It focuses on different characters, but the main focus would be Lan and Zen. Both are different from each other, but yet they are connected in one way or another.

Lan has lost so much that she is more than willing to learn her mother's secrets. And she is willing to put her trust in Zen since he is more than willing to help her. He is also trying to uncover secrets, especially since people keep trying to attack Lan. They both are willing to go forward on their journey, but they will soon discover how much everything will change in their lives.

I won't give out any spoilers because it will ruin the fantasy read. But expect so many secrets to unravel between Lan and Zen. And also expect betrayals.

Before picking up this book, be sure you check out the content warning. There are heavy topics discussed and mentioned.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been so charmed with a YA book, then along comes Amelie Wen Zhao’s Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. I cannot emphasize how much I loved this book. The worldbuilding is strong and layered, incorporating both Chinese history with Chinese mythology, the characters were interesting, and the plot kept me hooked the whole way through. This is probably my new favorite Chinese-setting YA novel.

The first thing I must talk about in this book is how fantastic the worldbuilding is. Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is set after the fall of the The Last Kingdom, a close fantasy equivalent of the end of the Qing dynasty, after the Elantian Empire (white people) has taken over the seat of power and colonized most of the East of the country. When you first open the book, you get a short chronology explaining the different periods that have occurred through the history of the Last Kingdom, which the characters often reference back to throughout the story. It’s a fantastic way to showing how deeply layered history is in this book while not bogging the reader down with infodump after infodump. Granted, Zhao has a slightly easier time as much of this is a condensed, re-named version of actual Chinese history: the city we begin in, Haak’gong, is implied to be Hong Kong, the ruling ethnic majority right before Elantians arrive, the Hin, are a letter away from China’s most populous Han ethnic group, the Warring Clans Era has a similar equivalent to the actual Warring States period, etc etc. Yet, praise must be given in knowing what to keep and what to leave out. Perhaps my one criticism is that with the amount of dedication and care put into the worldbuilding of the Last Kingdom, I wish the Elantians had a more interesting portrayal than just Evil White Empire^TM.

On the more magical side, Zhao features Taoist shamans, known as practitioners in the book. (For those familiar with wuxia/xianxia, these are cultivators). I think this is the first time I’ve read a western novel that’s so fully committed to xianxia element and I’m so here for it. The practitioner deuteragonist we meet, Zen, is probably my favorite character in the book, in no short part because of how cool the practioning abilities are. In addition, the four cardinal beasts: Crimson Phoenix, Black Turtle, White Tiger, and Azure Dragon play important roles, especially in the latter half of the story as we learn that some of the popularly accepted history might not be so true after all. Zhao gives the White Tiger and Azure Dragon a color change so they’re Azure Tiger and Silver Dragon for some reason.

The plot and pacing in this book are fairly fast, yet it allows the characters room to breathe and interact. We open with our main character, Lan, attempting to learn about an invisible seal on she can see on her arm, and turning to shadier and shadier sources. When that gets her in trouble with the Elantians at the pleasure house she works in, There’s tensions and drama in that escape that made it hard for me to put my Kindle down. Once we get more into the practioning element, Zhao gives Lan and Zen the room to breath and fully take in the beauty and the calmness of the practioning arts, without losing the tension of the overarching plot. The characters themselves are great. I was never yelling at my book because of stupid decisions just to further the plot and no elements seemed to happen just because the author didn’t know how to transition from point A to point B.

Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5. Zhao incorporates fantastic use of Chinese history and mythology with xianxia practices to writes a masterful first book in this new series. I can tell we’re only scratching the surface of this story and I can’t wait. to see what happens next.

Review will go live on my blog 27 Jan 2023

Thank you for the opportunity to read this!
AWZ really wanted to talk about her history and her intro about her grandmother was very heart touching. I can overall say I reccomend this book but it was not outstanding in its writing and pace. 3.5 stars
Themes:
Demon and gods in real world
Chinese history crossover
Slow burn romance ( real back burner if you like that)
Amnesia/forgotten family/past
Hidden past
Epic adventure
Big mouth FMC (in a good way)

Now overall i did like the characters, Lan especially. She had a mouth on her which i was surprised slightly but it was funny in her bantering. I didn’t care for the last second (literally ) plot twist with her and the master. The pacing was really off. Multiple times the Mc’s are walking through the countryside with tatted falling off clothes and it stays that way for days/weeks. It was off putting when they could have taken some or stolen if off grid but thats just me. There was a lot of traveling than plot the beginning and the end were interesting but i cant say the middle was great. It took me 2 months to finish this, not even 500 pages, though it felt like it.
I think it will be better action packed in the next book. The fighting is so fast because the characters black out and many people are dead, i want to see what more the metal magic can do!

I read this book in audio format, but the digital and print versions are gorgeous, with lovely art.
Song of Silver, Flame like Night is an exciting coming-of-age story set in beautiful places with deeply conflicted and hopeful characters. I loved each revelation and look forward to seeing where Lon's journey takes her next. I love a good heroine.

When I was younger, I went through an interesting phase of being obsessed with mythology. Greek. Roman. Egyptian. Chinese. Indian. The list could go on, but my top three favorites in mythology was Greek, Egyptian and Chinese mythology. All three knew how to capture my attention and exploring a bit of Chinese mythology inspired tales had been a fun foray into widening my literature scopes.


But the years passed by and these stories either weren't as popular anymore or they got lost in the types of books out there and when I got approved an eARC of this one, I was definitely overjoyed to dive in. The reader's note sold me on this being a good book.


I was not wrong.


Short Summary: A girl who could bring a nation to its knees with a hidden mark teams up with a runaway magician with plans to overthrow an empire to an adventure that fate has tied them together for.


Long Summary:In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died. The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.


Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs. When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.


Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.


This book is out now and it's a great way to start 2023, so get your copy now!


Overall: 5/5 stars

Almost lost interest in the middle due to ridiculous protagonist syndrome but then the twists started to hit and it redeemed itself.