Amelie Wen Zhao’s new duology, a Chinese-inspired xianxia fantasy, is captivating from the outset. The Last Kingdom is a land conquered by foreigners, its culture and language under threat of erasure. Schools teaching “qi” magic, inhabited by “practitioners” have all been eliminated, as far as the general populace knows. (It’s a state not dissimilar to that of Star Wars post-fall of the Republic, where Jedi are perceived as more myth and legend than actual history). It is under these circumstances that Lan, will discover a great secret about herself and her mother who died at the hands of the Elantian conquerors, as she realizes she might hold the key to salvation for her people. She meets Zen, a real practitioner, and is pulled into a world of magic she thought was merely a story.

The two leads, Lan and Zen are a strong contrasting pairing in terms of personality and motive. Their interactions were the highlight for me; I really enjoyed their grumpy-sunshine dynamic, which there is a lot of earlier on in particular. Lan is a plucky, admirable heroine, though I eventually found Zen to be the more compelling character because of his backstory, which is artfully revealed over the course of the novel. There are a good number of plot twists: some are more predictable, but some are genuinely shocking. The narration does a good job of providing you with just enough clues along the way, but withholding everything until the right time.

A couple of qualms: There were several info dumps and flashbacks in the early chapters that sometimes came at the most intense high-action moments, distracting from the present narrative. Because of the complex history and lore, there was a bit more “telling” vs. “showing” initially, but this improves over time as we settle into the world. The other characters apart from Lan and Zen were less developed in this first book, but I have a feeling some of them will become more established in the sequel. I’ve noticed lately that a lot of the YA fantasy books I’ve read get a bit complicated in the last act, as they grow more epic in scale. I think this is necessary given the higher stakes as the book develops, but can sometimes feel a messy with sudden explanations behind magical solutions.

But overall, I really enjoyed reading this. I didn’t expect to feel emotionally devastated at the end of this book and now I need to know when the sequel comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Releases on Jan. 3!

This was such an exceptionally well-written book; I can't wait to read more in this series. The writing was engaging, the characters were likable, and believable, and the magic system was fascinating and very unique. It was somehow a combination of writing-based and character driven (think The Final Strife), while also being about the energy and balance in oneself similar to Avatar the Last Airbender in some ways. The thing that really drew me in, though, was the wonderful imagery of the world itself. This gave me such 'Daughter of the Moon Goddess' vibes, so I think those who enjoyed that will also like picking up Song of Silver, Flame Like Night.

Rating: 5/5 ☀️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, which was given in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is going to be fairly short and straightforward, because I honestly don’t have the words to describe just how amazing this book was, or how much it captured my heart. I’m utterly obsessed, and still processing quite a bit since the high hasn’t quite worn off since I finished reading. This might be my favorite fantasy read in a while.

The worldbuilding, the history and plot, the characters, the relationship dynamics - everything was so beautifully written. From the moment they meet, Lan and Zen have sparks, yet they have such a natural development, and seeing how they grow to care for each other was such a highlight. Their individual character arcs were amazing, too. I loved how Lan comes to know who she is and is set on protecting the people, while Zen goes from trying to stick to the Way to being corrupted. Their last scenes had me near tears, and I just need them to have a happy ending. And all the side characters were so interesting as well, and I am so excited to see the roles they will play going forward.

The pace was fantastic, and the imagery was lush and gorgeous, it felt like every little detail counted. And I was glued to the pages from the start. The themes of colonialism, power, and violence were handled so well. The narrative had so many twists and turns, and there were moments I had to put the book down and take some breaths because I was just overwhelmed with feelings. The ending was heartbreaking, and I can not wait to see where this series goes. I’m so invested in this already, and I can’t believe I’ll have to wait another year or so for the next book.

I have loved all the beautiful Chinese folklore stories i've been able to read in the past year and Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is definitely a great contender.

I was pulled in by the wonderful world that Amelie has created! She does not skimp on world building, political climate and the magic system -- which led to a more complex rich story in my opinion. Lan and Zen are characters aren't that aren't perfect and I appreciated that. I was still rooting for them despite their flaws. There is a romance, but it's not the main purpose of the plot but the sweetness of it was something I enjoyed and can't wait to see where it goes.

I loved the plot and how the connections of the past the defined these characters futures. This was a great start to the series. I have no idea where its headed and I really liked that. It was unpredictable, full of high stakes and had an ending that had me wanting book 2 immediately and this one isn't even out yet.

I can only compare this to a mix of Shadow and Bone, Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Star Wars (I know this seems like the craziest mash up but believe me...it works) I've heard some say that this felt "info dumpy" but for me it just worked, and I did not feel this way about it and took me by surprise.

4.5 stars!

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night was an epic Chinese inspired fantasy with plenty of heart and meaning behind its tale. While the book felt very similar to the Poppy Wars, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night has a few things (that I won't spoil) that set it apart.
Yet, since the story is YA, I felt like the story didn't fully punch. The plot revolves around demon gods and war and invading kingdoms and it felt like the characters kept getting caught up in the same moral dilemmas over and over. I wanted a little more grit to the tale that Poppy Wars achieved so beautifully. There is some wonderful groundwork laid out here for explosive sequels that has me genuinely intrigued for what could come next.
All said and done, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night was an engaging story that kept me interested throughout its lengthy run. I will most certainly be checking out the sequel(s)!

The Elantian colonizers have ruined Lan’s life. Once, she was Lián, a girl with a mother belonging to a people with magic. Now, her mother is dead, her people’s magic is outlawed, and she spends her nights as a songgirl, terrified of the power men have over her life. But one night, she accidentally kills a soldier, realizes the magician who killed her mother is now after her, and runs away with Zen, a practitioner she just met. The two go on a journey to discover what the mark on Lan’s arm—the mark the magician killed her mother for—means.

The writing in this book was truly so beautiful! I’ve read most of the author’s previously published trilogy, and though I really enjoyed those books, I think this book was even better! I really loved this epic fantasy. The quotes at the beginning of the chapters were also really nice and really added to the story.

The romance between Lan and Zen, though not the main focus, killed me. I love these two and they definitely put me through an emotional rollercoaster. I'm very eager to see where the next book takes them!

4 ⭐️ this book was a tropey good time. The first half especially felt familiar but once the story really took off I was really just enjoying the ride. I really am enjoying the play of the more industrial metal-based magic vs. the more martial arts qi based magic it’s just a lot of fun. I was here for all of the demon gods and the twists and the turn and the Chinese based folklore. If you’re looking for a good old YA time with very little emphasis on romance (and what there is is incredibly wholesome and sweet) I would highly recommend you check this one out.

I was well over half way through this book before I realized it was YA. The plot is complex, the main characters are adults (teenagers, but still 18 and over), and the content includes a lot of blood. Like, a LOT. The thing that finally clued me in was the fact that some bits were rather more described than they would have been in an adult novel.

Lan is an orphan Hin girl who lives and works in a teahouse entertaining Elantian men. The Hin are clearly based on Asian culture and the Elantians are white. The Elantians have invaded and conquered the Hin lands, which honestly sounds about right. Zen is a Hin magic practitioner who finds Lan just before the Elantian Winter Wizard does and whisks her away to his mountain magic school to train her in magic.

Lan and Zen do have a romance of sorts, but the pining and angst levels are low. They have way to much world-saving to do to think about love. This is another reason I didn't realize it was YA.

I felt like Zhao kept moving the goal posts. The reader thinks the point of the book is to find a thing. The thing is found, but we're only halfway through the book. Then the goal is to defeat this group of people. Nope, that's not it. Maybe it's this next thing? Probably not. It made for interesting twists and turns and gave the secondary characters a chance to shine.

My favorite parts of the book were the ones set at the hidden mountain magic school. This is where all the secondary characters are and the feeling of this place is very comfortable.

The title of the book is overlong but at least it isn't A (blank) of (blank) and (blank).

In this magical new start to a series, Amélie Wen Zhao transports us into a world full of Chinese folklore with lots of political drama, adventure, action, and a bit of slow-burn romance. A fallen kingdom, a girl who carries a mark that could unravel the secrets of the nation’s past, and a boy with strong magical energy within him. The girl and the boy have the power to liberate the nation or destroy the world entirely.

The Kingdom is under the Elantian regime. Elantians have killed civilians with their metal bound magic, and outlawed the people’s magic. Lan, our protagonist, is a songgirl with a mysterious and untranslatable mark on her wrist. A mark only visible to her and which was her mother’s last act before she was killed by the invaders. In her journey to uncover the secrets of her mark, she will discover the ways of a world she previously only knew through folktales. One night, whilst she’s working at the Teahouse she is cornered by the enemies and hurt, and the only way to stay alive is for her to run away with the boy she met that same night. Zen, a practitioner whose magic derives from demons, senses strong qì magic within her. Together, they set off on a journey to escape from Elantian magicians and soldiers whilst uncovering the mystery and truth about Lan’s powerful mark. She will have to learn to draw energy from her surroundings and find balance in her energy in order to make it out alive. Will they manage to protect the nation or will they unleash the demons that sleep at its heart?

In the beginning, when we meet Lan, she appears to be a strong and confident girl. Even so, as the story progresses, even though she still has those qualities, we also get to see a more vulnerable side of her, especially with the way that the colonial regime impacted her (stealing her name and identity). We don’t get to know Zen on the same deeper level as Lan but he does have a dark past of his own and intricate feelings and motivations. It’s thanks to their respective experiences with trauma that they get to form a deeper connection. Overall, all the characters in the book are fleshed out really nicely. They all have believable motivations and backstories and nice character development even though this is only the first book. Song of Silver has a wonderful cast with realistic relationships and who struggle to determine where their loyalties lie. We do see some typical YA tropes in the book but they are used effectively.

Romance is not a central point in the story, nonetheless, we do see some sort of a relationship develop between Lan and Zen. The end of the book puts them both in a tough position, so it will be interesting to see how their relationship moves forward in the second book. Two characters who love each other deeply also have an ill fated ending in this book so it would be great to see more of their relationship in the second book as well!

Something really interesting about Song of Silver is how the author used Lan’s lack of knowledge about the magic system and some bits of history to build the world for us the readers. Zhao managed to do it wonderfully in a way that does not feel like complete exposition. The worldbuilding is delicate and it’s extremely rooted in history. The qì-based magic system focused on its duality and balance with yin and yang is also so well thought-out. One would think that the historical intricacy along with the complex magic system focused on qì energy would make the novel hard to read but that wasn’t the case. The author truly weaved it into the story so well with a writing that is very lyrical. Not only that but Zhao’s passion and knowledge of Chinese folklore, culture, and history do shine through the pages of Song of Silver. All these elements, along with the way the author explores the passage of time and the impacts of coloniatsion on future generations, do set the book apart from similar stories.

The book is rather long which allows for a slower burn. However, it’s action packed and well paced so there’s never a dull moment. There are some plot twists that one may or may not see coming but all the chapters end in a way that make the reader not want to put the book down. Since this book is the first one in a duology, there are still some unanswered questions which hopefully will be resolved in the sequel. The story does build up to a cliffhanger as well so waiting for the sequel will be a struggle!

Overall, Amélie Wen Zhao created a solid fabulous start to a new fantasy series. With themes of self discovery of one’s power, strong magic, found family with a splash of romance, war conflicts, and a ton of vivid mythology, Song of Silver is the perfect book for fans of the Chinese xiānxiá fantasy genre.

3.5 stars. This was pretty good! The worldbuilding is definitely confusing, but it’s EXTREMELY well thought out! I LOVED the characters too! The writing was a bit confusing, and the pacing was odd, which is why the stars come off

"She would no longer be the flower. She would be the blade."

Lan watched her mother die 12 cycles ago and now she's found herself being chased by an evil magician and in the company of a practitioner she never believed existed. She's heard rumors and stories of men like Zen, men who could create illusion but never thought she'd ever find herself escorted across unfamiliar lands with one by her side. As Lan and Zen make their way to the Last Kingdom memories start to reveal the secrets of their pasts.

This book was beautiful. The writing and world building are well developed. The dynamic between the characters was so perfectly done and I enjoyed their interactions throughout the book. This was adventurous from beginning to end and I couldn't stop reading. I liked how the author intertwined all the folklore around myths and magic really brought this book to another level.

I definitely recommend this and can't wait to read the next in the series!

An interesting beginning to a new Chinese mythology-based series. Set in a world where the Hin kingdom is being threatened by the Elantian colonizers, Lan is just trying to survive after her mother is killed by an Elantian magician twelve years prior and leaves her with a mysterious Hin character on her wrist. The Hin practicioners follow a qi based system while the Elantians rely on metals to support their power, however the Elantians are after the Four Demon Gods of Hin. Lan soon finds herself tied up between her family heritage, learning to use qi, and staying alive and out of the Elantian's way. Overall loved the world building and development of the magic systems but felt the romance lacked a bit and some of the dialogue felt forced. Readers of xianxia or cultivation novels may like this one.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is an epic Chinese fantasy novel that follows Lan as she discovers powers she didn't know she had and has to go on the run from her land's conquerors after being saved by Zen, a fellow practitioner.

When I requested an arc for this, I was so intrigued and excited for a Chinese influence epic fantasy adventure. After having read it, I can say that factor is one of the greatest strengths of the book. It was fascinating and different from a lot of what I have read. Beyond that, I am so conflicted on this book. There's so much I enjoyed about it, but there's also some things that detracted a bit for me. I wanted this book to be great, and with some of the ideas and directions this went, I saw the potential, but unfortunately some of the development was lacking, which made it fall somewhat flat for me.

Here's what worked for me:
- The Chinese mythology and folklore was so interesting! This was probably the highlight of the book for me.
- Fast paced, for the most part. There is a lot that happens throughout this story!
- The ending was great! I'm excited to see where the next novel goes.

Here's what didn't quite work for me:
- The biggest detractor for me was the dialogue. Lan would insult other characters through immature name calling and Zen often spoke so stilted and formally. This may have been done intentionally to draw differences between the two characters (Zen having been educated, Lan not), but it felt unnatural and it REALLY took me out of the moment and out of the story. If done intentionally, it was almost too much. Their dialogue was written in extremes. And with the name calling, I get that it's a YA novel, but the rest of the book felt like high YA while the dialogue felt middle grade. It felt disjointed.
- Another drawback for me was that I almost felt this could have been two separate novels. So much happened, both in terms of plot development and character development, that I didn't feel like the reader actually saw that development taking place. In the second half, the characters were making choices that I just didn't understand and felt so out of sync with who they were in the first half of the book. And without that development, I felt like some of the twists (Lan's father) lacked a punch. That could have been an emotional twist, but we hardly knew anything about the character and Lan's emotional struggles surrounding her father were never a theme throughout the book. It felt out of place.
- The magic system was confusing. It wasn't really explained till about half way through, and even then, I'm still ultimately confused. I think there's two different magic systems, but they just didn't feel fully fleshed out.

As mentioned, I am conflicted by this novel. I wanted to love it and, at times, I did. It started out so promising but just lost me somehow along the way. There were moments of greatness, but when I think back, so much of it felt disjointed and like the story just didn't quite know what it wanted to be. Looking at other reviews, I can already tell I'm in the minority, and I'm ok with that. It was a fun read and the Chinese heritage/lore presented in this is so interesting, I can see why people would be drawn to it. I just wanted more from it.

Overall, I would recommend this to readers who are looking for fantasy stories with Chinese mythology or lore, fans of younger to mid-level YA, and readers who enjoy more plot-based stories.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes! Also, that cover is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to get a hardcover edition of it to put on my shelves!

This book held my attention from the first page and didn't release its grip on me until I reached the end.
The story was so intense and fast paced, I loved every second of it. This is one of the most interesting plots I have come across recently and the author really did an amazing job bringing the story and the characters to life.
The characters were well written and incredibly real to me and it felt like I was right there with them.
I especially loved Lan, her personality is so precious and her actions and motivations throughout the book just made so much sense to me.

I can't wait to find out what will happen next.
I highly recommend this book if you like fantasy stories with an amazing plot and characters.

So I'm a bit conflicted on this book. I was very confused at the beginning with all the history being described. I don't think I ever fully understood it. I also wish there was more depth to the characters. There really wasn't any chemistry between the main love interests, so I wasn't invested in the romance at all.

On the other hand, the concept and magic system was so good and magical. It was so well written. I just don't think this book was for me, but I feel that a lot of others will love it. Maybe I will pick it up again another time.

Would I buy this book for myself: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. I will be honest and I have an affinity towards books written by BIPOC authors, Chinese/Chinese-American authors in particular. I pre-ordered a signed copy of this book two chapters into the book and I don’t often collect books, but this book is an exception. It is an absolutely beautiful book and I am very excited for the second one. I really enjoy Amelie Wen Zhao’s writing style, so I will also be picking up her debut Blood Heir series.

Three things I liked:
- The prose of this book is absolutely beautiful. Amelie Wen Zhao uses words like an artist and her description of the magic and the settings in this book are breathtaking. I was constantly in awe of how vivid everything was.
- The main characters are perfect contrasts of each other, gone through the same tragedies. There was a strong theme of there not being right or wrong, but the most important thing was balance. Zen’s decision to seek the Demon Gods were out of hate and Lan’s were out of grief.
- Each character was well rounded and complicated. I was highly invested in all of them and grieved when the Masters sacrificed themselves for what they believed was right for humanity.

Two moments that stood out to me:
- Zen knowing that he was about to give himself to the Black Tortoise, especially when we learn of the fate of his ancestor. His desperation to hold onto Lan, the girl who tethered him to the earth was heartbreaking, especially because his reason for making a deal with the Demon Gods was to fight against the Elatians.
- Lan realizing that she had lost Zen to the Demon Gods. Until that point, she had been his support and that realization was heartbreaking.

One quote that I take with me:
“But what they do not know is that, so long as we live on, we carry inside of us all that they have destroyed. And that is our triumph; that is our rebellion.”

My next read: I have been in a YA high fantasy mood so I may read Cinder and Glass or Iron Widow next.

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! I was so happy when I was given the opportunity to read this book and I have never been happier to pick up the book! I have had a very difficult semester in college this year and this book just made me absolutely happy! It's so magical in every way and the author's writing is so easy to read and almost lyrical! Once I got to start the book I could not stop! Thank you again for the opportunity to read the ARC!

A great starter to chinese fantasy lit. if you’re not familiar with it. Absolutely loved Lan and Zen’s story and their relationship throughout the book and what’s to come. The power system and plot were easy to follow along and enjoyable as the story progressed. Lan’s development with her power and friendships felt organic which made the ending quite satisfying for me.

Lan has a reminder of the worst day of her life on her wrist. There, on her skin, is a strange symbol that only she can see, and one that was left by her mother right as she was murdered before Lan’s eyes, murdered by the very invaders Lan is forced to sing for now. They came to her land, with their metal magic and their light eyes and hair, and killed anyone who stood against them. But when trying to find out what the mark on her wrist means brings Lan in contact with a young man who can not only see the mark but is also a practitioner, able to wield energy, Lan is suddenly involved in something much bigger than she could have imagined. What exactly did her mother do to leave her with this mark? Why is Lan able to control energy herself? And, more importantly, why is the most powerful invader magician trying to kill Lan?

I received an advanced reading copy of Song of Silver, Flame like Night in exchange for an honest review.

Song of Silver, Flame like Night is a young adult fantasy novel by Amélie Wen Zhao. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because she’s also the author of another fantasy trilogy, Blood Heir. I’ve read the first two books of the trilogy, and keep meaning to borrow the third from the library. But when this landed on my TBR pile, of course I couldn’t say no. I just can’t ever deny stories that are based in history and mythology!

In this case, it’s a Chinese-inspired fantasy specifically, and I dove into it excitedly, only to struggle to put it down later. This book was just so exciting! There was plenty of action going on, and the twists were so good! In fact, I actually gasped out loud a few times, annoying family members around me who were trying to watch TV. (Yup, I read a good chunk of this book while people around me watched TV. It was that good!) The story was unexpected and fun, and just left so much open for later, a sequel which I believe will come in 2024.

But even with all the action, there was still room for character development, and I honestly identified so much with both Lan and Zen, who is the magical practitioner who can see her mark. There is such a good discussion here on power, strength, and honestly hope. Lan and Zen both belong to a people that has had practically everything taken from them. Even their names were changed to suit the invaders. What are you capable of doing when you have nothing left? I just loved that so much.

Needless to say, I had a great time reading this book. I probably enjoyed it more than I did Zhao’s other books, to be honest. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel once it’s released, and would easily recommend this to any fantasy lovers, those who love morally gray characters, or those who enjoy Asian-inspired fiction.

Song of Silver, Flame like Night will be released on January 3. You can preorder your copy from Delacorte Press here