An excellent start to this duology, and I find that I’m particularly fascinated by the lore and world. This is not to say that I didn’t also appreciate the characters (who I thought were pretty great too, and I definitely want to see more of them), their journeys and the actual plot, because I totally did. I really need the sequel because I must know how it all ends!

I would like to thank Underlined of Penguin Random House at NYCC for providing a digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. I was initially drawn to this novel by the cover. I was intrigued when I read the description. Once I started reading it, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night immediately captured my attention. The story is based on Chinese folklore. It introduces Lan, whose mother had passed away at the hands of Elantian forces. A once great kingdom is now under Elantian rule, leading to many adverse consequences for its people. The Hin language is forbidden and Lan is not the name she was born with. Additionally, magic is banned. The author effectively explains the magic system early on. It is based on qi, which all people possess. But some individuals have an affinity for channeling it and concentrating it into seals. Also, some individuals can hold more qi than others. Lan is one such individual. She joins a school to help her control her qi. She meets Zen who is a qi practitioner and he helps her on her path to find answers regarding her mother’s passing as well as the mysterious seal on her leg. Not everyone is welcoming of Lan and her unique abilities. The source of her special ability is a mystery that the book slowly unravels. We discover what lead to her mother's passing and this revelation is another of many that shape the plot and story in interesting ways. The novel alternates perspectives which helps build the main characters of the story. This story contains themes of light and dark forces and raises questions of whether using dark forces is justified in difficult times. Can dark forces ever really be controlled? Once embraced, do these forces eventually take over the light? This novel tells a compelling story and tackles some difficult themes successfully. About 98% into the book, I was wondering how the story would wrap up since it still appeared there was more story to tell. The conclusion, although satisfying, raised new questions and set up a sequel—one that I’m very interested in reading. I really want to see how the author further dissects themes of light and dark and the very interesting folklore explored in this novel.

Amélie Wen Zhao returns with a new YA fantasy steeped deeply in Chinese mythology. I really enjoyed her previous trilogy, Blood Heir, and was really excited to get approved for Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. (henceforth known as SOS in my review, minor spoilers ahead)

SOS is an intriguing tale of a girl (Lan) whose mother was killed by colonizers but before she died she imprinted something onto Lan, a seal of magic. In Lan's search to understand what the seal on her arm is she collides with Zen, a practitioner of Hin magic. Zen is very much the stickler for rules type and doesn't speak a whole lot. On the other hand our girl Lan is a snarky brat and she carries loads of magic with her but has no idea how to use it. Zen decides to help her figure out what the seal is all about and A LOT of information is told to the reader where in the end we find out that Lan must not only destroy the colonizers she must also destroy the four demon gods of the Hin culture and return the power to the people. Not a tall order at all.

I loved Lan from the get go, she makes some silly mistakes but she definitely became dear to my heart because of all she goes through and discovers about her mother. She's very plucky and has tons of courage. Zen was kind of robotic but having a demon bound inside of you might have something to do with that. His backstory is very sad and at this point my heart is broken for him. He's such a self sacraficer. Her and Zen's chemistry was a bit "meh" for my taste (nothing like Ramson and Ana unfortunately) but they are cute in their own sunshine grumpy way.

It was a bit difficult for me to get into it at the start because it's very info heavy. And I haven't read a whole lot of Chinese mythology so I might've had to re-read certain parts to really soak in the information. I don't really mind informational heavy books but they just take me a minute when there's not a whole lot of other stuff going on in the plot at the same time. Plus with this being the first book in the series I expected a little world building. The book definitely picks up in the last 25-30% though.

I didn't alternate between reading and listening to the audiobook and I would definitely recommend doing that. Getting the pronunciations taught to me with the narrator was so helpful in understanding some facets of the culture and mythology. The narrator, Annie Q, was fantastic and I loved all her inflections and tones for the different characters. I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her.

The way SOS ends is not necessarily a cliffhanger. People have their agendas and their own squads but they might not be paired up with who you'd want them to be with. There's a really difficult death towards the end that had me tearing up so beware.

Overall, I would put this at about 3.75 to 4 stars in my opinion. I will continue the series because I adore Amélie Wen Zhao and want to continue to support her and I do need to find out what happens to Lan and the gang. Thank you so much to Random House and Delacorte Press for providing me an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the E-ARC of this book.

I wanted to love this book, I really did but I didn't. I liked it and therein lies the difference. The first part of the book is very heavy on world building but that makes sense since this is the first of a series. It takes a while for the story to get going and for the characters to truly develop and even then, I don't feel that they were developed all that much. That being said, I will read the second book since I do want to know what happens and the last few chapters were good.

first off thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for the arc however late my review may be! second, support the harpercollins union strike!!!!!!!!

song of silver, flame like night is a tale of both fate and sacrifice as it follows both lawn and zen and their path to self-discovery while facing against foes both human and supernatural. this was truly the perfect book to start off the new year because it just proved how much i love fantasy as this book is full of multiple popular elements that simply tickle my fancy within the fantasy genre.

although it starts off slow, it is still interesting as you become endeared with both characters and when the plot takes off it does with a bang! with wonderfully written characters and a SUPERRR intriguing plot, i’m incredibly glad to have read this book and am excited for the sequel!

In Song of Silver, Flame like Night there are secrets simmering in the air and on our skin. I was instantly drawn to our heroine, Lan. In many ways she's on a quest alone and is searching for knowledge and answers. Is there anything any more universal? Plus the action immediately sweeps us away. I was left reeling wondering, "who are all these baddies?" I knew I wanted to follow Lan's quest until the end. At the same time, I greatly enjoyed the magic all the way from the metal magic to the MAGICAL TRAINING SCHOOL!

But I think what ended up captivating me - predictably so - were the themes. How do we question authority? There's this almost intoxicating power of silence around authority. Around obedience and speaking out. Song of Silver, Flame like Night asks us these questions. Asks us what society expects in terms of sacrifice. In terms of what we will do for power and for those ethical decisions.

I really enjoyed Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. This book was fast paced and full of action and adventure..I never knew where it would go next! I loved the world building full of intriguing Chinese Lore! Lan and Zen were both well written characters and I enjoyed getting both perspectives. I am rooting for these two and can’t wait to read the sequel!

I throughly enjoyed this story! The characters as well as the world building were unique. I did not care for the in depth descriptions of the dynasty and Kingdom, just a preference. I feel those could have been left out. The brief passages at the beginning of the chapters were interesting but I feel did not hold any real relevance. The friendship between Lan and Zen was developed quite nicely and I do love the more intimate moments between them. The scene where Zen present s Lan with the necklace was truly one of my favorite aww moments in the story. Once I familiarized myself with the characters the lore and background made so much more sense! Overall I do want to keep reading to see where the story goes next.

I was not quite as won with this one as another bookseller friend who received an ARC as well, but her enjoyment kept me engaged enough to get into it and not miss out. It took a little settling in, but I get it now, and I feel like the world was done very well. I hope to see more.

I really wanted to love this, but I just couldn't get into it. I liked Zen. Lan was ok, but annoying at times. The writing was info dumpy and boring.

Starting off the year with a five star read!! I always find it intimidating to pick the first book of the year and it's such a good feeling to pick one I loved! This book is the first in a series, and I'm not going to lie, after seeing this gorgeous cover I knew I had to read it. This book was slower paced than I think I'm used to, however I felt like it made perfect sense for this story. The world building was done so well and I feel like it was described perfectly without being too much of an info dump right at the beginning. I loved the writing style. It was incredibly descriptive and a lot of passages had lyrical qualities to them. I felt like I could see the scenes of this book play out. The qí based magic system was really cool and I enjoyed reading about it.

Lan was such an interesting character! She was funny, witty, and her sarcasm was brilliant. At the same time she is curious to know the secrets her mother left behind and will do anything to fight against the Elantian rule. I loved reading about her journey as she learns to become a practitioner and how she learns the skills she needs to save her country. Zen was also an intriguing character. He had his demons (literally and figuratively) to fight. He had some tough choices to make throughout the book. Both Lan and Zen have been through so much and I'm interested in seeing how this journey unfolds after this book. The ensemble cast is also very interesting and well balanced. I loved watching Lan meet everyone at the school and interact with them. The Elantians are the absolute worst and I can't wait until they are defeated (hopefully soon, though I'm worried it'll get worse before it gets better). Erascius specifically is the worst villain.

The reveals at the end were done SO WELL! There was so much revealed in the last 100ish pages that I immediately could not wait until the second book! Overall, this is a fantastic start to a series. I loved the characters and the writing style and I look forward to reading the follow up!

“So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion.”

★★★★½

a captivating story that felt like i was watching a chinese fantasy drama. the intricate magic system and impressive lore had me at the edge of my seat

one thing i didn’t love was that at times there were just random info dumps, which disturbed the flow of some scenes

i will definitely be picking up the sequel though bc that ending ?!)?!?!&?? i need to know what happens next !!!

thank you to Delacorte Press, Random House and NetGalley for the e-arc!

WOW. This was my first book by Zhao, and it will not be my last!

I so enjoyed this tale. I am a massive fan of Asian-inspired fantasy, and Zhao created such a magical and haunting world inspired by mythology & folklore of China. The premise is that the Hin people are facing mass colonization & erasure, and Zhao paints the carnage this brings in a way that is cutting and raw, and with an expert hand. This story moved QUICK, and for this reason I can see it being a very easy place to start for those who have not read much Asian-inspired fantasy and want to jump in.

I adored Lan. I loved her quips and her attitude, along with her fierce conviction and strength. She and Zen have outstanding backstories, and they emerge organically throughout the story. The action scenes are absolutely cinematic, especially toward the end, leaving you tearing through the pages.

The only thing I found myself disappointed with was a bit of a double edged sword: due to how fast this plot moves, I did not feel the characters connections to one another very well at all. This did not diminish them individually in any way, it just made the depth of their relationships hard to believe. While avoiding spoilers, I will just say that there are events in the last 30% between Lan & Zen that I wanted to be devastated by, and by all accounts, I should have been. The battle playing out around them was absolutely stunning in how it was written, and the reveals still packed a punch. What I didn’t feel was the emotional repercussions of how these events will naturally change the relationships built throughout this story.

Regardless of this, I was stunned at the end of this book. The last half especially had my heart pounding, and Zhao’s writing makes it incredibly easy to picture the events in your head with stark clarity. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series, and I can’t wait to see where the adventure brings Lan next.

Thank you SO much to Random House Children’s & NetGalley for the eArc of this title!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is a YA epic fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore and mythology. We follow Lan who lives in a world where the Elantians have taken over and eliminated all Hin culture, language, and magic. Lan is a songgirl with a unique mark on her wrist. When Zen comes into the tea house he sees that something is different about Lan and he seems to be the only one to help her when an Elantian magician is out to kill her. This is a very basic description of how this novel begins but it evolves into much more. This is a novel that I was excited about and highly anticipating. However, this is not a favorite for me. This story is beautifully written and the magic system was unique. I loved the scenery and how it was written because the forests, mountains, and school were beautiful to imagine. My issue with this one is that I did not connect with the story or the characters. Lan is new to magic so we learn with her so the first half of this novel felt like reading a detailed textbook which was not enjoyable for me. It took me two weeks to read this because it was just very slow-paced and there was nothing that drew me back. It typically takes me two or three days to read a book and I probably would have DNFed this one but I wanted to give it a chance because I was so excited about it. I think this book could be great for some people because it's beautifully written and has a lot of lessons. Unfortunately, I could not connect with it so it was not for me.

This book was an absolute cover love for me! Look how gorgeous it is! I love dragons and I’ve always been interested in Chinese folklore so I was super excited to read it. I can attest upfront that this story did not disappoint.

Lan and Zen were compelling characters, each with their own traumas and their secrets—secrets that the author dribbled throughout the story with a clever hand, keeping you wanting for more. The plotline was intriguing with twists that some I saw coming and others I so did not and enjoyed the surprise of those revelations.

The side characters were excellent additions and knit the threads of this story tight. I did expect more from the main characters by the ending chapters, especially Zen but I understand that this is only the first in a duology.

I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn’t stop and I was dying to know what happened next! What I loved best about this story, was the author’s fascinating descriptions of the magic, the abilities, and the vivid scenes that I could see in my mind. Amélie Wen Zhao is a new author for me but I am already impressed by her writing style and can’t wait to try her other books.

I absolutely loved this book! The characters are compelling and realistic. The author really drew me into their internal and external conflicts and I really felt for them. The setting, inspired by the author’s Chinese heritage is beautifully described, and I adore how she was able to integrate an original magic system with her heritage. This has the potential to be an epic series and I cannot wait for the next book to come out!

Lan works in a tea house and hides her past. A past in which her mother was killed protecting her and left her with a great secret. Zen happens to be in the tea house and saves Lan when her past catches up to her. This story ties in Chinese mythology and folklore for an interesting take on an epic battle and fight for good and evil. Tying in the ancient gods and tales of magic, this turns the lore in the story into reality and is a great coming of age read.

Stunning new fantasy from Amelie Wen Zhao. This release was very much hyped, and I think rightfully so. It is immersive, atmospheric, and high-stakes. The author does take her time in world building, which I expect from this epic scale of fantasy so I didn't mind that. It does have quite a bit of info dump especially in the beginning, but the story is propelled forward by the two protagonists Lan and Zen. And they are definitely characters you can root for.
It's certainly off to a very promising start and I cannot wait to read its sequel!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishers for sending me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I just want to say that before I even began reading this book I knew I would love it. Amelie Wen Zhao dragged me into the world of Song from the beginning, with her talking about and promotions, it was a world I was already in love with. As I turned that first page I knew I was already deeply in love with the prose, characters, and the world. It truly is like a xianxia, through the imagery we were given, the flow of the story, it was lyrical.

The story of Song is a reflection of deep truth that shows the harsh reality of those in China, how they faced brutality from both Opium Wars, and the colonising of England. My heart aches not just for those in real history, but for those in Song as they saw their world torn apart.

The world of Song is like I am sitting in nature listening to the sounds around me, the story of Lan, Zen, and all the others pulled me in as I learned more and more of who they are and what they are striving for. The fight they have in them to take a stand and protect those around them, because they already saw their loved ones destroyed. The magic is beautiful, and everything from the form of qi in everything, to seals, and the nature of our hearts was beautifully written and was not awkwardly described.

I can go on and on about how much this book means to me, and literally is one I will hold close to my heart. I can't reccomend enough how beautiful of a story Zhao has crafted.

I had really high hopes for this book but it didn’t quite live up to them.

My biggest issue is the language. The words “fart” and “turd” are used so often I was wondering if I was back in middle school.

I usually like grumpy sunshine, but our MC Alan is just a bit too angry and mean and I had a hard time caring for her.

The magic was fascinating and I liked the mythology. It was a bit slow and Ali felt like e were told things instead of shown. I struggle when there is a lot of info dumping in a book.

I liked the world building, but the way the story was told, the slow build up, the almost middle school language, made it very hard for me to truly get involved in the story.

This felt like a lot of other older ya fantasies. The Mac as a dead mother, has a big secret she must find out, and, it just turns out she’s super powerful.

I plan on trying to give this book another chance. But, I did struggle a lot getting through this and caring about Lan.