Legend of the White Snake is a Queer retelling of the Chinese legend by the same title. It follows the story of a Prince that falls in love with a white snake spirit.

In this version Xian- the prince- is searching for a cure for his mother who was poisoned by the bite of a white snake. He goes to Changle to find the cure and in the process meets Zhen, who is a White snake spirit.

When reading this book there are many traditions mentioned but unlike in other book based on Chinese legends that I have read, this one explains these traditions making it easier to follow the story. This makes it a great book to read if you're just getting into reading retellings of Chinese legends.

This book caused me so many emotions throughput. There were scenes so beautiful and funny that I could not look away from it. Some parts were also so anxious packed or so emotional that I was on the edge of my seat hoping I could magically read faster so I could find out what was going to happen and how it would be resolved.

I highly recommend this book to everyone but be prepared to feel some really strong emotions.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was real cute! It was a fun and playful retelling, with sweet characters. The dynamics between them weren’t mind blowing, but they were enjoyable and I found myself getting quite attached to them.

I felt the plot dragged a little in the second half of the book - the editing could be a little tighter, and I felt like it needed to wrap up a little sooner. The villain was a little predictable, but not so much that it was annoying. It all made sense and made for an enjoyable ride.

Cute read, would recommend!

3.75⭐️

I remember eagerly awaiting the release of Fake Dates and Mooncakes last year, and now here I am, reading ARC of Sher Lee's new book, The Legend of the White Snake. In this retelling of a traditional Chinese folktale, a snake spirit transforms into a boy and must hide his true identity after falling for a headstrong prince.

First, can we talk about the cover art? It's absolutely stunning! ️ The snake, the colors, the tiny details, and of course, the characters!! @kuri_huang nailed it! Sher Lee has created a story that is as enchanting as it is heartfelt. The details are perfect, from the translations to the cultural tidbits, making sure readers don't miss a thing. The chemistry between Zhen and Xian is so well done. Their relationship is beautifully written with a mix of tension, tenderness, and undeniable attraction. I loved how their interactions were both sweet and intense, making their bond feel real and deep. And oh, the plot twist! I definitely didn't see it coming. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, it threw in a twist that left me in disbelief.
My only complaint is that the book was short. I wanted more of Zhen and Xian, more of their journey, and more of the characters. This story is so good that I could easily have spent more time in it.

Releasing on 17th October, this book is a must-read for fans of folklore retellings and ya fantasy.

With thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Books for the ARC!

This was a solid 4 star read for me. It's a very fast-paced, fun book with some excellent world-building. I thought this was very well-written and I loved the characters. The descriptions were gorgeously written. My only issue was that I felt that it was too fast-paced. I felt like the characters could've been developed just a tiny bit more by slowing things down and showing the reader how certain events impacted them. However, I feel like I flew threw this book because it was so fast-paced, from about 50% onwards I felt like I couldn't breathe.

I'm glad I picked this book up, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Sher Lee.

4.5! I adored this queernormative retelling of the Chinese legend of the white snake!

We have concepts of fate and characters willing to give up everything for their love, for the balance of the universe. There were moments when I went “oh no” aloud, when I was sure if my heart would stay broken beyond the ending, and am convinced it was anyway but in the best way.

The writing style was accessible, if a little unadorned at times, but in a way where it was simple but beautiful. It didn’t offer too many unnecessary details or flowery statements where this wasn’t needed - the detail was in the way Zhen and Xian interacted, the minutia of their growing relationship, which is exactly where I wanted it. Breadcrumbs of the plot were handily left for us to nibble and enjoy as it thickened, as more moving parts were introduced - but I never felt lost, or alternatively bored, even if there were moments when I suspected what would happen. There was a genuine character-based plot twist though that I really didn’t see coming! Which only added to the stakes. The plot was poetic in its cyclical fashion, really harking back to the nature and form of legends and myths.

I loved the characterisations of Zhen and Xian - with Zhen just capturing my heart! Each of our main protagonists was well fleshed out, compelling and relatable in some way. There were elements to resonate with no matter what path you’ve walked down. The way each character saw - and described on page - the world was also firmly cemented in their own lived experiences down to the similes that Lee chose to use, which seems obvious to comment on but I appreciated this granular care taken over the prose.

Zhen and Xian’s relationship also felt genuine, even if it did hold that admittedly wonderful cliche of love at first sight - but this is the element of fate, of destiny, of two souls meeting and knowing there’s something beyond that regular call of attraction or interest. I adore this trope, and my heart dies a little each time I get to see characters choose each other despite - or perhaps in spite of - their destiny!

Overall it’s a beautiful coming of age story, and one I’ll go back to simply to enjoy all over again.

Sher Lee’s Legend of the White Snake is a queer retelling of the legend of the white snake from Chinese mythology, in which a man falls in love with a white snake spirit. In Sher Lee’s retelling, crown prince Xian hunts for the white snake spirit who stole the cure for his mother’s illness, and meeting then-stablehand Zhen along the way. Zhen is truly the white snake spirit who (unknowingly) stole the cure for his mother’s illness, and as they fall in love he must grapple with the truth whilst trying to keep his secret…

As someone who was wholly unfamiliar with the original story, I didn’t feel as though I needed any background knowledge to understand what was going on (which sometimes happens in other mythological retelling). Sher Lee offered enough explanation that I understood what was going on, and her writing style absolutely fitted with this story.

In reviewing books more critically I have realised that I am very picky when it comes to a book’s pacing😅. Whilst I don’t dislike fast-paced books, I much prefer slower paced, slowburn books. LOTWS is paced on the faster side, but like I said, Sher Lee’s writing style absolutely worked for this story and I really quite enjoyed it, though I will say there are some points in which I wish we’d lingered a little bit more. I would say this is a tell not show sort of book.

One facet I wish we’d lingered on was Xian’s relationship with his elder half brother Wang. Wang appears to be very jealous and resentful of Xian and his mother, who was a commoner and a concubine. Whilst Sher Lee makes this jealously very clear, we don’t see much of Wang until the book’s second half, and his malicious intent isn’t revealed until the final third, when he tries to kill Xian and frame Zhen for it so that he may become heir. Xian sets off on his hunt for the white snake very early on in the book, but I wish Sher Lee had lingered a little bit and had given us a more detailed picture of their relationship and of the situation in court in general.

I also wish there had been a little bit more foreshadowing when it came to the reveal that Fahai was truly a spirit who wanted the pearl cure for himself. Perhaps it went over my head (it perhaps wouldn’t be a surprise if it did…) but I just wish a little bit more groundwork had be laid, because the reveal seemed to come a little bit out of nowhere.

That being said, the fast paced nature of the book really did work, and for that I have no complaints! I guess I just prefer a pacing that works for the individual story. It mostly lingers in the right places and moves quickly in others.

The characters of this book are also something to note. Xian and Zhen narratively sound very similar, which caught me a few times, but I got to know who was who over time. They are definitely the focus of the book (which is perhaps unsurprising, since they are the main characters), but there are characters like Qing - who is like a sister to Zhen - and Xian’s bodyguard Feng, who play off of them very well and are certainly enjoyable.

All in all I would say this is a four star read for me! I enjoyed it thoroughly, and most things worked in this book’s favour - I just took issue with the pacing at points.

----------------------------------------
♟️Rating:3/5⭐
----------------------------------------
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
I had pretty high expectations before reading this book since I love reading danmei. I was also pretty interested in seeing Sher’s take on this legend since there are countless adaptations out there.

Unfortunately, I had some trouble trying to flow with the book at the beginning due to the constant explanations of certain cultural facts and historical background. It sort of ruins the flow especially when some of the things mentioned (descriptions of pagoda or inner palace courts) are not necessarily important to the plot. I do understand that Sher is trying to help her western audience have a better understanding of Chinese culture. However, I do wish that it was done in a more organic and fluid manner rather than just listing out the facts. (more showing, less telling) I also feel that certain facts can be overlooked, so that we can have more character development instead.

The middle portion where Zhen and Xian finally met at Changle was much better and I had a really fun time reading through their interactions. However, it became dreary after a while since the characters were just ‘fated to be’. I do not mind cliches if executed correctly, in fact cliches are wonderful when done correctly. In this case, the author seemed focused on banking the fact as to why Zhen and Xian loved each other immediately was due to fate. I would love to have more character development between them (look at angst) before the characters got together, so that it wouldn’t be just a meet-cute. I feel like the characters in general would benefit from having a slow/quiet moment (Hayao Miyazaki’s Ma), so that us readers can get a better sense of what the characters are feeling. It’s after all one of the key secret ingredients in order to write a good danmei. After all, there’s a saying “longing makes the heart grow fonder”. (It might be a me problem since I’m used to reading through one full length novel in order to get my characters to hold hands in the second book)

Zhen and Qing had a pretty interesting backstory, and I was kind of disappointed that it wasn’t utilised to its fullest potential. Even though the original legend of the white snake is a romance novel, there’s also an element of wuxia and xianxia to it. I wished there were more actual fight scenes other than that one fight scene at the beginning (the tavern). Maybe an actual martial arts showdown between (ahem you know who) and Zhen, Xian, and Qing would have been better rather than just…straight up walking to your demise? (I disliked the bad guy revealing their evil schemes as well, like we get it…just get them!)

Speaking of the ending, it was quite rushed and I felt that there were just too many elements being thrown in at the last minute. I feel that rather than having so many elements or conflicts thrown at one go, the author could have invested in just one solid plot and invested in a solid character development. We did not get to see much character development from Xian, and he just felt flat near the end for me. Zhen was mostly the one trying to help him and Xian was just there.

All in all, I feel that I wasn’t the intended audience for this book. However, if you’re a newcomer who wants to read books related to Chinese mythology or danmei, then this is a good introductory book for you! (It is also good for those who do not know the actual legend of the white snake plot) This book ultimately only managed to hit the superficial points/vibes in a danmei novel but failed to fully capture the essence of what precisely made these popular danmei novels so addictive to read. Nonetheless, there’s definitely lots of potential in Sher’s writing, and I will keep a lookout for her future books. Thank you once again for the free ARC!

Before beginning I just want to thank NetGalley and First Ink for giving me a copy to review!

To be quite honest, I had high expectations for this book. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest!

I would have been happy even if the story was only half as beautiful as the cover, and half as interesting as the blurb. The plot moved at a lovely pace, resulting in me reading the entire novel in one sitting. The characters were endearing, I had a particular soft spot for Zhen and his sister Qing. The world was described beautifully, with an emphasis on dumplings that left me craving some once I finally put the book down.

My only critique is that occasionally the writing felt slightly off. Certain words or phrases were repeated too often, I specifically remember “other boy” being said a few times. This is not to say that this was a bad novel and that it ruined my experience, it didn’t whatsoever. I just felt that a slight bit more editing as a whole could have really pushed this book to perfection. However, this small critique truly pales in comparison to the simply wonderful tale between Zhen and Xian.

Nonetheless, an enchanting read!

Not gonna lie, but this was just boring and predictable to me.

Don't get me wrong, though. Predictability in itself does not mean it's bad. When utilized well, well-expected twists or plot beats can be entertaining or tug on the readers heartstrings.

Legend of the White Snake is not one of those books.

Xian and Zhen are so bland they'd make cardboard look defined and fleshed out. Zhen's backstory was kind of interesting enough to make some potential out of it, but it was very much squandered. It only takes one look from both boys to realize they were in love with the other. Granted, there was some hesitancy due to acknowledged, and enormous, power imbalance between the two. But they still get together so quick I hardly had the time to process it, especially when Xian asked Zhen to move in with him after, like, they slept together. Nothing about this relationship felt natural or organic; the boys are too one-dimensional for me to get fully invested in them.

I don't know the original story, but what I do know it that it's not standard to title your book on the very thing your basing your story on. I don't know if the blame lies with the author or the publisher for doing something this dumb. Either way, that's still a slight from me.

The story was so lacking and beat by beat in the worse way. Of course, there was the inevitable liar/betrayer revealed moment, the forgiveness arc, the big bad guy twist followed by the monologue explaining their evil back story, sacrificing of the self to bring a beloved back to life only to miraculously come back from the dead, too, in the epilogue, I was basically scrolling through the pages just to get through the book quickly to be done with it. I did not care enough for the characters or this world to be wholly invested into it.

The only thing I did like was the tidbits of snake biology sprinkled throughout the story. Sure, they were jarring and took me out of the story, but I liked learning about snakes. It made me want to pick up a snake biology book rather than continue to read this.

All in all, this just wasn't for me. I always hope I'll enjoy whatever book I pick up, but, more often than not, there'll be the ones like this where I won't.

What better time to read this than during Pride Celebration Month?

I absolutely adored this book! From the moment I stumbled upon it, I knew it would be something I would enjoy: Asian fantasy, a Chinese folk tale retelling, and historical fiction – yet I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I anticipated! I must say, it is probably my favourite read so far of 2024.
A great story comes with great characters, and this book absolutely has it all. The main romantic interests, Xian and Zhen, were both so likable, and I also adored Qing – she is the best little sister anyone could possibly wish for. This story was exciting, gripping, emotional, and moving. I was taken on a truly beautiful and enchanting journey, and I was so immersed, I often found myself completely lost in this world.

Sher’s writing flows like liquid silk. I adored her way of storytelling, especially when it came to the heartfelt emotions and intense romantic feelings between Xian and Zhen. I flew through this book, and it was such a joy to read. Not only was it heartwarming and wholesome, it was also full of action and surprises, and it had me hooked from start to finish. I loved the twist and turns, and the elements of Chinese culture were interwoven so beautifully.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Sher Lee for the e-ARC, I feel so privileged to be able to experience this beautiful fantasy world in advance, and I am so excited for its official release. This story absolutely has my heart, and if you’re one to enjoy Asian fantasy, myths and legends, romance and LGBTQ themes, I am sure it will have yours too.

P.S. Deng I think I forgive you. Maybe. Maybe not.

Thank you to Netgalley and First Ink for giving me an ARC in return for a honest, fair review.

TLDR: this book destroyed me, ruined me, made me sob my heart out on a crowded train and it's favourite book of the year (so far)

I'm a sucker of Chinese mythos and for queer romance so this was a match made in heaven for me - and god it did not disappoint!

The story follows Xian as he attempts to find a cure for his mother after his first attempt seven years away was thwarted by a white snake - who just happens to be the beautiful, other-wordly Zhen who's now taken human form. The plot is great, both characters have good motivations, and nothing is left unturned. The resolutions has the story wrapped up so neatly, it's honestly quite the feat that I'm in awe of.

But, of course, the characters are perhaps the strongest part and Xian's and Zhen's love story feels real and tender. The supporting cast of Feng and Qing are also real and so vibrant that you can't help but fall in love with them. They enhance an already great plot and that's so refreshing to see!

My only thing I didn't "like" was the writing is plain in areas and doesn't really envoke anything too vivid. In areas, this did annoy me but this book is such a good time that I was eventually able to overlook it and fully immerse myself.

Overall, this book is heart-wrenching and tender in equal measure helped with a sharp plot and sharper characters. I'm so disappointed it's over but I'm so glad I got to take this journey with these characters.

Currently, my best read of 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Children's Books for approving my request to read an arc of this book.

Fake Dates And Mooncakes was Sher Lee’s debut novel and while I enjoyed that one, I was so excited for Legend Of The White Snake. Being an avid fan of The Untamed and other historical Chinese fantasy shows and books I was sure that this would be right up my street. I read through this book so fast because of the gripping plot and suspense. I needed to know how it would end. My favourite character was Zhen. I wanted to protect him so badly!
All in all this book did not disappoint. The only thing I wished for is more moments between Xian and Zhen because I loved them so much.

CW’s gore, torture, injury detail, blood

3.5 stars rounded up.
This isn't something I would typically pick up but it was put on my radar by a friend and I ended up having a good time. Legend of the White Snake was fun, fast-paced, and very sweet. I'm not at all familiar with the legend this is based on but I've been in the mood for Asian fantasy and really enjoyed the integration of Chinese mythology/culture into the book. I liked the characters, Xian, Zhen, and Qing in particular, but think they would have benefited from more time to sit with events. Because the plot is so fast-paced, we don't always get a sense of what they're feeling, and they end up coming across as shallow at times because of this. On a similar note, I would have enjoyed more exploration of the world/setting, though I understand it's not the main focus of the book.

Thank you NetGalley/First Ink for the ARC.