I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I ended up enjoying this immensely.

Look, it's very YA. It's got a lot of trope's. I figured out who the villain was on page 18. This wasn't some epic adventure story. What it is: A super cute, sweet romance full of family (actual and found), good friends, love, myth, magic and hope. I really loved all the characters. I also loved all the culture in this. I don't actually know a lot about the original myth or Chinese culture, but I loved learning about it through this story. It was a fast, easy and thoroughly enjoyable read.

I also finished this on the Chinese New Year - Year of the Snake...so it felt especially fortuitous.

Zhen and Xian: xoxoxo

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

DNF @ 15%
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books for the eARC copy!

I had such a hard time starting this one - I am unsure if I am just not used to Chinese myth stories or how they work, but this just was not for me. I waited until my local library had the audiobook copy available and was able to make it to the 15% mark before I DNFed. The characters are very interesting, and I like the start of the world building - however, I could not get into the writing style completely. Word choices and descriptions used were not my cup of tea YA wise.

But while this book did not work for me, I hope it can work more for others. I plan to read similar stories to familiarize myself in how stories like this work and understand the background mythos better and try again another time.

So so cute!!!!! The characters were well fleshed out and the writing style was very easy to get through. Sher Lee always writes the sweetest romances ever, I’m so happy I was able to read this

This book is everything: angsty, atmospheric, and heartbreakingly romantic. Legend of the White Snake takes a classic Chinese folktale and weaves it into a lush queer romance that will have you clutching your chest. Zhen and Xian’s connection is electric, full of longing and quiet, stolen moments that you know are building toward a devastating reveal—and oh, does Sher Lee deliver the pain. The world feels alive with magic and tension, and the stakes are as sharp as a blade. If you’re into forbidden love, folklore, and protagonists who would burn the world down for each other, this one’s for you

In this romantic and exciting retelling of a traditional Chinese folktale, readers follow Prince Xian on his quest to find a spirit pearl belonging to a white snake since the original pearl he found, seven years before the events of this book, was eaten by Zhen, a white snake spirit who can change into human form. Meeting in Changle, Xian and Zhen are drawn to each other, and Zhen is drawn into Xian’s quest, but the truth of Zhen’s identity may just destroy any chance of a happy ending. Alternating between their perspectives throughout the novel, readers discover the world of spirits and mysticism in the kingdom and how it affects the royal family. With two complex protagonists unknowingly on opposite sides, the tension and drama is certainly present in this novel, especially since the tension is not only over the pearl but over their feelings. The other characters -- humans and spirits alike -- help develop this world and provide necessary juxtaposition to Xian and Zhen and their relationship. Sher Lee’s worldbuilding in this novel is particularly excellent through the different spirit characters, those who use the spirits’ powers for evil, and the other characters, all of whom bring this fascinatingly complex world to life.

I loved both the main character. The story was fun. I had some issues with the pacing occasionally, but I think that was just a minor problem on my end. The reveal for the plot twist was very good.

Review: 5 Stars

Sher Lee’s Legend of the White Snake shattered my heart in the best way possible. It’s an emotional story and a beautiful romance. The story of Xian and Zhen is everything—soft, star-crossed, and filled with high stakes. Their love felt real, tender, and transformative, and I was hooked on their journey from start to finish.

Lee’s poetic writing brought Imperial China to life, weaving rich cultural details with themes of sacrifice, love, and forgiveness. The ending had me sobbing, but the epilogue gave me hope. A must-read for fans of folklore, fantasy, and love stories that break and heal you.

"Legend of the White Snake" was a simplistic and entertaining story. The cover is absolutely stunning, probably my favorite thing about the book. I liked the plot and how the drama built up the suspense towards the inevitable discovery. The fantastical parts were interesting and easy to understand. However, I do wish there was more depth to the characters and plot. And although I'm not familiar with the folktale this story is based on, this was a good fantasy read.

Thanks again to Quill Tree Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

Sher Lee writes another sweet gay romance YA, this time taking on the fantasy genre.

Legend of the White Snake delivers a forbidden romance between Prince Xian and snake spirit Zhen. This is a bit of insta-love, but I enjoyed seeing their initial connection grow into something more, even when the truth comes out. The main villain was a surprise and felt not fleshed out enough, but this book gave us a happy ending I enjoyed.

This is an interesting and unique queer fantasy romance!

Brings to mind xianxia Chinese dramas! If you're a fan of the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, I highly recommend you read this. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that it was a little too insta-love for me, which is NOT my favorite trope. Give me slow burn ANY DAY. With that said, this is still quite enjoyable.

In most versions, the tale chronicles the scholar's encounter with the snake spirit-turned-human on a boat, eventually falling in love and getting married before opening a medicine shop (or an apothecary). Then a temple abbot named Fahai warns the scholar about Suzhen's true nature as a white snake, which is revealed during the festival when she drinks a realgar wine, a reveal that unfortunately shocks Xian so much that it kills him. Suzhen then travels to find a way to resurrect her love, a feat she succeeds, yet, Xian still fears her identity and gets imprisoned by Fahai to protect him. He realizes her genuine love when she saves him again, being reunited and having a child on the next journey.

As a Chinese-descent Singaporean, Sher Lee is very familiar with how the legend goes, so her aim in recontextualizing the story is to pay the highest respect to the source despite implementing her own vision and twist in the process. Some apparent changes are notable in Sher Lee's concept; the folktale retelling transforms into a queer rendition with the shift in Bai Suzhen's gender from female to male, the use of the word "Zhen" and "Qinq" in describing the snake-human mutants instead of their full names (Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing), the replacement of Xu Xian's occupation from a mere scholar to an intelligent second born prince of a sick concubine, and the alteration of Fahai from a monk leader to a court advisor.

Another change is the additional fantasy plot embedded in the novel. Sher Lee attaches the storyline of Xu Xian seeking the elusive white snake in hopes of creating the cure for his sickly mother due to being bitten by a snake years before the present events, in which the snake happens to be Zhen, who has transformed into a human because of the magical pearl he accidentally swallows at the same time as Xian's mother being bitten.

The changes implemented in the novel do not disturb the fundamental storyline of the source. Instead, they elevate what's already there and transpose the story to execute the quite intricate themes about divine beliefs and cultural traditions; examples are evident in the way Sher Lee often takes time to input passages that define sacred customs and ethnic conventions related to the story, or the mythical lores built and emphasized by the Chinese people for generations. It also enriches the topic of family and duty, which are something intrinsically latched onto Chinese myths that become the characteristics in their world-building as well, through the role modification of Xu Xian in this novel.

As many Asian novels go, or other novels by authors of color, there will be unfamiliar terms penned in the narrative that use the native tongue of the authors. It's no different for Lee, who aims to display the cultural element of the story. She provides a contextualized definition of the phrases and customs in a dynamic exposition, using dialogues and interactions as a medium to give new perspectives and knowledge to the readers.

While I have no familiarity with the textual origin, I believe that the characterization in the novel maintains the essential, original personalities of each character. Let's discuss Xu Xian first.

I am not exactly sure if this is a trend in Asian-inspired fantasy, but Xian shares similar traits of independence, courage, playfulness, and intelligence as his fellow princes, such as Liwei (from Daughter of the Moon Goddess) and Takkan (from Six Crimson Cranes). Moreover, Xian is highlighted to exude profound empathy in his words and actions thoughtful despite the naivety he emanates due to his age. And yet to my surprise, Xian is unexpectedly a humorous and sassy character; his penchant to speak so bluntly is vastly entertaining, particularly when he attempts to clock someone for their deceit and manipulation.

Meanwhile, as a snake spirit, Zhen exhibits quite a different personality from Xian, such as being forgiving, kindhearted, and naturally inclined to protect all forms of life, and similar attributes to Xian, like intelligence and inherent curiosity to learn. This personality bleeds through his character arc throughout the story, notably in his reflection on his mistakes and determination to set things right despite his fear of his own fate in return. Perhaps, relating to the discussion of themes, Zhen's character arc finds itself to embody the theme of duty—in a different aspect that is much more humane than the usual attribute to royal responsibilities.

Their not-so-different personalities make the romantic alliance between Xian and Zhen intriguing and gut-wrenching, partly because we dread the upcoming truth and potential star-crossed ending with one of them sacrificing their life, and another part is their chemistry with one another just hits off right from the beginning. The build-up from their introduction to the blooming relationship, then tragedies, and lastly, the resolution as soulmates is threaded nicely; well-written with perfect pacing that doesn't feel too fast or too slow.

Moving to the side characters, Qinq truly embodies the role of a sister far younger than Zhen (although, I might suspect they're not that far in age gap). She's headstrong as much as she is reckless, bold, and adventurous, yet, oozes the same kindhearted charisma as her stepbrother. Feng, an original creation by Sher Lee, is that overprotective best friend or brother who is mostly blunt and terse in his mannerisms, but occasionally shows wisdom in certain times. Sher Lee might be setting them up as a side couple in the narrative judging by their interaction, and I find myself not minding it at all. In fact, I hope that Lee would be generous enough to write a small story about their adventure together post-novel.

Speaking of Fahai, well, this has anything to do with the third act of the book itself—it is surprisingly quite disappointing in execution.

Fantasy novels will definitely feature characters that position themselves as enemies, of course, as Sher Lee has also done the same thing with Wang and Fahai in her version of Legend of the White Snake. While Wang, another original creation by Lee, is fairly treated by a small background story that encourages his treacherous actions, Lee's writing of Fahai does not implement the same treatment, especially when Fahai is considered the main villain. I wish Lee would've written clues, hints, or any kind of foreshadowing regarding Fahai's deception because the reveal of his true nature springs out of nowhere and feels out of place. Not to mention, the resolution in defeating Fahai at the end is also equally dissatisfying—it looks too simple for someone ready to maximize the horrors of torturing someone else for personal gains.

Nonetheless, the overall verdict of Legend of the White Snake is that this book is recommended for those who love fantasy novels as much as they desire to search for queer representation in the more folktale-inspired mythical subgenre, in which Sher Lee honors all aspects in grace and fascination.

A sweet retelling of the Chinese legend of the white snake. While I will absolutely be giving this to teens I don't think it's particularly special. There are lots of moments of infodumping and it has a slow start. perfect for fans of c-dramas though.

3.5
really fun and enjoyable!! the romance was a bit too insta-love for me, but considering that it's supposed to be a folktale retelling and that it's ya, it didn't bother me as much. also liked this one a lot more than fake dates & mooncakes!!

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Quill Tree Books for allowing me to read and review Legend of the White Snake! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Legend of the White Snake is about Prince Xian, a boy who is searching for an elusive cure for his dying mother who was bit by a rare white snake years ago. Zhen, who consumed a rare spirit pearl and transformed from being a white snake to a human boy, meets Xian under the disguise of a horse tender. The two boys grow close together but Zhen realizes his secret will need to come out soon or later to continue his friendship with Xian.

The story feels like it should have been written as an adult fantasy, not YA. It felt restricted by YA rules, and it hindered the experience. There's a lot of talk about s3x and I think I wouldn't have cringed as much if it were written for an older audience. I'm not sure if I liked this one. I loved the premise, the cover is gorgeous, and the artwork for the chapter header is beautiful... but the execution of this great idea left me kind of bummed.

The romance between Zhen and Xian is instant and rushed. There was no chemistry, and to me, it was very forced. I'm not a fan of the insta-love trope. I'm sometimes okay with it if it's done well, but for this book, it falls flat.

The pacing is quick, the world-building is simple, and the characters were not fleshed out enough for me to care about their well-being. I sped-read through the story, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.

I wish I could rate this book higher because it was one of my anticipated reads for 2024. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.

2.5 stars

Well I loved this! The world building was detailed and steeped in Chinese mythology with snake spirits and traditional medicine. As someone who enjoys xianxia Chinese dramas, it felt like I was transported into one. The story also explores the power of destiny and things that are meant to be. Of good overcoming evil and love winning against all odds. The only part that I shrugged with was Xian assenting to what needed to be done to Zhen to make the cure for his mother 😬. I needed more groveling for that.

2.75

The cover of this got me and then I saw queer retelling of Chinese myth and I knew I had to read it. Unfortunately I found most of the book to be really bland. The relationship was very insta-soulmates, which is a hard sell for me, and I found a lot of the plot and characterization lacked any sort of depth. While I love that this is a standalone fantasy, I would have loved to see this be a bit longer so that depth could be built up because as it is I read this two weeks ago and am already struggling to remember any details about this.

This was a really cute and enjoyable read with dual povs. I didn’t know anything about the original Chinese folklore and now I want to read every single retelling. Xian and Shen were adorable and there were moments I was kicking my feet by their cuteness. Qing was the perfect best friend and wingwoman—I’d read a book about a spunky snake spirit and a rule-following bodyguard that probably falls first and hard, hehe. I also really appreciate the cozy descriptions of food and cultural references. I would definitely recommend this heartwarming retelling.

4.5*

I loved this book so much more than I expected! Honestly, I'm not sure what I expected when I started, but my expectations were more than exceeded.
It did take me a little while to become invested, but all of a sudden my heart was all in. I'm not familiar with the folklore that this story was based on, but I can tell you this story was intriguing and captivating, and so very enjoyable.

4 Stars

I enjoyed Sher’s previous book and when I heard she was venturing into YA fantasy, I knew I had to pick it up. I am familiar with The Legend of White Snake given that it is a popular folklore of betrayal and true love transcending all odds.

Firstly, the story is a digestible read with the first few chapters providing background of the two main characters, Xian and Zhen. I love the setup of the chapters where there were introductions of the customs, folklore and the culture to help set the setting of the story such as the introduction of the various teas and the vivid descriptions of the temple and its customs which add some substance to the story itself.

Our main character, Xian, is a prince who is in search of a cure for his ailing mother who was bitten by a white snake many years ago. He was told that the cure would lie in Changle. During his sojourn there, he met Zhen, a white snake spirit disguised as a normal boy working as a stable hand who may be the one holding the cure to his mother's illness.

The world-building is minimal and this story is heavily character driven. I find the love was abit too insta-love for my liking and wish there was a bit more development to that. The side characters introduced added some great elements to the story but I wish they were given slightly more chance to develop further. The pacing of the plot was solid with some good twists to the story.

The downside: I find the characters too simple. I find fantasy characters more driven. Zhen comes off as too sympathetic at moments and very subdued while Xian tends to be a downright jerk at times with no accountability to his actions. It also lacks the gripping factor that I usually like in my fantasy books where I can’t put the book down as I am very invested in it. At times, I just wasn’t as invested in the characters as I should be.

Overall, this story is a solid YA fantasy read if you are looking for more diverse reads touching on Chinese mythology and culture.

Many thanks to Harper Collins, Sher Lee and Netgalley for the gifted arc.