Legend of the White Snake

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 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

Legend of the White Snake is an excellent fantasy debut from Sher Lee, this is a Chinese mythology retelling of sorts, following Xu Xian as he embarks on a quest to find the white snake, which he believes will help cure his sickly mother. However, the white snake he is searching for appears to be closer than he originally thought.

This book was fun to read, fast paced, typical world building you would expect from a YA novel - it focused more on the MCs and side characters, and ultimately the plot. Sher Lee has developed her characters beautifully, the relationship between Zhen and Xu Xian develops very quickly, their connection is very instant (so if you don't like the insta love trope, maybe this one isn't for you) but I feel like this compliments the pace of the story very well. I felt as though I was reading a C-Drama (in the best possible way).

I'm not overly familiar with The Legend of The White Snake, but I did understand exactly what was going on and I don't think it's a factor to consider before reading the book. I did devour this one in one sitting, once I started I just couldn't put it down. There are so many wonderful, witty moment's between MCs (I have tabbed my book within an inch of it's life) and I felt totally captivated by this book.

I went through so many emotions reading TLOTWS, the last few chapters destroyed me (no spoilers here), Xu Xian and Zhen will forever live in my heart from now on.

A gorgeous fantasy debut from Sher Lee, one of my favourite books to publish this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

Sher Lee' debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes was one of my favourite reads of 2023, so I was super excited when she reached out to ask if I'd like an early copy of her fantasy debut! Whilst I did have a fun time reading this book, I admit it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I think the concept of this book is really good and this could've easily been a 5⭐️ read, but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. I started very strong, with a hooking premise, interesting plot, and likeable protagonists, but from the moment Xian and Zhen meet, the plot seems to disappear and the focus is solely on their almost insta-love relationship. Whilst I did like their initial meeting, and could get behind their initial connection, I felt their romance rushed too suddenly into a relationship, and was based more on physical attraction than a deeper connection. Insta-love style relationships are an issue I have quite often with romantasy books (they're not a personal preference of mine), so that did hamper my enjoyment. I did like their relationship more towards the end, but I wish it had been developed more. The individual character development was stronger, but still not as developed as I would like. I did still really like Xian and Zhen as characters and became attached to them both (especially Zhen though, he was my favourite).

I think this book as a whole was quite underdeveloped. The plot got lost a bit and sidelined too much for the romance, and relationships with side characters felt less emotional as we didn't get to know said characters and their connections well enough. There were some interesting themes that I was hoping would be explored more - particularly the differing power dynamics between characters, which was touched on a few times but never in quite enough depth - which I think would've worked better if this book was a lot longer. This also impacted the ending reveals (though I do think these were quite well-crafted reveals and twists that made sense and were satisfying in the plotline) which made them feel somewhat sudden. Whilst this book is a standalone, I personally think it would've worked much better either as a much longer book, or as a duology. This would've, in my opinion, given more time to expand upon the world and magic-system (which were both very interesting, but underutilised) and develop and explore characters and their relationships. The second half of this book (after a big reveal) was quite rushed, but it felt much stronger to me in terms of plot and relationships (I enjoyed Xian and Zhen's romance much more in the second half. I admit to being nearly in tears by the ending chapters and the epilogue because I had become so much more invested and attached to the characters!

It sounds like I'm being really harsh on this book, but I did really enjoy my time reading it (it is most certainly hooking and exciting and I did not want to put it down!) and will probably be buying a physical copy when it releases next month, I just think there was a lot of potential that wasn't fully explored. I do still think this book is good, and do recommend checking it out! I think this was a promising start from Sher Lee in the world of fantasy, and I am excited to see what she will do next!

This is exactly what it says on the tin—a xianxia YA romantasy (ignore the comparison to Dark Heir, that's not what you're getting here). I thought this was well-executed in general. The pacing was really good, with drama at the right moments to keep it all flowing nicely. A lot happens in the last 25%, and it did feel a bit rushed, but not enough to be bothersome.

I've seen some reviews call the relationship between Xian and Zhen insta-love, and while I agree that they very quickly developed feelings for each other, it read more like insta-lust to me, personally. I really liked the beats of the romance. It's sweet and fun, lies and betrayal notwithstanding.

The side characters are also a highlight. The relationship between Qing and Zhen, and Xian and Feng, kind of mirror each other, in that both are found family at its core. The budding romance between Qing and Feng was really cute, too.

I'm not familiar with the original myth, so I have no idea how big of a departure this retelling is, but it gave me exactly what I was expecting, and I had a lot of fun reading it.

I discovered the wonderful world of danmei earlier this year thanks to my friends, and know only a little bit of the legend of the white snake this story was based off of, so I was so excited to read a novel that would give me danmei vibes! I really enjoyed all the story beats and themes with family, duty, equilibrium, and a lot of the characters here too. I also have to say that I really enjoy Sher Lee's writing style here because this book was just so easy to consume and gobble up!!

And Sher also did a great job with taking the original story and making it into a super cute YA queer retelling with a lot of heart. There were some twists and turns I didn't expect in the story overall, which made this even more fun!!

Xian and Zhen were so adorable together and their dynamic & journey was so fun to read. On top of that, their individual character development was well-explored too. The pacing worked out really nicely for a standalone, and while I greedily wish we got some more, I think things would've been too drawn out for the worse if it did.

A really great YA danmei-like standalone experience!

I love this book, it was such a great read. I enjoyed the characters and the story. The pacing was good and didn’t feel dragged out, and I found the concept very interesting to read.

I enjoyed the the story, it was sweet and a gentle introduction to the genre for anyone unused to it. The cultural nuances were well explained and weaved it well. The politics of Chinese Emperors and Kings are firm and bloody, but the book kept things light enough for the age group it's aimed for. The relationship between Xian and Zhen was fun to follow as both of them have good hearts and Qing was a lovely side character. I don't know enough about the original story to give a comparison, but there was a strong plot throughout, so I hope it ticked the boxes for anyone who knows the original tale.

So I will say I know very little about xianxia and have no knowledge at all about the White Snake Legend. I can’t attest to how well this works as a retelling/reimagining. However, in terms of reading it as a myth inspired fantasy I very much enjoyed it.

Feel like this was one that swung me around soooo many different emotions - joy, sorrow, anticipation, anger, hope, despair and relief. Kept me gripped and on edge. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to play out in the end and a couple of twists took me by surprise!

I really loved Xian, Zhen, Quin and Feng. Whilst I’d have maybe liked a bit more depth. I think their characterisation worked well for a YA novel.

I enjoyed the authors first book, but actually liked this way more! Fantasy/myth is definitely more my thing anyway, but I think I found the writing way more engaging and descriptive. Really painted a picture of the setting.

In some ways I think this could have benefitted from being longer. I’d have liked even more of the politics, the relationship developments and world building. But this is a common critique from me so maybe I’m just greedy! 🤣

Really enjoyable and I absolutely must check out more fantasy inspired by Asian myth and culture.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Sher Lee and Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of this!

I didn't know the original Legend of the White Snake from Chinese Mythology when I read this but did go and read about it afterwards because I loved this queer retelling.

As with all mythological retellings from various nations, Sher Lee gives us a fresh look at the origin and for this one, we have Xian who's a prince and Zhen who is a boy who is a transformed snake spirit and their story is indeed a complicated one. I enjoyed this retelling with beautiful world-building that brings the lush countryside of China to life and characters who honour the myth in a well-thought-out manner. Xian and Zhen's love story is swift admittedly but often a strong first love is all-encompassing and everything is both strong and sweeps you away. I did wish that there was a little more depth to the characters with a little bit more background to who they are but I still loved them and was praying that happiness overcame any sorrow they faced. The two of them are soulmates, that is apparent from the way they are from their first encounter and I felt the tension from the page.

I loved how like yin and yang, the two complement one another and provide a balance. Xian is the traditional headstrong, reliant prince he's expected to be where emotions must be quashed and Zhen is gentle, quiet and calmer. Their differing personalities show when their perspective of events is shown and they see the same thing in such a different manner which is often so true in partners or friends.

This is a story that builds in momentum, we begin gently with moments of sorrow and hope only for darkness to descend and the joy and hope to disappear with violence and death to take its place. Sher Lee has written both with thought and it's not overwhelming but is necessary for the myth to be respected and retelling to expand properly.

Throughout, you're going to be hoping the two can return to their happiness. For Xian to be able to understand his emotions and feelings and warranted and allowed.This was a great story, and after reading the story from folklore, an excellent retelling which allows queer representation to take the forefront without taking anything from the origin.

This was another Netgalley find. A queer retelling of White Snake was something I really wanted to read. I am familiar with several different versions of the legend. There were a lot of changes to the story besides the gender of the White Snake. He wasn't already an immortal, Xian was a prince not a doctor, the baddie wasn't a monk, and there was no flood and 100s of deaths! But it still had the same heart. Green Snake was definitely still Green snake. The story was sweet and felt rooted in history despite being a fable. The author also did a good job of introducing elements of Chinese culture without it being annoying for people who already knew about it.
It was a lovely story and I love that queer romance of this story exists for teens to read today. I would recommend it to people of all ages.

This was a really nice read! I'm decently familiar with some of the cultural and historical context, though not the original tale itself. I can't speak to how a reader completely unfamiliar would fare, but I didn't feel bored by the explanations of concepts I was already familiar with.

The sense of setting, especially in the palace Xian called home, was particularly strong, but the thing that shone brightest for me was the characterization of Zhen and Xian. Zhen was interesting and continually surprising with just how *good* he was, while the balance of Xian's kindness with the obvious edge of his upbringing as a prince was really satisfying. I was really taken with the interplay of Xian's position being exciting in its intoxicating power, as well as all the things it took from him. It was fantastically done and definitely a standout element of the book for me.

It was a very sweet romance, even if its contours were pretty predictable. Sometimes sweet and predictable is good :)

The final few parts of the novel were personally a bit fast-paced and all over the place tonally for me, but the content itself was solid and made for a good end to the story.

I would recommend this book as an entry into danmei and chinese fantasy genres. For readers already introduced to the genre, although you may enjoy your time with the book, you also may find some elements lacking. The focus on romance and it's transition into political intrigue gripped me with its fast past but didn't allow for full exploration into other interesting plot points.

This is such a great retelling, I really enjoyed it and loved how it was done.

I only vaguely knew the original story of the Legend of the White Snake so for the most part my view of this novel is unbiased when comparing it to the original tale but I found the story to be entertaining and emotional and very well written. Xian and Zhen are great as main characters and I really like how they were portrayed and developed. I will admit, Xian at the beginning took a little time to warm up to. I loved their relationship and dynamic, it was very sweet and emotional. The side characters were also well developed and added a lot to the story.

I found the entire story to be interesting and I was immersed in the plot. The worldbuilding is solid and easy to follow, it was very well fleshed out.

Also as an aside the cover is absolutely beautiful.

Overall I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more by the author.

If you know me, you'll know I'm a sucker for anything Chinese, with fantasy and tonnes of mythology.
This has all of that and more.. As the title suggests this is about the legend of the white snake but the story is so woven with layers of romance, action AND mythology that it feels real.
The author also explains every tradition mentioned with ease and precision, leaving the reader knowledgeable as well as intruiged.
Nothing is left unturned or uncovered in this book so that it is accessible to ANY age range and also includes lgbtq+ characters opening this book to EVERYONE.
Very enjoyable and interesting read full of mythology and action and twists and turns you don't see coming

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.

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!

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

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.