》ARC Review: Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White《
Amélie Wen Zhao’s follow up to Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is an epic finale that weaves words like poetry, crafts action like song, and sings romance like destiny. This story is one that will make your heart glow, make your heart take flight, and make your heart break. It does not shy away from the inevitable, rather it embraces it, heightening its impact upon arrival. These characters are ones whose fiery spirits inspire, whose journeys strive for more, and whose endings felt just and right. 4.5✨
》The Leads《
Zen. It is with Zen we begin this story. His arc is as tremendous as it is heart-wrenching to see unfold. It becomes clear early on just how inescapable his destiny is. Yet within destiny is fated love, a red string tying his soul to Lan’s. His love for Lan, even as they stand on opposing sides, is unrelenting. He dreams of meeting her in another life, a life of peace where the only worries are first loves, adds a touch of tragedy to his journey. Does his path have a chance for happiness in the end? Read to find out!
Lan. Lan is heroine of the tale. Protecting the hopes and dreams of peace for so many, including herself. Yet selflessly she maneuvers, for she is willing to risk it all to see a new dawn, even if it’s one her eyes will never witness. Lan is beautifully strong heroine, vulnerable yet made of steel. Her heart stays the course, even if that means beating to that of Zen’s. Lan is not one who is willing to forgive easily but that boy in her past haunts her. And the love and bond she has with him is unyielding.
Both Zen and Lan are fantastic leads. They present different perspectives while each evolving into who they are meant to be.
》The Romance《
Zen and Lan’s love story is thing of destiny. An inevitability you want to cherish and protect, even as your heart breaks and breaks and breaks. Every time they are on page together, the story brightens, it breathes, it measures in beauty. However,The romance is where I admit I wish the narrative turned onto a slightly different path. So much of the plot hinges on the fated love story of Zen and Lan, yet they spend more often than not away from one another on page. Yes, we know they love each other— especially when we are in Zen’s chapters, it’s clear as day, but the knowing was not always enough. I needed to see it too. I was desperate to see it because every glimpse was magic, but never enough.
This, for me, is the sole qualm, albeit a mighty one, for I do believe the story could have blossomed all the more had that romance been allowed to touch upon more often.
》The World-Building《
The world-building is extravagant, it’s colorful, it’s powerful and it carries over from the first book and builds and builds within this one. It’s quite the magnificent feat to see develop.
That said, I must admit that my enjoyment of this book is not being reflective in this rating, for it was hard for me to hold on to it. I had a very hard time engaging with the plot, principally its world-building, but the reason I did not lower my rating is because I can’t help but feel this trouble in engaging is of my own doing.
This duology is very intricately crafted, every character, every subplot, every name is likely to lead to somewhere or someone significant. I felt I entered into this book close to blind, and that is because I did not reread nor look for a recap of the first book.
I mention this because if, like me, you have trouble storing a detail-heavy story in your mind and/or it has been a while since you read the first book, I think your experience will be augmented if you walk into this sequel with a good recall of its predecessor.
》The Conclusion《
Zhao has another triumph at hand. Her writing is beautiful and soothing on the soul. Her characters come to life: you laugh with them, you grieve with them, you love with them.
I’m so very glad I read this story.
Thank you NetGalley and RandonHouse for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.