This is a very well penned debut novel. I have read quite a few books referencing the Chinese Myth so certain details, ornate descriptions of the setting and characters for example, are expected and this book did just that. And it executed it beautifully.

What separates a good book from being the usual retelling (especially if there's thousands of retellings out there) are the twists while staying true to the referenced myth.

I liked how the author combined the myth while introducing the reader to a whole new perspective. The shock value of the twists, while it made my jaw drop and raise my eyebrows; didn't peak for a long time. Probably because with the atrempt to be ornate with the descriptions, unnecessary hifalutin words were used which takes the sizzling climax away faster than intended.

As a fantasy book, there aren't too many characters introduced which made it easier to keep up with the plot and feel the characters. While I did not thoroughly loved the FMC on the first two parts of the book, I did like her character development. The romantic notions were subtle but enough - which makes the romantic interactions more endearing.