I don't think I've ever read anything like this story!
It was a very engrossing story, I kept wanting to continue! And even though this is a novella it really felt as a full story! It definitely did not need any more pages!
I really liked our main character, Lufeng, she really stands for what she beliefs and follows this throughout the story but also listens to the new things she learns along the way. We figure out these mysteries surrounding the king, the marriages and her sisters together with her which I really enjoyed.

2.5☆

as much as I wish I liked this book, i was quite disappointed. I was excited to read a fantasy book that was under 200 pages, however, there was too much world building needed for it to be this short.

the idea was interesting, and I think if this was made into a longer book, I would enjoy it much more. the author created a whole new world with original characters and backstory, but there was much more to the story that we needed to know.

the characters were flat, and I didn't care for any of them. the main character was unlikable and kind of annoying, we didn't get to see her express any real feelings, it felt like she was just there to observe (i blame this on the shortness of the book too). we were told that all these people have different anatomy than us, that they look completely different, but the author barely described them to us, and so I had a very hard time picturing them in my head.

there were many plot twists, which would be good if I wasn't so completely lost in the world. by the time I understood what was happening, the author gave us another new shocking information that I didn't know how to process.

overall, the book was okay, and i would still like to read book n.2 to see how the story turns out :))

Stunning world building. In fact, the worldbuilding alone is 5 stars but the characters really did not interest me at all.

I loved this! Its only flaw is that it’s too short. I would’ve liked have loved to dive deeper into the world. A new favorite author! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this chance to read this book.

*an advanced digital copy was received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang is a beautifully written sci-fi conversation between the natural world vs. an industrial one. We follow Liu Lufeng, the eldest princess of the Feng nation - a nation of people who have bark skin, needles for hair, and deep connection with nature. The Feng nation faces an existential threat from the human nation which seeks to expand into the natural dominion. In a desperate effort to protect their homeland, members of Feng’s royal family are forced to marry the human king one by one. This time, Liu vows to end the destruction by assassinating the King. However, life in the Palace reveals truths about her family, heritage, and the complex dynamics between the two nations.

This world-building is so rich and immersive. The division into four nations—Glace, Clay, the Palace, and Feng—adds depth, with each having its own culture, beliefs, and motivations. Each side thinks they are doing the right thing for their nation and people. The nuanced portrayal of these nations, especially the tension between the Palace (humans) and Feng (wind walkers), keeps the reader invested. The Feng’s deep connection to nature fosters empathy for their struggle, making them compelling underdogs in this narrative. A map would have been an excellent addition to help visualize the proximity and encroachment of the Palace on Feng lands.

Liu is a very in-depth character to read through, especially as she has very strong morals. Her rebellious spirit, strong morals, and deep familial loyalty shape her actions and decisions, making her a fascinating character to follow. Her interactions with other characters, especially her sisters who have also been married off to the King, offer a layered perspective on the Palace vs. Feng conflict. These varying viewpoints enrich the narrative and add emotional complexity.

While the novel excels in world-building and thematic depth, the pacing could be improved. There was a lot of telling and not showing, and in general not a lot of action. It is a good book for setting up a very interesting world, but still needs some work with keeping the reader engaged.

Overall, A Palace Near the Wind is a thought-provoking exploration of the conflict between nature and technology. It presents a vivid, imaginative world and leaves readers with much to ponder, even if the execution isn’t always seamless.

Thank you again NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a great book!! Wow I was not expecting a lot of it and it kept me so engaged! I can’t wait to get this into the hands of some of my students! I do think this will be a hit for many people!

We follow Lufeng, princess of the Feng people, as she tries to navigate the opulent but oppressive world of the humans.

I liked certain parts of this story. It has as unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy. It also highlights a jarring contrast between a developing industry and the natural world which makes you think about the relationship between our society and nature. The plot is very dark and secretive, filled with tensions and conflicts that draw you in.

As intriguing as this world is, the fast-paced plot makes some of the worldbuilding feel rushed. I felt like I couldn’t appreciate it all. It’s an interesting concept and would benefit from more development and a longer format. There’s a wide range of interesting characters, but I couldn’t really connect with them as they felt distant. The haunting details of the palace add to the tension but create a heavy atmosphere. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would but still a fascinating story.

⭐⭐⭐.5 rounded up!

This story had such an interesting concept and was unlike anything I've read before. We follow Lufeng, the eldest princess of the Feng - Wind Walkers - who is due to be the next sacrifice and bride to the human king at the Palace, in order to maintain peace for their land. Her mother and sisters have also been previously sent there, and Lufeng yearns to uncover the truth of what happened to them. She plans to kill the king to put an end to these sacrifices.

This story explores the themes of environment and ecology versus industry and man-made humanity. It had a unique blend of fantasy along with sci-fi. I loved the way the author described the forests and the Feng, who are special in the way they can command the wind. Their deep roots in nature made it all the more magical, and it was so interesting to see how Lufeng slowly came to terms with modern settings and civilisation - for example when she experienced many things for the first time: how it felt to wear shoes and a dress, exploring a market, wearing jewellery, tasting processed and cooked foods, and learning how to read.

There were twists in this book that I didn't see coming, and I felt the pace picked up more around half way through the book once Lufeng began to discover more and more secrets. There were times where I felt the characters were a little bit one-dimensional, but as this is only the first book with an open ending, and I'm sure there's a lot more that is upcoming and awaiting to be discovered. I'm definitely intrigued to see where the story leads next, and I'm excited to see where it will go!

Thank you so much to the author and to TITAN books for the advanced copy. I still can't get over how gorgeous the cover is!

Extremely rich setting and world that got me curious and wishing for more. Ai Jiang's writing is delightful and I loved every page of this book.

This would have easily been a masterpiece if it was somewhere around 300 pages. Certain scenes could have been longer and I wanted to learn more about certain characters.

Ai Jiang created an intriguing world in this lil novel and I can't wait to read the sequel!

"A Palace Near the Wind" by Ai Jiang was a sci-fi solid debut.

This book was not my first impression by her writing. I read a short story written by her a couple of months ago — which was the reason I decided to request an e-arc for A Palace Near the Wind —, and having spent a little longer into her characters and writing was really good.

I enjoyed every single thing about this book very much. The plot, the characters, the writing style etc. Everything was really enjoyable and fun to read.

This was my first science-fantasy read and I am impressed. With less than 200 pages, this novella is not at all light.

The cover and the setting is what drew me in and let me tell you I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one and will definitely be reading any new books by Ai Jiang.

rated: 4.5 stars

i almost regret requesting this on netgalley because its a duology, and the only thing worse than having to wait for a sequel to come out is reading a book four months before its supposed to be published and then having to wait for the sequel to come out.

this was actually excellent for a novella. it was really pacy and with very tight writing that somehow slowly revealed this incredibly well thought out world and fully developed characters all within 200 pages. even with a huge cast of characters that were all involved in complex political machinations, every one of those characters had their own motivations and were working on their own plans in the background, which made the limited perspective of lufeng really shine.

and although a novella duology is a bit of a brave choice imo (because why not just put it all into one standalone novel????) i actually think it might work here. while im holding my breath on a final conclusion until i see the second book, the pacing here was so fast and things just kept on moving in a way i don't think would work nearly as well in a single standalone novel.

half a point off here though because of the sheer amount of failed escape attempts. like i get it ur desperate to leave here girlie but why don't we do some research first. sit tight where u can and then actually do some planning? make some friends? facetime with ur sister? literally anything except for pissing the evilest guy in evildom off <3

and finally, i am calling it RIGHT NOW (and also writing it down so i don't forget) tin??? girlie u are so deeply going to be a bad guy. she is called TIN. and the other two evil/semi-evil but maybe not evil ruler characters are called ZINC and COPPER. like... hello heavy metals????? my bets are currently on a half-sister because she can't read or write, but also... maybe a misdirect?? who knows... anyway they are SOOOOO RELATED.

Ratings
Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Initial Draw: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐
Pacing: ⭐⭐
Finish Line Feeling: ⭐⭐⭐



Review

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this eARC.

First of all the cover for this book is absolutely beautiful. It features a striking colour pallet and a beautiful scene of a girl in the wind in a traditional asian block print art style. The issue I have with this is the girl on the cover is clearly human but the main character is a "tree person" with bark like skin and pine needle hair. Who is this person on the cover?

Besides the cover, the blurb really drew me in. As an activist myself I love the idea of a story that draws parallels between a Chinese fantasy setting and the constant human expansion into and exploitation of the natural world. The execution of this though really lacked any impact on me. The characters were physically described at a basic level but by the end I really felt like I had no better idea about them as people and didn't care about them more than a superficial desire for the the protagonist to succeed. The natural land of 'Feng' they were attempting to protect was also only briefly described and instead the entire story could have largely been in any setting. The main plot was quite heavy handed with a constant reminder the protagonist intended to assassinate the king followed by a change of tact and a then a constant reminder they intended to escape the palace (This is all in the synopsis and not a spoiler.)

Going into this book I also expected there to be more of a linkage to Chinese mythology/religion but besides a relatively generic elemental magic linkage and some of the characters/regions having Chinese names I didn't really get that.

Overall I didn't really enjoy this book but I did enjoy the premise and I am very keen to hear more about Feng and about the industrial nation that attempts to destroy it. I hope the author continues this story and focuses more on what makes this story exciting and less on the generic assassination/escape plot lines.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with this ebook in exchange for an honest review*

This idea was so well-plotted that when I realized it was just a novella, I got disappointed. It had so much potential and the world building was so good that I'm now in a position to ask Jiang's email, to try to convince her to explore the world...more. It was AWESOME!

This had the potential to be an amazing story, but something about it felt not quite right. I think the overall story and characters weren't as fleshed out as they could've been, making the story and the plot twist fall a bit flat for me. Overall, Not a bad read but not one I'll be rereading anytime soon.

From the start, A Palace Near the Wind pulled me in with its breathtaking world-building. The Feng people, with their bark-like faces and braided limbs, were so vividly described that I could practically feel the wind shifting around me. The setting was rich and haunting, and it was clear Ai Jiang poured so much care into crafting this unique world. But as much as I loved the atmosphere, I couldn’t help but feel let down by the rest of the story.

Lufeng’s journey—her struggle between duty and rebellion—had so much potential, but it never quite hit home for me. I wanted to connect with her, to feel her love, fear, and defiance deeply, but her character felt flat. She was more of a vessel for the themes of the story than a person I could truly root for. And the supporting characters? They were barely there, more like shadows than actual people. I kept waiting for the moment when they would come alive, but it never happened.

The plot itself felt rushed, like it was trying to keep up with the world-building but never managed to find its footing. Major moments flew by so quickly that they barely had time to land emotionally, and by the end, I realized I cared more about the world than what was actually happening in it. It felt like the characters and the story were just vehicles to showcase the setting, rather than the other way around.

Don’t get me wrong, Ai Jiang’s writing is beautiful, and the world of the Feng people is unlike anything I’ve read before. But for me, the imbalance between the lush world-building and the underdeveloped characters and plot left the story feeling hollow. If you’re someone who prioritizes atmosphere over narrative, you might enjoy this more than I did. For me, though, it just didn’t quite come together

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for letting me read this story!

I enjoyed this book’s concept very much I loved the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. I thought characters like Feng and Geyser were very well written and I did feel for them given their circumstances.

I rated this book lower because I just didn’t feel the excited or betrayal from the twist of the story. In my reading I felt like the twists just didn’t give a great impact on the story. For example the whole marriage actually being a business contract should have blown my mind or that the king is her father. I wasn’t even shocked when he had sap for blood.

Overall I feel like I just wanted more to the story. I think the universe and the whole concept is just so cool but I think it could be way more developed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars

The premise was really interesting and I usually don't go for this genre of books. Personally, I don't think it was for me but if you do enjoy historical fantasy then I think you should give it a try. I do think my rating is on the lower scale due to personal preference so I still think you should give this a try!

I really enjoyed this story! The main character is Lufeng, who comes from a race of tree-like beings. Her family is bound in a contract to a king, and this first book in the series follows her as she uncovers the secrets of the palace and her family.

I really liked the world building and the different types of beings in this book- it’s something new I haven’t read before. I also liked that this truly can be read by younger readers, and can show them a character with strength of spirit.