I’ve found so many fantastic fantasy stories written by Asian authors in the past few years, and this one slots right in along stories like She Who Became the Sun and The Bone Shard Daughter. (I also need to give a nod to the narrator of both this book and the other books mentioned, Natalie Naudus, as she really adds some extra to all of these stories for me). There are just so many things I loved about this book, and I’m already dying waiting for the sequel.

One thing this book does extremely well is its use of tropes. I feel like a lot of the book relies on tropes we’ve seen before, yet uses them in such a way that they become fresh and exciting again. The story also ends up subverting a lot of the expectations associated with those tropes, but not in a trope-smashing way we sometimes see books attempting. Instead, it’s often very subtle, and it feels like the story then shows the gradations of these tropes instead of trying to overturn them. It’s changed the way I view these story pieces, and it just felt extremely creative.

The characters were also one of this book’s strongest features. We had quite a few POVs, but they all felt like they added a lot to the story, each revealing a different layer to the world they occupy and the story that is being told. I also loved how very few characters felt all good or all bad. It led to some fascinating discussions within my book club, because there was just so much to discuss in terms of morality when it came to these characters, and the choices they had to make. I also just adored Taishi, even if she definitely had her flaws. It was refreshing to see such a strong MC that was also just older than most of the other characters. It gives an entirely new perspective on these sorts of stories, as her journey felt like it was more about acceptance of her life, of choosing how she would end her legacy and what she would stand by after all these years. She wasn’t necessarily on a path of growth and change anymore, even though she still learned things throughout this journey anyway.

I also really appreciated that we were able to see all sides of the war so clearly throughout the book. It showed that while there is clear oppression clearly going on, that this is the result of centuries of animosity, and it revealed that the situation is a bit more layered. As a reader, you desperately want freedom and rebellion for Sali’s people, yet also can clearly see that they would’ve done the same to Taishi’s people, if they were the ones to turn the tide of the war. I honestly cannot wait to see what the consequences are of the events of the first book, especially in relation to this current imbalance of power between the two societies.

Overall, I devoured this book and cannot wait to see what happens next!