Going into this novella, all I knew of it was that it would be a sapphic love story set in an Asian-inspired fantasy world. And I know now is that it is so much more than that.

Yeva learned at a young age that she had a special power. But said ability tore her away from her family and thrust into the mold of a nameless, faceless warrior heralded as the Emperor's greatest dragon-killer. One day she is summoned to the guildmaster's office and instructed to go as the lone emissary to a neighboring kingdom, thought to harbor dragons that once attacked the Empire. Yeva is to report back, with no clear end of the mission in sight. When she goes, she immediately recognizes that her present and past are colliding, despite her being in a completely unknown place. To do her duty, Yeva will have to adapt to her new surroundings... and discover herself in the process.

Neon Yang has created, with their gorgeous, flowing prose, a vivid fantasy landscape that reads like you're being immersed in an ancient legend. There is an epic mythology to it, despite the relative brevity of the text. I was instantly enchanted with the writing style. and the world-building was so well done that I felt as though I was watching a carefully crafted film. 

The only thing I take issue with is the fact that the story is so short. I could have happily lived within this world, with these characters, for far longer. I guess I'll have to settle for reading the rest of Yang's work. I'll excitedly snatch up any future books, regardless of length, that they release.