3.75/5

I would like to start out by saying the writing and the plot of this book are amazing. I absolutely adore her writing style. She is precise with her words and it flows wonderfully. The way Amélie Wen Zhaós sets everything up was wonderful to read and explore.

Now the characters of this book took a little while to get used to and begin to enjoy. There were a few times when I wanted to reach into the computer and shake Len for some of the choices/decisions she makes. I will say her character has some amazing character development and growth. I loved reading about her journey to learn more about her mother and the past.

I love how she wrote all of the relationships in this book. They aren’t forced they are allowed to grow and they felt natural. Like the relationship between Len and Zen they weren’t pushed together it too it’s time and slowly showed us how they bonded and grew.

The pacing at the beginning of the book was slow and I understand that with her building this wonderful new world and exploring and learning about the characters.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of Song of Silver, Flame like Night in return for my honest opinions.

Amélie Wen Zhao created a xianxia world that I want to live in. Inspired by ancient China, the story of heroes and demons in Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is one to follow. Excluding translated novels, English books focused on xianxia and cultivation are few and far between. I’m incredibly glad that a book in this genre will be released. What a great start to the new year. Song of Silver, Flame like Night highlighted Chinese folklore with the cultivation of qi by practitioners. Experiencing all the heartbreak and suffering, the characters find it hard to refuse the temptation to fall to the dark side, but cultivating demonic arts will cause them to be shunned.

Invasion by the Elantians eradicated the Last Kingdom and only some traces of it live. Zen is a descendant of one of the ninety-nine clans that used to prosper during the Last Kingdom era. When Elantians colonized their country, the survivors went underground. While Lan doesn’t have any memories of her parents or even her heritage, she knew that it was a powerful Elantian who killed her mother.

The teachings of the Way focused on yin and yang, good and bad, light and dark. It’s all about balance. One cannot live without the other without tipping the scale. Although Lan is new to all of these, the innate power within guides her through the training and even encounters with the Elantians.

Orphaned young, Zen was adopted by his shifu. Despite everyone else’s protest about taking in this kid, Zen’s master took him under his wings without hesitation. His vow of vengeance drove Zen to make dangerous decisions and it was heartbreaking. As for Lan, all she wanted is to know more about her background. Lan wanted to make sense of the last memories of her dying mother. What was Lan’s mother protecting that forfeited her life?

I loved how the growing romance was crafted. Just when you think a happily ever after is near and the couple will be fighting against evil side by side, reality hits. Of course, things have to go awry as how it does in xianxia and books. I’m hopeful about where things go on from here though. We have one more book!

This is my first novel by Amélie Wen Zhao. The ancient China setting and promise of Chinese folklore and mythology were what attracted me in the first place. I’m glad I picked up Song of Silver, Night like Flame. It was what I need.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and I am absolutely tickled to get to devour it a bit early.

It was truly incredible. There is the perfect amount of world building, the pace has the best balance and the characters have so much depth and experience wonderful growth. There aren’t enough words to say how magical this reading experience was.

I wanted this to last forever and dragged on my reading as long as I could to enjoy every moment. The action was riveting and it definitely contributed to quite a few late nights because I had to know what happened next.

I’m beyond ready for the next book and I will be recommending this to anyone who will listen so I have more people to talk about it with!

Thank you, Turn The Page Tours, for the chance to read Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is the first book in the Song of the Last Kingdom duology by Amélie Wen Zhao. This isn't the author's first series; she's better known for her debut, Blood Heir, which has been reviewed 12,744 times on Goodreads! Like Blood Heir, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is also published by Delacorte Press, a Random House imprint. It's 467 pages long and falls broadly under the category of fantasy (but more specifically under YA fantasy), mythology, and Chinese folklore.

Lan is a song girl in a colonized kingdom. By day, she alternatively flirts and avoids patrons of the teahouse to make ends meet, and by night sneaks out to try to understand the scar on her arm that no one but her can see. When she accidentally kills an Elantian soldier, she draws the attention of an Elantian magician who killed her mother and really wants her gone too. Lan escapes with Zen, the boy who can see she too is a practitioner (even if she doesn't know it), to go to a place the Elantians can't reach, a school of masters who can train her too. Once there, Lan discovers the truth about her mother's death and takes control to try and protect the ones she loves.

There are some really great things in this book! For one, I loved the magic system the author set up and the world she built. By making Zen Lan's teacher, Zhao could include a lot of information without it being out of place. The Zen and Lan chemistry was also done well; they're instantly attracted to each other. The author keeps going with that instead of randomly sliding it in somewhere. There are some really touching moments, such as when Lan talks about how Zen gives her information so freely when she used to have to beg for it before meeting him. The book also depicted colonialism fairly well, from how resources are extracted to how history is being re-written to suit the victor. The side characters have interesting stories and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the next book!

Some things did bug me. The language would sometimes go from being very pretty and slightly old-fashioned to being hyper-modern in the same sentence, which is occasionally jarring. I also noted this in the Iron Widow, and I wonder if this is a style that authors are now experimenting with. Lan also felt very stupid and childish; things like the dancing in the woods scene and when she bathes in the sacred spring just rubbed me the wrong way. The dramatic parent reveal was also a bit blegh.

I am intrigued by the ending with what both Lan and Zen chose, and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Amélie Wen Zhao has done it again. I was entranced with her work with the Blood Heir series and this novel was everything I needed! Her writing style is beautiful and extremely descriptive, it’s clear how much work she puts into her stories. The cover as well is beautiful! Absolutely loved the plot and the characters

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC of this book!

The title and the cover is what drew me to this book, and the synopsis made it a must read for me. It's an action packed YA epic fantasy based on mythology and folklore of China. I was immediately rooting for Lan and her mysterious powers as she navigates a kingdom full of Elantian colonizers who have outlawed her people's magic. She meets a magician named Zen who helps her on her journey to discover what the strange mark on her arm is and why her mother was killed. This was a very thrilling start to the new series, and I look forward to see where it goes because the cliffhanger was brutal.

I loved reading this book so much, and there was actually one scene in particular that made me bawl like a baby. (If you’ve read it and are wondering which scene I’m talking about, it’s one of the scenes between Lan and the Grandmaster).

I’ve been a fan of pretty much every Chinese inspired fantasy story that I’ve read so far, and this one has been no different. I adore the setting, the characters, and the qi based magic system so much, I’m so excited for the sequel! I also enjoyed how colonialism and fighting back against your oppressors was so ingrained in the plot and the history of this world was pretty impressive.

As much as Lan and Zen make terrible choices (constantly) I adored them and they’re such complex characters who go through so much together. They’ve been hurt so many times and have lost pretty much all of their loved ones, so you can’t really blame them for the choices they make if it means getting revenge on the people who took everything away from them. I also really enjoyed their relationship with each other, and while it developed quickly it was easy to see how they pulled each other in even while they were both so different.

Honestly, this book is pretty complex, and every little detail plays a role in the plot and the current timeline, from the characters ancestors to the magic system, even to the landscape of this kingdom. I don’t even know where I could begin with how DETAILED everything was and I absolutely ate it all up!

I felt so many emotions while reading this book, especially in the last 30% or so. This is definitely a strong start to a new series, and I’m eagerly waiting for news of the second book!

This book was everything it was made out to be. Daring adventure, beautiful storytelling, hidden plot and just a joy to read. I enjoyed every second of this story, felt that everywhere it took me was comprehensible and loved the pacing of it. You can feel that Amelie put her entire being into this story.
All elements mentioned are important. And even if you overlook them in the beginning, they all play a part. It took me until the final page to understand why the title is what it is (at least in my interpretation) this story was a gem to read. I cannot wait for the sequel

<b> Haak'gong's heartbeat was the clink of coin, its lifeblood the flow of trade, its bones the wooden stalls of marketplaces. it was a place of survival. </b>

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night was a magical read, lush with description (not too much) and sometimes soft and sometimes biting prose that kept me pulled in close to the magic and demons and tender-footed feelings throughout.

<b> Whatever she had been about to say vanished from her mind, for at that moment, Zen smiled. It was slow, and small, a slight curving of his mouth that crinkled his eyes and dimpled his cheeks, cracking the facade of stern rigidity to his features and giving a glimpse of a boy who might have been. A night of black clouds, parting to reveal a bright moon </b>

This was my first dive into Chinese folklore and it did NOT disappoint; I can't wait to explore the lore further through Amelie, who will no doubt write another sweep-you-away book, and other's.

<b>" You made a bargain with a demon," Lan said. Simple, as though she'd said, <i> You bought sweet potatoes at the market today </i>. He closed his eyes. Nodded.

Although SoSFLN was a fantastic debut and a beautifully written book with connectable characters, my rating remains a 4, as there were some dense spots. The magic is a lot to lay down, and while it was balanced well throughout most of the story, it did feel heavy at times and I was tempted to skim.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is a sweeping, epic, Asian-inspired YA fantasy. Although the pages will fly by with action, the author artfully is still able to create two pillars that elevate this novel into a higher class of fantasy. First, there is a well-developed world and magic system that holds together pretty well without a lot of gaps. Second, the two protagonists have deep souls and each are given almost equal weight throughout the novel–which is refreshing. Lan is a little bit spunky and scrappy, which fits her background. Zen’s soul is so beautiful it is impossible to not be drawn to him as a reader, but this makes his journey achingly painful at the same time.

The title actually doesn’t resonate until the end of the book when a lot is pulled together. The first book in a series, this is a fresh, must-read recommendation for YA fantasy lovers, and it will be hard to wait for the next installment.

First of all thank you Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have no words. This book shocked me in the best way possible. The characters, the world, the plot, the writing we’re all so beautiful!! I felt like I was in the story and living alongside Lan and Zen through their adventures. I cannot wait to read the next book and will be counting down the days!

All of you need to read this book when it comes out!!

I would like to thank Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

I wanted to enjoy this book, but it didn't really work for me. The first part of the book has some info dumping issues, but it isn't too bad. Once you get into the story it starts to take off. However, I never came to enjoy any of the characters. I think this book has some great themes to it for the major themes in the book. Some of the smaller themes could have been pushed a bit further, but the major themes were great. I overall just could not get into the character or the world, but I do think that there are many readers who would enjoy this book.

This book is like Mistborn x The Poppy War but not in an enjoyable way. The way Amélie talk about this book is like TPW didn't exist and it irked me so much.

(from the author's foreword) 
"I’m tired of Chinese girls being portrayed as beautiful, fragile flowers. I want to be a blade. So in my book, I gave my girl magic—the power of shamans and prophetic lore and demon gods sings in her blood." ok? Fang Runin said hello.
"Welcome to the Last Kingdom." The Final Empire??

I'm also disappointed to see that this book is casually marketed as ✨️enemies as lovers✨️ (go check the author's IG it's literally on all her posts) which took the element of surprise. I wouldn't suspect it otherwise. and when the moment came it wasn't grand or anything at all. not that the romance was great either, in fact I didn't get their chemistry

I noticed that Amélie poured her heart so much into this book. Each word is selected with love to make sure everything's perfect, to the point that it's overly written. The descriptions are excessive and make the plot dragging. There's even a historical timeline at the beginning of the book that I don't think necessary.

So yeah. In short, I don't like this book. but there's SO MUCH positive 4-5⭐️ ratings out there so don't take my rant personally.

That's all for now. Wiill add more if I remember something later.

I ended up really adoring this book. I wasn't sure I would since, while I liked Blood Heir, I thought the author's last trilogy as a whole was lacking that something special. But Lan and Zen in this book were everything and I cannot WAIT to keep reading their story.

This was a very interesting fantasy story. It has a unique magic system and I really enjoyed the Chinese mythology influences. There were times where it felt like I was reading non-fiction (when the main character was learning how the magic system works). I would have preferred more show and less tell for the school lessons (though fans of Harry Potter might appreciate the lessons aspect).

I liked the side characters more than the main characters. Dilaya for example was far more interesting than Yan. And the romance between Tai and Shan'jun was more believable than Yan and Zen.

I thought the pacing of the book was off. Something would be hinted at and then almost immediately it would come true or be revealed. I think this book could have been improved by allowing more time in between the major events... allow the reader to wonder how things will resolve before resolving them. For example, (spoiler ahead) when the two main characters are captured by the villains, they escape within the same chapter. To me, it would have been more interesting to be stuck for some time and have the characters struggle to escape.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

That. Gorgeous. Cover.

I really wanted to love this. I really, really did. It's one of my most highly anticipated releases and I was so happy when I got a copy to read in advance. Unfortunately, I have to put it in the back-burner for now.

dnf

Song of Silver, Flame like Night was a beautifully written fantasy novel full of mysterious magic and twists that will leave you floundering for more. This book was an adventure of itself and is for sure the type of book that will have you rereading it to relive the story but to also wrap your head around that ending. I am thoroughly looking forward to the sequel and might have to read some of Amelie’s other books.

Wow this book! I can’t put into words the way I enjoyed this book even though it constantly ripped my heart out and stomped on it. I felt so much joy then all of sudden pain endless pain. However I really loved this book, I love Lan and Zen so much. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I don’t want to wait over a year for the next one I need it!

I’ve been curious about this one ever since I first laid eyes on the cover. I love the dragon on it! I also have read her first series, liked it for the most part, and I think that’s another reason I wanted to read this one. It is a good start to a new series about Chinese Folklore, but I wasn’t able to fall in love with it.

The book is told from multiple point-of-views, Lan and Zen. They come into contact with one another and realize that in some way, shape, or form they are connected with certain goals that align. I did like learning about both of them and their pasts. Lan is coming with a lot of baggage that deals with her mother and it’s hard for her to deal with because of what she had seen. It comes into play a lot and I don’t blame her for her actions because of it. Zen is a bit of a harder shell to crack and I think that describes his personality well. He has a soft side but doesn’t show it very much. I would say that these two characters stood out the most and the minor ones were fine but I don’t feel like I ever got to know some of them well.

There is a lot of info dump in this book, especially in the beginning, and it did take me out of the story. It felt like paragraphs on top of paragraphs. There is a lot about politics and the magic system. This could have easily been why it felt like it was slower paced. The book does pick up further in.

I will say that this author’s writer has definitely improved from her first series.

Overall, this one was kind of a mixed bag for me. There are some great elements to it but not enough for me to continue on. I do think that others will enjoy it and I’d definitely recommend for those who enjoy the YA Fantasy genre.

If you are into folklore (especially Chinese), action/adventure, YA fantasy with strong characters that make questionable decisions, and lots of mystery, then you definitely need to pick up Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. Lan is an orphan girl who works as a songgirl, who has a mark on her arm that only she can see, with no idea what it means. She's been trying to figure it out, when suddenly Zen bursts into her life one evening and saves her from a man-the man who killed Lan's mother. Zen is a practitioner who uses qi, and once Lan finds that out, she wants to be trained too, because this path seems like it will take her closer to solving her mystery.

I know this is the first book in a series, but I totally would have been happy with even more in this first book. There's a lot going on constantly, and it kept me pretty invested the whole time. The plot twists had me surprised, and I was so into it that I really felt like I, myself, got betrayed at one point. It was a wild ride. Very much looking forward to seeing how this story continues, because I have no idea where it is going!

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the e-ARC!