Apparently this is a Mulan retelling but as I have never seen the Disney film, this had no effect on my reading of this book. Meilin runs away from her arranged marriage to an abusive older man and enlists in the army to fight in the upcoming war. She has disguised herself as a man and has to work hard to conceal her weaknesses and compete on equal terms with her fellow soldiers.
I really enjoyed the opening part of this book where she was at home with her family especially her relationship with her young stepmother. The early days in the army were good too as she fought against the dislike of the troop commander. However, as the book progressed, I found that it held my attention less and less.
The characters felt quite two dimensional to me and the relationships between them never quite seemed real to me. The chapters were very short which had the effect of chopping up the story and we moved very quickly from a problem to its resolution with very little development. This is marketed as an adult fantasy but it felt a lot more like a young adult novel to me especially with the youth of the characters and the lack of complexity in the relationships.
Ultimately, I found this to be a disappointing read. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eh.

I really wanted to like this, but ultimately, I cannot. This book is "inspired by the legend of Mulan," meaning it's a full-on retelling of Mulan, but if she was ~morally grey~.

The pacing is truly breakneck, meaning we cannot get to know any of these characters in time. Even our main character, who has some very skewed views about what it means to be successful, we don't even get to know before she makes a very rash decision to bind her chest and skip off to war.

But ultimately, what doomed this book for me was the emptiness.
Meilin herself is bland, pale, and devoid of personality except for the author's frantic attempt to make her seem ~morally grey~. It's clear that the author took inspiration from the Poppy War's Rin to sculpt her own character (Meilin, who coincidentally goes by Ren when she pretends to be a man), but fails to add the depth that Rin has to Ren (oof). Because of this, we end up with a main character who wants wants wants - and never anything else. There's no development. There's no personality except for this constand greed. And we aren't even SHOWN about the greed, we are TOLD about the greed. The show/tell dynamic is skewed terribly towards the telling throughout this entire book.

One thing I want to pull out of the story that irked me a lot, is this: What is a Mulan retelling with its intrinsic motivation removed? Mulan goes to war because her father cannot, and because she loves him and her family deeply. This love at the foundation of the story works as her motivation for everything she does. This book removes this motivation, and instead of love, puts down the concept of hate. Meilin's father is an opium addict and an abuser, and Meilin hates him to the point that when she kills her first enemy, she says she always imagined that the first man she'd kill was her father, not this unnamed soldier. This is, of course, a complete 180 from the source material, and it does not work. Mulan wants to be a good daughter, desperately, but even though she tries, she just can't make herself fit into this mold that society wants her to fit into. When it comes to Meilin, we are simply told that she can't live in this society, but all we see is that she does so, perfectly. She is wonderful towards the matchmaker. She is lovely and polite in public. Her assumed ostracization is only due to her father squandering their money and betraying his family's status as nobles. If it weren't for the father, Meilin could've made a perfect match and been a wife. She was prepared to do so, only until her father's reputation caused the matchmaker to only be able to offer her a match with a cruel man.
This does not work. It's not enough motivation for what she is about to do. Maybe it would be enough if the whole thing hadn't been done with in three chapters, if we'd had more backstory. Which brings me to my next point:

Plot points follow each other at an unsustainable pace. The chapters are really short, and most plot points only get one chapter to be resolved. In the beginning, Ren is flogged for a crime they did not commit, and no one ever mentions it again. No mention of pain, no mention of scars, of scabbing, of the wound causing problems while training - nothing. And that is just an example. We see this happening over and over and over. Nothing spills over into later in the story.

In conclusion, no. Unfortunately, no.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

My first introduction to the legend of Mulan was, of course, the 1998 Disney animated movie. 'Mulan' is one of my favourite Disney animated movies ever. When I heard about this book, I wanted to read it immediately. If it's a Mulan retelling, sign me up immediately!

With that being said, The Night Ends With Fire is a beautiful retelling of the legendary Meilin. Instead of the Disney version, K.S. Song writes Meilin as an ambitious character who struggles with morally grey choices in her life. It combines elements of dark magic and Chinese mythology while also keeping the fundamental points of Meilin's story at the centre of the story. It's about her journey as a warrior that she is destined to become, and it's honestly one of the best YA/Adult/Romantasy books I've read this year.

I'm not entirely sure about the romance/love triangle between Meilin, Lei and Sky, but I'm all here for it. I prefer the fantasy elements and the worldbuilding rather than the romance bits. So, so, so excited for the next book! I cannot wait to read it.

First off, I just want to say thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC and the opportunity to review this amazing book. As a huge fan of Mulan, I was thrilled to read this retelling.

Right away, I have to mention that this book feels more like YA than adult fiction. It combines elements of Mulan, The Poppy War Trilogy, and adds a dash of DOTMG and HOTSW love and tension. It has everything I personally love in a book, but if YA isn’t your preference, this might not be for you.

I appreciated how the book addresses the treatment of ambitious women. Despite today’s more progressive society, there is still significant stigma around choosing “motherhood/womanhood” or “freedom/ambition." I also enjoyed the MFC’s confusion about her confidence, ambition, and drive. This is very relatable during the transition from teenager to adult, as it’s often hard to discern right from wrong.

The author excels at conveying betrayal and setting intricate scenes. The layers of details that the MFC is blind to but others can see highlight her naivety regarding the complexities of politics and social norms. As the story progresses, the MFC’s growth is evident and beautifully portrayed. I absolutely love it and am so excited for the next book. I wish it were already available.

Spoiler: The ending gives off ACOTAR Tamlin/Rhys canon event vibes, and I am absolutely here for it.

Unfortunately a DNF for me as I found the writing style too juvenile for an adult book. I feel this should be categorised as Young Adult instead.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this e-arc...

This book took me by surprise - I devoured it in less than 48 hours!!

Like many, I only know of the Mulan story thanks to Disney, but this retelling takes away the Disney sparkle, mixes Chinese mythology with dark magic, and is definitely more for the grown-ups.

Escaping her father's addiction and a forced betrothal, Meilin enlists in the oncoming war, disguised as a boy. Unlike the Disney Princess fighting for her family's honour, this FMC is driven by ambition and the desire to be more than what is expected of women in that time...

What follows is an epic journey into war where forbidden magic is in play, and Meilin has to not only keep her identity secret but also become the warrior she feels she's destined to become.

The second book honestly can't come soon enough for me!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 | 𝐊. 𝐗. 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 | 𝟑.𝟕𝟓*

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Fantasy
⟡ Mulan reimagining
⟡ Chinese mythology
⟡ Forbidden magic
⟡ Love triangle

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
I really enjoyed this Mulan reimagining which is woven with the mythology of the Chinese Four Guardians, although we only get to see the Phoenix and the Dragon come out to play in this installment of a new fantasy series.

I liked the fiery, flawed, and relatable main character, Meilin, who wants nothing more than to own her own life rather than be a conventional daughter and betrothed. The authors note states that it’s an exploration of ambition, but to me I interpreted this book more as a relentless pursuit of freedom. In Meilin’s battle to free the kingdom, she also attempts to free herself from the chains of female oppression.

Although I did find that the dynamics were lacking impact. I didn’t enjoy her friendship with any of the comrades. Nor did I enjoy her blossoming intimacy with her commander, Prince Liu Sky. Although I did find the chemistry between Meilin and Prince Cao Lei undeniable. He was a favourite character of mine all around.

For those who loved A Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, this is your next obsession.

𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
“𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦?” 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵?”
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳.”

This book is so good! I was immediately captivated by this world and the pacing was fantastic. The ending had me screaming in frustration and I'm now left wondering how I'm going to wait for the sequel. Read this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review!

-

“My Existence was my birthright, and it would be my justification.”

The story was relatively fast paced, with easy to read writing and chapters on the shorter side of things. I found the world intriguing, and I liked that the female main character is ambitious and proud.

“In victory, I could have my sword, my name, my freedom.”

I didn’t ever really fully connect with any of the characters, and the stakes never felt super high (as a lot of conflicts and challenges are resolved quite fast), so I didn’t feel overly invested - but it was entertaining and kept my interest throughout.

“Men are wolves, remember this.”

I think readers who enjoyed Fourth Wing might have fun with this too, as it gave me some of the same vibes and feelings.

3,5 stars - and I’ll probably read the sequel when it comes.

Unfortunately, this book ended up being a disappointment. It started off strong, and I really enjoyed the first part especially, with the war training. But the two other parts did not have the same effect. Some scenes were quite interesting but some other completely threw me off. It was a rather particular experience, and it was not pleasant. The characters could have been more developed. Out of the blue, romances (yes, plural) started to pop out of nowhere and they felt forced and cringe. This book would have been way better without that aspect. It disconnected me from the plot. And the ending felt hollow and a bit cliché.
Also, I thought it was adult fantasy, but it definitely reads like YA.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This isn't your mother's Mulan retelling.

Meilin, our main character, does not go to war to save an ailing father. She does not go to war to protect her home or her family. She goes because she is sick of the status quo. Because she has her own desires and wants to be free for however long she can. Meilin is not nice, she is not particularly charismatic, she is not really a hero. She's selfish, she doesn't take orders, she trusts too easily. She's also brave, clever and brimming with magic and ambition. Luckily I support women's rights and women's wrongs, so I adore Meilin.

The Night Ends with Fire is a sweeping fantasy, capturing the realities of war as well as the whimsy of a world full of elemental power. It's an incredibly fun read, with Meilin getting into Situations and using her unique skills to get out of them. I will admit that the action sometimes felt lacking on detail and stakes, sometimes passing me by before I even got to grips with the level of peril but I found it an engaging read regardless.

The romance was... fine. Honestly, I feel like a Mulan retelling in 2024 needs a queer love interest especially when we've got two to pick from. It also felt like the romance was for romance's sake. I liked Sky well enough but I wasn't really feeling the chemistry. They seem more like cute besties than potential lovers. And Lei is quite literally the Enemy and not in a cutesy enemies to lovers kinda way.

I'll definitely be picking up the next and am cautiously optimistic to see how the romance unfolds but mostly I'm here for dragons, magic, fighting and Meilin being a badass. She wants it all and by God do I want her to have it.

This first book has everything I don't like about YA books starting with a heroine who is still searching for herself and ending with a love triangle (which I detest) via people who consider being morally excusable to be a sign of great charm. That's probably why I'm not the appropriate target audience for this kind of book, especially if it's the beginning of a series. But I'm sure there are plenty of other people who will enjoy it.

Questo primo libro ha tutto quello che non mi piace dei libri YA a partire da un'eroina che sta ancora cercando se stessa, per arrivare al triangolo amoroso (che detesto) passando per persone che considerano l'essere moralmente eccepibili un segno di grosso fascino. Probabilmente per questo non sono il target adeguato per questo tipo di libro, specialmente se é l'inizio di una serie. Ma sono sicura che ci sono moltissime altre persone che lo apprezzeranno.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Ok honestly I feel lied to, cause I was promised poppy war and I did not really get it. The writing felt weirdly juvenile for me and the characters were all just…. Kinda there and kinda annoying. I did not give a flying fuck about the main character in the beginning. It’s basically a ya book that got some dark themes and the mc is 18 so let’s slap Adult on that instead. Yea no fuck off I hate that.

The romance did absolutely nothing for me? It kinda felt forced.


The general idea….was ok not gonna lie. Execution? Lacking. I just didn’t connect with The chracters or world it kinda felt rushed, which honestly I usually like being thrown into the action but it took me to long to even tolerate the characters.


But for the overal idea…. And I didn’t hate it. I did have a good enough time, it deserves a 3 star at least.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc! I was truly so happy to get this book. Any kind of Mulan retelling, just count me in.
I have to admit that the pacing felt a little off for me, even though I can’t explain why it felt like that. But, besides that, this book was something so much different than what I expected, and I mean that in a good way.
Yes, it was a Mulan retelling, but with a FMC with much more depth and complexity. Meilin wasn’t acting from simple honor or high moral, she had ambitions, she was selfish, she wanted something more that what life and society expected from her, and it was refreshing to read about a female character that wasn’t necessarily perfect and acted mostly for herself, even while trying to protect the people she loved.
And that ending… my god. I feel like there is so much more that could happen with this story and the characters, and I also have no idea where it is actually going to go. I can’t wait to figure it out.

What does our ambition cost us? Central question to the story and what drives the plot the whole way through.

I was enthralled by this retelling of Mulan's legend entwined firmly with fantasy and history. I particularly appreciated the author's note at the end exploring the different versions of the legend and how they inspired her.

It was initially a bit of a challenge to get into the story as the author throws us in at the deep end with terminology and customs that aren't explained, but I quickly picked up all the important threads and got absolutely wrapped up in the story and where the characters would end up.

I can't wait for the sequel, is it madness or freedom that awaits?

4.5 ⭐

“The Night Ends with Fire” is the first installment of an adult fantasy duology written by K. X. Song and currently in progress.

A territory divided into three kingdoms in perpetual conflict with each other. A new war at the gates. A girl raised to obey, oppressed by the rigid conditions of being a woman, who decides to oppose, flee, disguise herself as a man and enlist in the conflict, driven by desires for freedom, recognition, acceptance and power. A prince loyal, honorable and devoted to his kingdom who makes her heart flutter. An enemy prince, as charming as he is shrewd and devious, capable of shaking her convictions. An intriguing love triangle. A sizzling enemies to lovers. A sweeping forbidden romance. A book inspired by Mulan and Romance of Three Kingdoms. An evocative, lyrical and passionate writing. A fast and compelling pace, accompanied by short chapters. A large and complex world building, full of political games and court intrigues, described in an accurate and vivid way. A fascinating magic system, which includes forbidden magic and the four Cardinal Spirits. An interesting analysis of the figure and role of women, forced to serve, obey and suffer in a society of men. A powerful and sweeping story full of training, fighting, deceptions, lies, secrets, alliances and betrayals. An extremely epic atmosphere. Too many time jumps. Events sometimes rushed, with several convenience situations. A strong, determined, reckless, complex, troubled, and morally gray protagonist portrayed in an excellent way. Interesting secondary characters, though somewhat subdued in some cases.

These are just some of the elements that make up “The Night Ends with Fire,” a novel that completely won me over. From the very first pages I was drawn into the narration, absorbed in an extremely epic world, so much so that I struggled to tear myself away from the pages. I found myself repeatedly laughing, smiling, sighing, swooning, angry and moved, without any moments of boredom or heaviness. In my opinion it is not a perfect book, as mentioned above I perceived several flaws, but it did not bother me and did not affect my very high appreciation. Seriously, I loved it deeply, I cannot express anything but compliments and I am too happy because I had very high expectations! Now, however, I absolutely need the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ☆

𝑅𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓉𝑒: 2nd July 2024

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.

This book had a solid idea, but I spent most of my reading with more questions than answers. The history was lacklustre, the dilemma was hard to pinpoint, and the characters just annoyed me. The writing felt very juvenile and disjointed. The plot lacked a cohesive narrative, and there was a lack of consistency.

There was a lot of time jumps which meant that key character development was happening off page. Meilin didn’t feel connected with anyone and while I understood her situation, it made the relationships feel flat. Especially as she spends a lot of the book wanting to ‘belong’ but only had surface level relationships. There was no real meaning behind them; they felt like a checklist. I don’t even want to talk about the love interests because they were very unoriginal and boring. I wouldn’t even call them romances because there was no chemistry or attraction, and all the moments felt so forced. Plus the men were just not great as people, never mind love interests.

There was a really strong emphasis on Meilin being a women in a man’s world, but it was very repetitive and not nuanced in any way. She never attempts to help any woman either, or make any sort of change. Meilin was (apparently) driven by ambition which I would have loved, if she actually did anything ambitious. Her fighting ability seemed to come and go, and every chance she got to involve herself in politics to further herself, she doesn’t engage. She reminds herself that it’s not her business yet wishes to save her people. I genuinely have never been so angry with a character before. I also found it frustrating that Meilin never asked enough questions or found things out for herself. Instead, avoidable things kept happening to her, which was just embarrassing. This book was meant to be about an ambitious girl who wanted to decide her own destiny, but instead gave me an incredibly passive and bland fmc.

My biggest problem was that it didn’t offer anything new to the retelling of Mulan. Perhaps I had the wrong idea of what this book would be about, but I was hoping for something far more original. The fantastical elements of this book were also a let down, as Meilin very rarely engages with any of the powers available to her. In fact, you could remove them and nothing much would be affected. It’s also marketed as ‘Destined to Rebel’ but there was not much rebellion.

I’m sure that other people might enjoy this book but I did not.

I have received an e-ARC via Netgalley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hodder & Stoughton!

I’ll be upfront and say that I DNF’ed at about 23 %.

I have fond memories of watching the Disney movie of Mulan when I was younger and this book made me want to re-watch it, even if it ended up not being for me. I have also read a translation of The Ballad of Mulan to get myself in the right mood for this story. I could definitely see Mulan elements in the book. It is a far bleaker version than the movie, and Meilin’s motivation to join the military is different, trying to flee from an opium-addicted and abusive father as well as an abusive future husband. She seems to be quite ambitious too. That’s fine, I appreciate a different take on a familiar tale.
I kind of liked the first couple of chapters before she joined the army. The sisterly bond between Meilin and her stepmother was nice to see. Love to see female relationships. Her father read almost cartoonish? Maybe it’s because I didn’t vibe with the writing. There’s some mystery surrounding her mother’s death, the necklace she left for her daughter, and spirit magic that sounded promising.
My issue with this book was that the characters and world didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to get invested in them. It’s unfortunate because it makes the first person POV quite jarring to read when you’re not caring for the main character.
In addition to that the writing just didn’t work for me. It felt not detailed or nuanced enough. I don’t have anything against a more simplistic style. This one didn’t manage to draw me in though. There also was sometimes a repetitiveness and jumpiness to it that threw me out of the story.
Overall, this book felt like bare bones that lacked meat to me. I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. Mulan lovers might still enjoy this story, though.

I adored the Mulan narrative, therefore this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Unfortunately, this book didn't exactly work for me, even though it might appeal to some readers. Despite being described as an adult book, the childish tone and simplistic main character gave the impression of a young adult book. Additionally, the plot felt rushed. I put forth my best effort to continue into 20%, but I wasn't enjoying it. For now, it sits unfinished on my shelf, though I may give it another go later.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, as I loved Disney's Mulan. And I am very grateful to Netgalley and Hodderscape for providing me with this eARC.
Before approaching the book, I didn't know from the premise that the protagonist, Meilin Hai, was driven by greed and ambition rather than a sense of duty. Nevertheless, I was open to a new take on the retelling. I must confess that I struggled with the first 40% of the book, and I can see why some people abandoned it before that point. I considered abandoning it myself. The reason is the writing: it was very rushed, as if (a) it belonged to a draft that had been kept in a drawer, and (b) the author wanted to rush through the story in order to focus on something else that happened afterwards. There was also a lot of narration throughout the book and several time jumps, especially in the first part, which did not allow me to connect with the main character and her relationships with other characters, such as her family and platoon members. In the first 40% she becomes a very well trained soldier without the reader seeing the real effort and learning curve. We are also told from the beginning that Meilin was trained in kung fu by her uncle, but we never see her learning process and improvement. We are told that she is greedy and ambitious, but we don't feel it. We are never exposed to her mindset or understanding of her ambition, other than that she is victimising herself for being a woman and that she deserves to have what men have. This is the point of Mulan, which I loved, but I was annoyed by the way it was handled here. So this book would definitely benefit from more showing than telling.
Also, this book is marketed as adult, but it felt very YA because of the immaturity or impulsiveness of the characters and the lack of description of the setting. A consistent part of the world building is relegated to the chapter headings, which indicates a lack of skill, or it may be part of an author's learning process. Although I might be willing to forgive this in a debut, I prefer the world building to be well integrated into the main text.

"I was fast, I was clever too. Not with words, surely, but in other ways."

"I invoked my ambition. My greed. My undying belief that I was meant for more than this, that I could do so much more than they all believed."

What kept me a bit on the edge of my seat was the interesting magic system with animal spirits manipulating and using the people who own their seals for their own agenda. I thought it was very well done and I am curious to see where it will lead. It was a great foundation and new addition to the plot. I did find it a shame that the addition of the potential love interest(s) felt very forced and cringe-worthy, as it was a very far cry from what the romance was in the original comic.

A few things that annoyed me were the inconsistent naming of people. The story is supposedly set in ancient China and I expect Chinese names. It felt so strange to read about characters named Liu Sky, Sparrow, Red, Autumn, Winter, Plum, etc. Another pet peeve of mine that I have noticed in many Asian books is the use of Chinese words, in this case without any explanation, such as: "you baichi idiot", "haixiao wave", "youtiao". I am aware that the trend these days may be "no footnotes", but I am glad to have a few footnotes to give me an idea of what the author means, rather than having to google them all the time.

Overall, the only aspect that saved this book for me was the magic system, which unfortunately was not enough to make it sufficient, due to too much telling, rushed writing, a lack of characterization of both the main and secondary characters, and a very lackluster romance.