DNF 50%

The writing style wasn't for me. Felt very young and just annoying. I found the main character to be really whiny.

This was okay. I really really dislike that it was marketed as adult when the main character is only 16. Overall it just feels as if every aspect of the book is all over the place

An interesting retelling of Mulan that involves magic. An exciting story that contains many twists and turns and always raises the question of who our heroine can trust.

I’m not too sure how to rate this one since I don’t have many qualms but I felt like something didn’t click with me. I absolutely adore Mulan and immediately was sold on the premise of it being a retelling. I think perhaps where I went wrong was going into this book expecting Mulan - this is entirely my own fault and not the books! This is a good retelling, but as others have articulated it does stray far from the original (which imo is a good thing - if I wanted Mulan exactly then I could just watch the film haha!) But I feel like I had different expectations going in to what I was presented with.

Overall I enjoyed the world, the characters, the strong female lead and the messaging. But something sadly didn’t click with me. I definitely recommend others to give this a go though!

To say I was captivated during my entire time reading this would be an understatement for sure! I wanted to keep reading and to find out how Meilin prevails. I wanted justice, I wanted her ultimately to get her “power” she so desired. I felt for her every struggle and didn’t know who to trust. Ugh! This book was fantastic. Something different from main stream fantasy. I never knew I wanted a Mulan retelling until now. I definitely recommend this book.

When I started reading, I was excited. As I continued reading, that excitement fizzled out. The pacing was all over the place. With it being marketed as adult SFF, in my mind I was expecting something as gritty as The Poppy War due the comp with it, or at least as theme-driven as The Iron Widow, alas, it wasn't what was delivered.

There will be people out there that will enjoy this, of that I have no doubt, I just believe this needs to be marketed as YA.

I wholeheartedly wanted to enjoy "The Night Ends with Fire" (inspired by Mulan, political intrigue! - be still my cdrama loving heart), but it left me feeling underwhelmed. Did it deliver on its premise? Somewhat. The story does offer moments of excitement and intrigue, but it lacks the originality and depth that could have made it truly memorable. I couldn't help feeling it was a rehash of ideas from R.F. Kuang's "The Poppy War" trilogy, only in far less capable hands. The writing was okay, but nothing particularly stood out or lingered in my mind. A decent read if you're in the mood for familiar tropes and a straightforward fantasy tale, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook in exchange for my honest opinion and views.
What a fantastic story I loved and was absolutely enthralled; this retelling of Mulan was majestic and empowering I was put through so much emotions reading this book.
Good pacing and intriguing characters I was kept on my toes reading this book the Dragon alone was high maintenance.
This book has battles, political warfare and magic, all combined to make a thrilling story of self discovery and empowerment.
The fantasy elements don't play fully in the story as I expected, I wanted to read more about the dragon and it's connection to the Jade. Meilin was an interesting character a bit naive at times but her headstrong determination to prove herself was the driving force of the story.
The story lags a bit in the middle but picks up again in the third act.
A solid five stars for me as I thoroughly enjoyed the ups and downs of the story and that ending left me wanting to know what happens next. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I saw the words *mulan retelling" you bet I was here for it.
But the story is woven in such a way that it does stray quite far from the image of the Disney version most people have in their heads.
I really enjoyed this and would love to read more from the author as I loved their writing style!

Read this if you enjoy:
Retellings/Reimaginings
Fantasy (Historical Fantasy)
Chinese Mythology
Dragons and Phoenixes
Forbidden magic

A beautifully told sweeping epic that defies classification: a love story, a coming of age story, a story of war and rage and fire and a classic tale of legend proportions. Despite being based on such as well-known legend, this felt fresh and modern. Gripping and majestic!

I’ve requested the eArc and i couldn’t hide my glee when it’s approved! I have high expectations for this one but feel a bit disappointed 🥹🥹

It’s a Mulan retelling, but not on the sweet side like Disney’s one. I kinda excited about reading another fantasy that has the Four Gods inside, but i also tired reading about a girl that feels she can do anything by herself, only later to find out that everything is not going the way she’s planned and later feel guilty about it. The romance!!! Remind me of something similar 😂 i just hope that it doesn’t end the same way like it did.

And i need more stories of the Azure Dragon and The Phoenix!! Nevertheless, i’ll wait for the sequel!

[edit]
Read this if you enjoy:
✨ Retellings/Reimaginings
✨ Fantasy (Historical Fantasy)
✨ Chinese Mythology
✨ Dragons and Phoenixes
✨ Forbidden magic
✨ Edgy, headstrong female main characters
✨ Feminist (hmm?) reimaginations

This was a somewhat enjoyable read. There were aspects I loved but also elements that I did not quite appreciate or understand. While I loved how feminist this reinvention (this has strayed too far from the original Disney story to be a "retelling") of Mulan is, I thought the constant repetition about patriarchal oppression throughout the whole book rather monotonous. It was quite a stale portrayal of the terrors of patriarchy as the FMC kept repeating the same few lines over and over again. The same ideas about how women could never hold onto power was repeatedly explored and was essentially the central focus of this book. Though I appreciated this important theme, the constant drilling became kind of tiring and uninspired.

And at certain points, Meilin felt like such a pick-me. She gave "I am not like the other girls" kinda vibe. It is admirable and heroic of her to want to see herself wield as much power as a man could. However, this is not because she thinks women should be treated equally. She thinks SHE should be treated equally because she is "not like the other women". She is unlike her step-mother, a stereotypical woman who acquiesces to the whims of her father. She is unlike other girls because of her innate talent, her supernatural powers that makes her special. Fundamentally, our FMC thinks she should be treated with respect and hold power just like men do because she is DIFFERENT from other girls. This messaging for me, while sublime, is rather problematic. I think authors need to seriously consider nuance when it comes such themes on gender equality.

I think one of the most significant aspects of Disney's Mulan is the whirlwind romance between Mulan and the Prince. This book, however, features a love triangle. I don't have any qualms about the love triangle trope but I thought that the romance was rather mid...I didn't hate it, nor did I adore it. In general, the romance was abrupt, rushed, and not really fleshed out. HOWEVER, I do think the author is saving the romantic plotline for the sequel.

I didn't like how this book makes the reader expect a long-awaited change where women can be treated like equals but yet deprive us of this resolution so that a sequel can be published. I was so disappointed to find out that after 400 pages, the world was still equally patriarchal and oppressive. I see this as somewhat of a "cliff hanger" that compels reader to read the sequel and I don't know how to feel about this...?

Similarly, every single character just felt so flat for me. These people didn't change or develop at all. Honestly, am I the only one sick and tired of the edgy, stubborn, "the whole world is against me", and rage-filled FMC? Like can we please move on from this trope. It is getting boring and juvenile. The two rival princes were boring and functioned like plot devices to fuel the equally stale romantic plot line.

Okay, time for some positivity. I thought the magical system was pretty interesting. Though it plays on the classic (and overused) yin and yang, and qi in Chinese medical beliefs, the way they channelled and wielded magical power captivated me. I especially liked the instances when they were transported to some other realm and we got to know more about the supernatural beings (the four cardinal creatures in Chinese mythology). The harnessing of power from mythical beings really reminded of the magical system in The Poppy War. I do have one question though, where are the other 2 cardinal beings apart from the Dragon and Phoenix?? Why weren't they featured?? Are they gonna debut in book 2? I hope so!!

Additionally, other aspects of the world-building were commendable too. While I was not necessarily immersed in it, the author did a good job examining the horrors of war. The reimagining of the history and politics of the Three Kingdoms were well explored and explained.

Overall, I rate this book 3 stars (despite the above mentioned qualms) because I did find myself intrigued and entertained by the story. I read this book in 2 sittings and I was really blazing through the pages. Ultimately, I still think this was a commendable effort at reimagining the tale of Mulan. With some edits and changes, I think this could have been an easy 5 stars. Nonetheless, I am invested in Meilin's story now, I need to see her WIN!! I will be reading the sequel for sure

Wow, okay. This was a fantastic read. I was drawn in by the Mulan retelling aspect. As a lover of the disney version (and that being the only Mulan story I know) I was a little apprehensive about what I was getting myself into - But wow this story was beautiful.

We had mythological elements with links to the four auspicious beats, though we only talk about 2 main ones in this story, as well as intense political rivalries, betrayal, dark magic and more. I was hooked until the end.

I loved Meilin's character and how the author showed each character flaws, especially our main girls greed. I am looking forward to the second book because there has to be a second book right? It can't end there?

An interesting retelling of the traditional mythology of Mulan alongside drawing from other Asian mythology (the sacred animal spirits), The Night Ends With Fire is a novel that combines mythology and the supernatural with the more serious topic of gender roles/misogyny with the main character Meilin struggling with her place in society as both a woman and someone capable of using magic, and the isolation of not being able to be her true self due to these circumstances but also the other characters being complex and with their own motivations that clash with Meilin's desires and deep held secrets.

Song's book is one I feel offers both escapism to a fantasy world yet grounds the reader with contemporary issues that still affect women today and thus Meilin resonates pretty well despite the setting being decidedly exotic. However I do feel and times that it broaches a little too much into the plot of Disney's Mulan when it really did not need to, ditto the strange naming process, it would to me at least have made more sense had the first names of some characters simply been a romanised version as opposed to a translation?

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Staughton for the ARC.

The Night Ends with Fire is an Adult Mulan retelling. When Meilin is engaged to an abusive man, she makes the drastic decision to hide her gender and enlist in the army in her father's place. All the while, she's seeing visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.

My biggest issue with this was how, despite the built in tension of hiding her gender, every was too easy? Conflicts were easy to solve, the main character just had to decide she would. There were plenty of moments I should have felt tense or worried, but it never happened because at every opportunity for struggle, the answer was immediately presented.

My other major issue is with the target audience. The book is classed as Adult. I really struggle to wrap my head around that. All the major characters are late teens or early twenties and the major themes of the book are self discovery - a perfect fit for YA. I assume there's a marketing reason for it but i think anyone looking for an Adult read will find this very disappointing.

I was highly anticipating this after seeing the cover reveal at YALC but by the end I really struggled to care. I will not be reading book 2.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape for the eARC to review.

I LOVED this book! It was a fantastic adventure and I loved the retelling of Mulan concept. Meilin was a compelling protagonist and I found myself really rooting for her throughout the novel. I am interested in reading more by this author, especially in this universe, as the characters in this were amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I recommend this to any fantasy fans who also like Mulan!

Loosely based on Mulan we follow Meilin as she’s pretending to be a boy so she can escape an arranged marriage and instead flees to join the army leaving her fate behind.
Soon she finds herself torn between who she can trust, threats from another nation and powerful spirits with their own agenda.

Ultimately I feel underwhelmed and disappointed by this book.

I was hoping for an action packed, high stakes, magic infused adventure and whilst I do feel at times I received that it overall fell flat.
The first 50% of this book I was truly loving it and a specific scene involving a spirit and fire i was thinking I had found one of my favourite book in recent months, unfortunately after that I started to feel the spark fade.

Once she’s found herself in different company I started to feel like a very weird love triangle/ enemies to lovers was beginning which just didn’t feel like it worked well.

What I liked:

The characters; At times most the characters did feel quite dull and not very developed but throughout the book I did quite enjoy the development, personalities and exchanges of Meilin and Ren.

The setting; I enjoyed the setting, lots of this book takes place at a campsite where the army has set up base during their travels into war.

What I didn’t like:

Magic; I did enjoy this aspect in the beginning but I started to feel fairly underwhelming, which is disappointing as we had such a strong premise with the Jade stones that gave our character her connection with the sea dragon who itself was a unique entity that the character was unsure if she could trust or not.

(Mild spoilers)
Plot progression; the second half of the book felt very unnatural to what was being set up. It isn’t entirely unrealistic but It didn’t feel right. The introduction of Lei is what started the decline for my enjoyment.
Up until this point I was loving how Meilin was hiding her identity and struggling to understand the sea dragon properly, I was eagerly awaiting her and the dragon to develop their bond, practice magic and to see what impact it would have on Meilin as it seemed the spirit might eventually take over her body and mind… the second half of the book pretty much took most of that away. Whilst I understand as she had her senses to magic blocked it still felt like the dragon and spirit realm was forgotten aspect of the story and instead the book started to feel like a strange political intrigue book.

I will continue the sequel as I’m interested in the what happens after that ending.
I recommend it for anyone who likes the sound of the synopsis as overall I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Hodderscape for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

Although I loved the sound of this, I just didn't enjoy the execution. I found Meilin to be enjoyable at first but I grew rapidly more frustrated with her, especially when the love triangle began. I love the film Mulan and I thought this would be similar, I know it'll probably appeal to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

Oh, I loved this Mulan retelling. Meilin is a stellar main character, from her complicated family relationships to her desire for more in her life. We really see her grow into herself, and it feels like there's even a potential for more expansion on her going forward. ]

The world-building is very clear and accessible while still being intricate and interesting. It's really nice change from other overexplained, yet underdeveloped stories I've read. I feel like I understand the generals of the world, but there's still more to explore.

Sky is not my favorite, but I am finding Lei a fascinating enigma that I'd like to learn more about.

I'm so excited for the next book because I feel like there has been a really solid foundation created here with so much potential for more. Song has a really fantasic fantasy debut here, and I can't wait to continue!

Five stars from me.

Lemme tell you guys something first.

Honestly, I liked the villain in this book way more. Even though he was super annoying at first, he really stood out. I think he was better at taking care of Ren—more flexible, you know? There was more chemistry. But Ren Liu? That Liu, our ML? Meh. Imho, he was cool only in the beginning. And not to forget, from the start, it was clear Liu wasn’t the rebellious type. And what about Ren? She was more of a rebel type than not. I mean, she wouldn’t have become a man and gone to war if she wasn’t. And what did Liu do after all of Ren’s sacrifices? Nothing. He’s just too obedient.

Anyway, onto the review. This book is awesome! It’s great in so many ways. The world-building is amazing, and the characters are on point. Even the side characters are solid. The plot? So good. The twists are seriously top-notch! This book is just fantastic! Emotion? It is rich with emotions!

Tldr, this book has the same vibe as Kuang's TPW. Fighting for your country and standing up against discrimination.