I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its immersive writing and character driven story. The relationship between the 2 main characters was so well done. I did find the magic system to be very interesting but sometimes the descriptions of certain aspects of the magic system were a bit too in depth and it did pull me out of the story a little bit. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

An absolute joy of a fantasy adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series. Huge thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

AWZ is a master at creating characters that are truly nuanced. Characters you want to succeed, despite their flaws. Lan is a protagonist you can relate to. Funny, defensive, vulnerable. You can’t predict the twists in the book and, without spoiling it, it is heartbreaking. Chinese mythology can feel quite daunting to those not already versed in it but this story was woven in an incredibly accessible manner. As a white, British person, I learned history through a white-washed lens. The history of the Empire is glossed over. This book felt akin to Babel in that it covered colonisation in a way that had you lost for words at how you were ever blind to how personal these kinds of atrocities are. This might be fiction but it sharpens your reality. The pacing of the book was perfect. Drawing you in until you couldn’t stop reading.

Truly wonderful and well written. Also, a moment for the cover art! Beautiful. Thank you.

.... I have no words.
Amélie is a sublime writer. The way the author has crafter this world which you can immerse yourself in is true skill.
I sometimes wished that there was a narration/audiobook supplement so that I could close my eyes and just let my imagination fly.
Simply beautiful.

Going into this book, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. This turned out to be a good thing because I was pleasantly surprised when I read this. I wasn't expecting to find a new favourite, but Song of Silver, Flame Like Night has just become one and shot to the top of my most anticipated 2023 releases. Zhao's writing feels so descriptive and reading this felt like I was watching a c-drama. The scale and the scope of the world of this book feels massive, which is something that I really enjoy. Lan and Zen make for really amazing characters; while I can't talk much about them without going into spoiler territory, I think people are really going to fall in love with them.

The ending though....the ending was crazy and I already want book 2 lol.

Thank you to NetGallery, Delacorte Press and Author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was truly magical. I was instantly absorbed into the world, magic and story and had trouble putting the book down.

The story never had a dull moment as it was one immense, lyrical adventure that never seemed to stop, and I honestly can't wait to see what book two brings. The characters were easily lovable (and dislikable), and I was rooting for specifics from the beginning. (I'm also still rooting for Zen and hope he can overcome his trouble!)

My favourite part has to be the Chinese Folklore. I loved learning about the Qi-based magical system and its use of it through practitioners and demons. My favourite part was the use of music as a source of power; I think the Author wrote those bits beautifully and loved seeing this throughout the book.

Book one is truly beautiful and shows us the effects of power and what we'll do to protect those we love.

I am anxiously waiting for the release of book two, and I can't wait for its release!

This is the first book I’ve read of Amélie Wen Zhao’s and I am in awe—what an absolutely thrilling and magical read.

This book is fast-paced and filled with lots of adventure. The writing style is so stunning and magical and the premise of the book is like nothing I’ve ever read before. It’s truly such a unique and enthralling read. The world-building is incredible, from the magic system to the history of the clans and mythological creatures.

All of the characters are so well thought out and complex, even the side characters. Lan and Zen are both such lovable characters, I was rooting for them the whole way through. Their back-stories are so heart-breaking. Honestly, both of them just need a big hug.

Perfect for fans of action, rich world-building and a heart-warming slow-burn romance. I can’t wait to read the next book and see how the story unfolds. The wait for the next installment is going to be a long one.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction and Netgalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for this arc.
Song of Silver, Flame like Night was such a magical read and I couldn’t put it down!
I really loved the relationship between Lan and Zen and I don’t even want to think about the wait for second book because I need it NOW!!
The world building was very historical and interesting, the magic system was definitely unique and beautifully done!
I’m really excited to see where the story will go next and I’m hoping book 2 will explain some topics bit more.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed Daughter of The Moon Goddess and Spin the Dawn you won’t be disappointed believe me!
I cannot wait to purchase physical copy with the stunning US cover!

This is the first in an epic fantasy series inspired by mythology and folklore of ancient China.

This is a beautiful story that pulled in my heartstrings and made me cry. It’s honestly one of the best ya fantasy books I’ve read all year and I’m happy to say that I have read quite a few.

Lan and Zen have my heart and soul. I love them. I want them to be happy so badly. Lan is a fierce and strong character, who grows so much during this book. I love characters who look at the world and scream that they will survive anything it throws at them.

Zen is truly a complex character. He’s motivations for the choices he makes are always linked to the trauma he suffered and his wish to never suffer again. He’s the product of paranoia of the people around him, and together, him and Lan are so well written.

Throughout this book, the themes of colonialism, assimilation and prejudice are woven together with the world building of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this arc. This review is my own. The review will be posted on my Instagram during the first week of December.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
by Amélie Wen Zhao
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher:
HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager
Publication Date: 02 Feb 2023
Genre:Sci Fiction and Fantasy

We say we don't judge a book by its cover, but this is lovely.
Lan, I love her character
Zen is so aggressive; I adore his character. I hope we get some more backstory.

Chinese folklore about demons and based on a magical system, and so much action, Adventure, and mystery with heartache.
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. The start of this book is engaging, and I couldn't put it down. The descriptive work is fantastic, and you can feel yourself gliding into this world.

This book was excellent. I love it, and it's up there with some of my favorite reads of the year.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night follows Lan, a Hin girl who spends the night as a singing girl at a Haak'gong teahouse. Elantian settlers invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed the people's magic. In her final act before her death, her mother left a strange hint on her arm that only Ran could see until a mysterious Hin boy shows up at a tea house and saves her life. Zen is a practitioner. He is one of the legendary mages of the Last Kingdom whose powers are said to have been derived from demons and whose magic must be hidden from his Elantians at all costs. Both can liberate the country. Both can destroy the world.

Before the story begins, there is a brief overview of the history of the Last Kingdom. After reading it, I worried I would forget everything and not understand the story. But the author explains everything so well and weaves it into the story that it doesn't feel like one giant information dump.

The writing itself is excellent. It's lyrical and poetic but not overly flashy and distracting from the story.

Zhao's passion and understanding of Chinese mythology, folklore, and culture shine through the pages. He loved learning about the different myths and legends, and the magic system was great. Hin practitioners use chi based on yin and yang. This draws on the energy of the surroundings and requires balance, while Elantians use metal to cast their spells.

Stunning history, culture, and magic, plus mythical creatures, impending wars, feuding clans, gods, demonic practices, family secrets, epic quests, fallen kingdoms, and colonies are trying to rebuild themselves. Expect mutating enemies, lust for energy, and grumpy people. /sunshine-resisting-ally-to-friends-to-lover Romance. Speaking of characters - they are great. They're all very fleshed out and have such rich backstories that you can even learn about their ancestral history. It was heartwarming to find each other with love. Both are very complicated and have flaws, but you'll love them nonetheless.

The pacing and storyline were also great. There's a perfect blend of adventure, magic, action, character interactions, flashbacks, and learning to keep things exciting.

The ones I deduced were so cleverly done that I didn't even care I supposed them, but the revelations and plot twist most shocked me. It was beautiful and sometimes very moving. I will get the sequel as soon as it comes out!

I can't think of anything in the book that I didn't like or could have done better. This is an excellent start to an epic fantasy series that I highly recommend!

#NetGalley #bookstagram#bookreview #goodreads #scifictionandfantasy #Song of Silver, Flame Like Night @Amélie Wen Zhao
@HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager

Song of Silver, Flame like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao is the first of a YA xiānxiá series following a song girl in a conquered land whose last remnant of her mother—and the fallen Hin dynasty of her ancestors—is the symbol seared onto her hand, which, if the mysterious boy she encounters is to be trusted, may be the key to freeing her people by unlocking and mastering the ancient, forgotten magic of practitioning. Once this got going it never stopped and the consumption is tangible to how amazing this was.

Demon Gods, magic, relationships and culture are the captivating themes of this novel and I’m genuinely excited to see where this goes. Every page had a different type of reading experience from heart-break to action and Zhao has written an impressively fluid and wonderful story that was both captivating and thought-provoking. The mixture of culture, folklore and assimilation is a harsh-reality but is written so mesmerising and full that it portrays hope for our characters.

The characters were well-developed and rich. Each with their own personality and traits. Our main characters were strong, intelligent and clear which can be hard to portray. The character arcs were painful but crafted and the surprises, whilst perhaps obvious, were executed well.

The story itself is an investment and the lore can be very knowledge-heavy but this is the start of a series and I hope the quality is consistent. Song of Silver, Flame like Night is a great achievement and I cannot wait for its release.

A worthy addition to the recent spate of Eastern-inspired fantasy novels. I enjoyed the intricate magic systems, and the worldbuilding in this China-inspired realm was intriguing, if a lot to take in.

That said, there was some YA tropes I rolled my eyes at: sassy female protagonist can’t hold her tongue? Bitchy girl-rival can’t stop being mean? The magic went up to 11 in the third act and seemed a bit over-powered, which made the struggle less engaging. I found Lan a more sympathetic character than Zen, but we spent less time on Zen’s backstory.

A brilliant story that is fully developed in every sense. The world-building is incredible and the characters are so in-depth. The balance between good and evil was perfectly written. However, I was a little confused about the different clans and the roles of each organisation. When discussing history, I felt a little lost because there was a lot to go through and it was a lot at once. I think reading this a second time will give a fuller and richer story that would make it more enjoyable.

Thankyou to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an e-arc of Song of Silver, Flame like Night by Amelia Wen Zhao. All my oppinions are my own and havent been influenced by anything other than the book itself.

Iv seen pictures of this book a fair bit on the internet recently and it looks stunning! I was so excited to get accepted for a copy and iv never read from the author before. I think the timing of me reading this however wasnt the best as i had already found myself falling into a reading slump.

Im a very slow ready and for me the world building was very good but it did take me a while to get through. I could however picture it all very clearly in my head which i love.

Plot and characters were great, however with me putting it down so often, it resulted in me feeling quite disconnected from the book.

I do not think this is a direct reflection on the book however as i have felt the same about a number of books recently and i will definitely be giving this a re-read when i am in a better reading mood.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction and Amélie Wen Zhao for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was nothing short of astonishing. I absolutely adored it, and it is definitely up there with some of my favourite reads of the year.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night follows Lan, a Hin girl who spends her nights working as a song girl in a Haak’gong teahouse. Elantian colonisers invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. In her last act before she died, her mother left a strange Hin mark on her arm that only Lan can see. That is, until a mysterious Hin boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life. Zen is a practitioner - one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from demons, and whose magic needs to be hidden from the Elantians at all costs. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Before the story begins, there is a brief breakdown of the history of the Last Kingdom. After reading it, I was worried that I would forget everything and not understand the story. But, the author explains everything so well by weaving it into the story so it doesn’t feel like a huge info dump.

The writing itself is stunning. It’s lyrical and poetic, without being overly flowery and distracting from the story. Even though this is a YA fantasy, it does not feel juvenile at all. I would say it’s on a similar “age” level as Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

Zhao’s passion and understanding of Chinese mythology, folklore and culture really shines through the pages. I loved learning about the different myths and legends and the magic system was incredible. The Hin practitioners use yīn and yáng based qì which draws on the energies around them and demands balance, whereas the Elantians use metal to cast their spells.

As well as breathtaking history, culture and magic, you can expect mythological creatures, an impending war, warring clans, gods, demon practitioning, familial secrets, an epic quest, a fallen kingdom trying to restore itself, a colonising enemy, a lust for power, and a grumpy/sunshine reluctant-allies-to-friends-to-lovers-romance.

Speaking of the characters - they are astonishing. They are all so well fleshed out and have such rich back stories, in which we also learn about their ancestors histories. Zen and Lan have both lost everything and it was heartwarming to see them find each other, with friendship, trust and eventually, love, forming. They are both very complex and certainly have their flaws, but you love them anyway.

The pacing and plot were also great. I was not bored for a single second while reading this book. There’s a mix of adventure, magic, action, character interactions, flashbacks and learning (some of this book takes place in a school of practitioning) that is perfectly blended to keep things exciting.

The revelations and plot twists shocked me for the most part, although the ones that I did guess were so cleverly done, that I didn’t even mind that I had guessed them. The ending in particular was mind blowing and also quite emotional in some parts. I will be snatching up the sequel as soon as it’s released!

Try as I might, I can’t think of anything I disliked about this book, or anything that I think could have been improved. This is a fantastic start to an epic fantasy series that I would highly recommend!

Setting/Worldbuilding: 10/10
Main characters: 10/10
Side characters: 10/10
Dialogue: 9/10
Plot: 9.5/10
Technique: 8/10
Prose: 10/10
Romance: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall enjoyment: 10/10
Total: 95.5/100 (4.75)

That was ... sublime. Mindblowingly, earth shatteringly, soul-destroyingly sublime.

I followed the release of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night with much interest, hoping that it would build on what I knew to be its author's strengths from reading her Blood Heir trilogy: tight plotting, sympathetic characterisations, interesting magic systems, nail-biting action scenes, heavy emotional climaxes, relevant and painful themes and lessons, cute romances and gorgeous, evocative prose (what a list!). And build on it she absolutely did, except she delivered with Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, with furore and gusto and every fragment of her soul something which I had felt had been sorely lacking in Blood Heir: worldbuilding steeped in culture drawn from her heart.

Where do I even begin with this.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is, at its very outset, a story of colonisation told in the backdrop of a Chinese-inspired world. A world of two warring magics: the yin and yang harmony-based magic of the subjugated Hin people, and the harsh manipulation of alloy megic of the white Elantian conquerors (been reading a bit of Brandon Sanderson, are we?). It tells the story of Lan, a girl marked by a past she is trying to understand, and Zen, a boy determined to bury the past he held with him. You can expect a story filled with mythological creatures, demon practitioning, an impending war, familial secrets, a grumpy x sunshine reluctant allies to lovers romance, and lots and lots of culture.

It is a story of colonisation, but you would be falling short if you thought that it was only a story of anti-European colonisation. No, Amelie weaves with a sordid literary brush a commentary on the marginalisation of ethnic minorities in China. This is a story of their colonisation too, the erasure of their identities and their cultures in favour of submission into a unified Han identity and culture.

Culture. Culture, culture, culture. The culture is what truly gets me here. I once criticised Amelie Wen Zhao's previous trilogy by saying that her representation of its Russia-inspired world fell short for the very simple reason that one needed to understand a culture to be able to subvert it in a fantastical setting. There is none of that here: her love and understanding of Chinese culture flowed from every page, from every line of her writing, from the depths of her characters and every bit of their pasts and histories, spoken and unspoken. She weaves in Chinese history, xianxia cultivation magic, gods of legend, fallen emperors and warring clans ... in a world that rings authentic, true and believably real. She truly breathed her everything into this series and it SHOWED.

I have read dozens of East Asian fantasies and YA works this year. Dozens feels too little. I've probably read close to fifty at this point. And I can say with all certainty that Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is up there among the very best of them, taking the strengths of what I loved about each work and dragging them to an Amelie Wen Zhao-sized crescendo. It is as unapologetically Chinese as Iron Widow, as magical in its celestial xianxia touch as Daughter of the Moon Goddess, as evocative and intricate in its prose as A Magic Steeped in Poison, as tight in its plotting and stakes as Shadow of the Fox, as sweet in its romance as The Red Palace, as dreamlike as Strike the Zither, as fast-paced and impactful in its fight scenes as Never Die. And yet it stands powerfully and majestically as its own work, a giant in this small, but budding, genre.

I have very little to say that isn't positive about this series. I suppose, if I had to try, that I thought many elements of the plot was predictable (though no less enjoyable for it!), that the characters behaved irrationally at times and were way in over their heads (though far less so than you'd expect in a YA work...), and that more sympathetic female characters would have been nice (though that looks like it might rectify itself in the second book...). See what I mean? When you're caveating everything you're saying, you have nothing to add, really.

For those who have bothered to read this far, I will end by saying that I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of YA fantasy, and this is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ for anyone who is interested in the growing trend of East-Asian inspired (particularly xianxia-inspired) fantasy. I would also think that fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, A Magic Steeped in Poison, Strike the Zither, Shadow of the Fox ( ABSOLUTELY THIS) and, oddly enough, Harry Potter would enjoy this.

A wholehearted thank you to Amelie Wen Zhao and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC, though I should probably temper my thanks a little, given that there is now a 60 USD shaped hole in my wallet for the hardback pre-order of this book (+ import duties...) that reading this has magically given me ...

I was lucky to be approved for an advanced digital copy by NetGalley and to provide an honest review.

This story follows Zen and Lan on a quest to uncover secrets of the past.

“But you must remember that, should you choose to live, you do not live only for yourself….You live for those you have lost.”

From page one you’re transported into a world of action and adventure (reminiscent of an 80s movie), with interesting characters and a great magic system.

The story was paced exceptionally well and there was sufficient intrigue and tension to keep me hooked.

This book ended on a great cliff hanger and I can’t wait until the sequel is released.

I did struggle with the book & couldn't read it for long spans however I did enjoy it. The world building was detailed and the characters were all diversed. There is a part in the beginning that could make you uncomfortable so TW before you read this. Lan & Zen are people with the world against them such a young age who have both taken different paths. Full of magic. Demon Gods. Enjoyable read

4.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance reader copy of this book for an honest review.

Lan spends her night as a song girl in Haak'gong a city transformed by conquerors who invaded her kingdom, killed her mother and outlawed her people's magic. She is searching for anything she can find of the past trying to understand the mark burned into her arm by her mother, her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious and untranslatable and no one else but Lan can see it. That is until a boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life one night.

Zen is a practitioner of the Last Kingdom who's magic was rumoured to be drawn from demons they communed with.

Zen can see Lan's mark and he recognises that she is a practioner with a powerful hidden ability. The mark isn't anything like he has ever seen but he knows deep in the pine forests that there is a school of practitioning masters who are planning to overthrow the Elantian regime who may have some answers.

Working together both of them have secrets that they hide and both hold great power. Fate has connected them but their destiny remains unwritten.

A fantastic start to a new fantasy series steeped in Chinese folklore. With well crafted characters and well written plot lines full of adventure and magic.

The story was fascinating and addictive until the very end. Lan and Zen are both likeable yet flawed characters both with complex backgrounds.

The aspects of Chinese mythology were woven well within the story and gave great insight into the cultures folklore.

A fantasy novel I would highly recommend reading full of many twists and turns that were not obvious and well crafted!

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have a believable voice. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book.