.LacyMB reviews ameliewenzhao's SongOfSilverFlameLikeNight, an immersive doorstopper of a fantasy opener that spins a dense, intriguing story of rebellion, hope, and self-discovery.
, the second by the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and the whole thing was sort of eventually overshadowed by a much larger industry debate about representation in teen fiction and the supposed perils of cancel culture. But here’s hoping we don’t make the same mistake with her follow-up,, an immersive doorstopper of a fantasy opener that spins a dense, intriguing story of rebellion, hope, and self-discovery.
Influenced by Chinese mythology, folklore, and xianxia writing, this story clearly has deep roots in Zhao’s own experiences and history, and it’s clear from its first pages—as well as in the author’s note that accompanies it—that this is a tale near and dear to her heart. Her obvious care for every aspect of the tale is evident throughout, from its layered, multidimensional characters to the rich world they inhabit.
When an incident at the teahouse results in a dead Elantian general, Lan is rescued by a mysterious stranger named Zen, one of the last surviving Hin magic practitioners, whose arts have long been forbidden by the conquerors. When he realizes she has abilities of her own and something powerful locked within the mark on her arm, he takes her to the last hidden school of practitioning in China in the hopes of helping her unlock the truth of who she is—and who her mother was.
As protagonists go, Lan is feisty and scrappy, a girl who’s had to learn how to survive on her own because the alternative was to not survive at all. She has vague memories of a time before her country was conquered, and longs to get justice not just for herself and her family, but for the whole world that was destroyed when the Elantians came. As for Zen, he carries dark secrets both literal and figurative, and he struggles with control and guilt in a way that Lan does not.
The story’s unique qi-based magical system stresses duality and balance, and its artful character-based delivery feels rich and unique. Zhao is also careful to show us the dark side of magic through her depiction of the Elantians, who only ever seem to want more power and whose abilities are grounded in theft and consumption.
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