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Legend of the White Snake
A gender-flipped reimagining of one of China’s four famous folktales, with the xianxia vibes of A Magic Steeped In Poison and the queer romance of Dark Rise. A teen boy must hide his true identity as a white snake spirit when he falls in love with a prince hunting for a white snake for the antidote to cure his dying mother, who was bitten by one.
Coming 2024 from Quill Tree/HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK)
Coming 2024 from Quill Tree/HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK)
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2024
243 people are currently reading
22410 people want to read
About the author
Sher Lee
3 books578 followersSher Lee writes young adult novels with Asian characters. She lives in Singapore and has an abiding love for local street food (including an incredible weakness for xiao long bao). She has two adorable corgis, Clover and Spade.
Her debut YA rom-com, FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES, is published by Penguin Random House (US) and Macmillan (UK), and has been translated in Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, and the Czech Republic.
Her YA fantasy, LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE, is published by HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK), and will be translated in Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Brazil.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Her debut YA rom-com, FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES, is published by Penguin Random House (US) and Macmillan (UK), and has been translated in Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, and the Czech Republic.
Her YA fantasy, LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE, is published by HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK), and will be translated in Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Brazil.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 883 reviews
August 26, 2024
If you like xianxias, wuxias, and danmeis, you might like this one. It’s still a young adult novel at its core and therefore features the traditional style of the genre, but it still offers a glimpse into a unique take of a Chinese fairy tale with its own twists. As someone who struggles getting into xianxia and wuxia dramas, this was a fun read. And while I am not familiar with The Legend of the White Snake at all (I have not seen the drama, either), I don’t think it made an impact on my overall enjoyment. Those a fan of, or familiar with the tale, may appreciate the historical, political, and fantasy elements a bit more, but I still enjoyed it for what it offered and found myself thoroughly entertained.
I haven’t read Sher Lee’s debut novel, Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and it’s mostly out of fear of not enjoying it after hearing mixed reviews, but considering I had a hold at my library for this, I knew I needed to download the ARC when the opportunity came up. And honestly, I enjoyed it. Can’t complain about that.
I normally do not comment on whether I agree or don’t agree with reviewers, but I gotta make an exception here: I agree with others when they say the relationship is insta-love. There’s hardly any development for it, and there is no sign of it being slow burn. I think most of this comes from a couple things, like the stakes at risk, Zhen hiding his real identity from Xian, and, well…they’re both growing boys on the brisk of young adults. Personally, I didn’t mind it, but I completely understand why and how it will not work for others. I think being aware of this may help others have a better and bigger idea of what to expect in terms of romance. As an avid young adult romance reader, this isn’t anything new and shocking to me anymore. I think slow burn YA romance is quite hard to find, if you ask me. Could this have been better had it been a slow burn or the author added more development before feelings were confessed? Oh, 100%. But again, I didn’t care nor mind. And I think common watchers of Chinese dramas may even understand, too, considering how dramatic they can be. I found the relationship to be developed well even after the feelings came into consideration quickly. Both boys spend quite some time (although limited) together and are able to see more about each other besides just their physical appearance. I think what helped me appreciate the romance more was that besides it being insta-love, I still found the relationship cute, and that really is enough for me. I’m simple. If a relationship makes me smile and awe in delight, there is a bigger chance of the story being a winner for me, and this one did.
I loved the cultural aspect of this. The xianxia element is strong, as the novel is a retelling of the legend of the white snake, but instead of a female snake spirit falling for a young man, it’s a male snake spirit falling for the Crown Prince. There’s a lot of inspiration from Chinese culture, and I think it’s fair to say there’s a lot to learn about Chinese mythology and philosophy but also cultural customs and traditions.
But unfortunately, this whole story was not the best reading experience. The plot is a bit brinked, and I believe the author could’ve used a couple more pages to develop it more. It felt as if we started the plot a certain way, and mid way, especially as the relationship between Xian and Zhen was developing, it lost its original idea/method. The breaking point happened a little after the middle, around the 60% mark, which left me a bit confused as to how things would unfold. And don’t get me wrong, I think the author did a great job with the timeline and bringing it all together; I just think things were wrapping up too quickly. Most of the book is spent in Changle, which makes sense, considering Xian’s hope of finding the white snake and pearl to heal his mother starts there, but at the same time, it felt like the entire prospect of Changle was forgotten. There was hardly anything really related to the setting and its people, and as a book in the fantasy genre, I think that’s a weak point. I personally love fantasy for world building, but it felt severely lacking here. There was plenty to appreciate about culture, tradition, customs, logic, and language, yet the world building, the people, and everything that made Changle and Wuyue its places were underwhelming. I’m the type of reader who can and likes to envision what she reads, and while this isn’t exactly a problem many people will face, not being able to do so feels a little weak to me.
The characters are a mixed bag for me. I had my issues with both Xian and Zhen, and I couldn’t bring myself to love them in every scene. Xian, for starters, was a prick at times, and I hated his constant victimization; Zhen, on the other hand, was just a bit too empathetic for my liking. Once again, this won’t be an issue for everyone, but with this being fantasy and xianxia, I was expecting a bit more complexity for the characters. Both characters came off as one-dimensional. I was not a fan of how humble Zhen came across. He came off as weak and muted. Throughout the whole story, he has a certain role of his character that does not allow him to have character development. On the other hand, Xian wasn’t much better. I thought he wasn’t consistent with himself. His character One moment I liked him, and the next I wanted to strangle him. His personality was unsteady, showing a confusing perspective, and it was difficult to rely on him. Both boys lacked character development, sticking to a certain role of who they were. There was no complexity for either of them.
The epilogue was a bit of a let down. As sentimental as I am, and as I can admit I shed a few tears, I am not a fan of the types of epilogues this story has. Either give me the happy ending or the sad one, I don’t care, but something about the whole “___ days/months/years later” endings make me mad.
While I did have some issues, they weren’t too grand and large to affect my enjoyment by a long shot. I still had a good time with this and would definitely recommend it to the right audience. Unfortunately, it did not improve my mixed relationship with wuxias and xianxias, but it did spike some curiosity, so I may give in and try something else at some point.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t read Sher Lee’s debut novel, Fake Dates and Mooncakes, and it’s mostly out of fear of not enjoying it after hearing mixed reviews, but considering I had a hold at my library for this, I knew I needed to download the ARC when the opportunity came up. And honestly, I enjoyed it. Can’t complain about that.
I normally do not comment on whether I agree or don’t agree with reviewers, but I gotta make an exception here: I agree with others when they say the relationship is insta-love. There’s hardly any development for it, and there is no sign of it being slow burn. I think most of this comes from a couple things, like the stakes at risk, Zhen hiding his real identity from Xian, and, well…they’re both growing boys on the brisk of young adults. Personally, I didn’t mind it, but I completely understand why and how it will not work for others. I think being aware of this may help others have a better and bigger idea of what to expect in terms of romance. As an avid young adult romance reader, this isn’t anything new and shocking to me anymore. I think slow burn YA romance is quite hard to find, if you ask me. Could this have been better had it been a slow burn or the author added more development before feelings were confessed? Oh, 100%. But again, I didn’t care nor mind. And I think common watchers of Chinese dramas may even understand, too, considering how dramatic they can be. I found the relationship to be developed well even after the feelings came into consideration quickly. Both boys spend quite some time (although limited) together and are able to see more about each other besides just their physical appearance. I think what helped me appreciate the romance more was that besides it being insta-love, I still found the relationship cute, and that really is enough for me. I’m simple. If a relationship makes me smile and awe in delight, there is a bigger chance of the story being a winner for me, and this one did.
I loved the cultural aspect of this. The xianxia element is strong, as the novel is a retelling of the legend of the white snake, but instead of a female snake spirit falling for a young man, it’s a male snake spirit falling for the Crown Prince. There’s a lot of inspiration from Chinese culture, and I think it’s fair to say there’s a lot to learn about Chinese mythology and philosophy but also cultural customs and traditions.
But unfortunately, this whole story was not the best reading experience. The plot is a bit brinked, and I believe the author could’ve used a couple more pages to develop it more. It felt as if we started the plot a certain way, and mid way, especially as the relationship between Xian and Zhen was developing, it lost its original idea/method. The breaking point happened a little after the middle, around the 60% mark, which left me a bit confused as to how things would unfold. And don’t get me wrong, I think the author did a great job with the timeline and bringing it all together; I just think things were wrapping up too quickly. Most of the book is spent in Changle, which makes sense, considering Xian’s hope of finding the white snake and pearl to heal his mother starts there, but at the same time, it felt like the entire prospect of Changle was forgotten. There was hardly anything really related to the setting and its people, and as a book in the fantasy genre, I think that’s a weak point. I personally love fantasy for world building, but it felt severely lacking here. There was plenty to appreciate about culture, tradition, customs, logic, and language, yet the world building, the people, and everything that made Changle and Wuyue its places were underwhelming. I’m the type of reader who can and likes to envision what she reads, and while this isn’t exactly a problem many people will face, not being able to do so feels a little weak to me.
The characters are a mixed bag for me. I had my issues with both Xian and Zhen, and I couldn’t bring myself to love them in every scene. Xian, for starters, was a prick at times, and I hated his constant victimization; Zhen, on the other hand, was just a bit too empathetic for my liking. Once again, this won’t be an issue for everyone, but with this being fantasy and xianxia, I was expecting a bit more complexity for the characters. Both characters came off as one-dimensional. I was not a fan of how humble Zhen came across. He came off as weak and muted. Throughout the whole story, he has a certain role of his character that does not allow him to have character development. On the other hand, Xian wasn’t much better. I thought he wasn’t consistent with himself. His character One moment I liked him, and the next I wanted to strangle him. His personality was unsteady, showing a confusing perspective, and it was difficult to rely on him. Both boys lacked character development, sticking to a certain role of who they were. There was no complexity for either of them.
The epilogue was a bit of a let down. As sentimental as I am, and as I can admit I shed a few tears, I am not a fan of the types of epilogues this story has. Either give me the happy ending or the sad one, I don’t care, but something about the whole “___ days/months/years later” endings make me mad.
While I did have some issues, they weren’t too grand and large to affect my enjoyment by a long shot. I still had a good time with this and would definitely recommend it to the right audience. Unfortunately, it did not improve my mixed relationship with wuxias and xianxias, but it did spike some curiosity, so I may give in and try something else at some point.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2023
The images aren’t being used commercially. They’re not in her book. They aren’t even being used for official promotion. They’re allowed to be in her mood boards, for pity’s sake. What all these one star reviews are doing is damaging a new author with likely zero advertising support from the publishing house trying to carve more space for Asian stories in a market dominated by white people. All the vitriolic WoH fans coming after Sher for something completely benign are in the wrong and need to ask themselves who they’re really helping by cutting down a marginalized person before they’ve had a chance to even find a foothold in publishing. It’s messed up.
October 16, 2024
A magnetic connection, an unresistible pull, soulmates. That’s how I’d describe the way Xian and Zhen felt about each other from the moment they met.
I’m not a huge fantasy reader; I’ve said it before. Most and for all, I’m a contemporary lover. But sometimes, a fantasy book pulls me in, and I can’t let go. Legend of the White Snake is such a book. It reads like a historical (YA) romance set in ancient China with some fantasy elements added.
The start of this story, told from a dual perspective, blew me away. Xian and Zhen are both wonderful MCs, Xian the resilient, headstrong prince, and Zhen, the gentle, calm boy/white snake—two boys who immediately feel a bond with each other.
I loved the interaction between those two, the pulling and the pushing, and the tropes used (there’s only one room/bed!). Legend of the White Snake is on the lighter and sweeter side, just like Sher Lee’s debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes, especially in the first part of the story. My lips curved up in a smile so many times. The second part got a bit harsher, there are fights and people die, but that bond between those two boys was always palpable. And isn’t that cover stunning? It fits the softness of this story so well!
Thank you, Allison, from HarperCollins, and of course, dear Sher, for this ARC! I can’t wait to have the book in my hands! I
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I’m not a huge fantasy reader; I’ve said it before. Most and for all, I’m a contemporary lover. But sometimes, a fantasy book pulls me in, and I can’t let go. Legend of the White Snake is such a book. It reads like a historical (YA) romance set in ancient China with some fantasy elements added.
The start of this story, told from a dual perspective, blew me away. Xian and Zhen are both wonderful MCs, Xian the resilient, headstrong prince, and Zhen, the gentle, calm boy/white snake—two boys who immediately feel a bond with each other.
I loved the interaction between those two, the pulling and the pushing, and the tropes used (there’s only one room/bed!). Legend of the White Snake is on the lighter and sweeter side, just like Sher Lee’s debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes, especially in the first part of the story. My lips curved up in a smile so many times. The second part got a bit harsher, there are fights and people die, but that bond between those two boys was always palpable. And isn’t that cover stunning? It fits the softness of this story so well!
Thank you, Allison, from HarperCollins, and of course, dear Sher, for this ARC! I can’t wait to have the book in my hands! I
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Want to read
October 26, 2024Can't wait to read this!
10/2024 EDIT 2: I will have my copy soon but also ignore the text below if you don’t care about weird mood board drama from a while ago. I’m keeping it in for archival purposes and because once something like this happens again for a diff boom I don’t wanna rewrite my whole spiel with the same points.
EDIT: Look why is there discourse about this book when it's not even out? This is gonna be a word vomit about that and not the book.
10/2024 EDIT 2: I will have my copy soon but also ignore the text below if you don’t care about weird mood board drama from a while ago. I’m keeping it in for archival purposes and because once something like this happens again for a diff boom I don’t wanna rewrite my whole spiel with the same points.
EDIT: Look why is there discourse about this book when it's not even out? This is gonna be a word vomit about that and not the book.
October 17, 2024
I spent the last 15% of this book SOBBING my eyes out, I was grabbing tissues left and right and the tears are still coming even though I'm done. I loved this book so much.
It's super easy to read, and I think even if you aren't familiar with the legend this book is a retelling of, you'll have no problems getting into the story.
I really liked the pacing, there was a good balance between getting to know the characters, and working on moving the plot along. But we could've used some more pages to stretch the ending events out a bit.
Character wise, I loveeeeed everyone, but especially Qing, who was the funniest. I'd love to see her and Feng in their own spinoff at some point. Generally speaking though, everything was wrapped up nicely, so I'm not sure if there's a need for a sequel. But again, if we get it, I'm reading it.
At the start, I related a lot more to Zhen than to Xian, but I was won over by the latter somewhere along the way. I couldn't help but smile at their romantic scenes, they were so cute, and had so much tension from the moment they met. That's so hard to do!
As a retelling, this works well. I actually used to rewatch different adaptations of this legend religiously, so if I'm happy with this book, you will be too. Sher Lee did it justice.
And that extremely vivid worldbuilding?? I swear, I was THERE, experiencing every single moment with the characters. I'd give five stars just for that.
Now that (stressful!!) ending...I fear I'll be needing a few business days to recover. So much happened and I swear I was holding my breath in the entire time.
The amount of pain I went through while reading this is something I wasn't expecting, but I'm so glad Legend of the White Snake managed to hurt me so much. It earned its place on my ultimate favourite books shelf.
This is also my very first book by this author, but definitely not my last. I'll be going back to read her debut, and I'm seated for whatever she puts out next.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
It's super easy to read, and I think even if you aren't familiar with the legend this book is a retelling of, you'll have no problems getting into the story.
I really liked the pacing, there was a good balance between getting to know the characters, and working on moving the plot along. But we could've used some more pages to stretch the ending events out a bit.
Character wise, I loveeeeed everyone, but especially Qing, who was the funniest. I'd love to see her and Feng in their own spinoff at some point. Generally speaking though, everything was wrapped up nicely, so I'm not sure if there's a need for a sequel. But again, if we get it, I'm reading it.
At the start, I related a lot more to Zhen than to Xian, but I was won over by the latter somewhere along the way. I couldn't help but smile at their romantic scenes, they were so cute, and had so much tension from the moment they met. That's so hard to do!
As a retelling, this works well. I actually used to rewatch different adaptations of this legend religiously, so if I'm happy with this book, you will be too. Sher Lee did it justice.
And that extremely vivid worldbuilding?? I swear, I was THERE, experiencing every single moment with the characters. I'd give five stars just for that.
Now that (stressful!!) ending...I fear I'll be needing a few business days to recover. So much happened and I swear I was holding my breath in the entire time.
The amount of pain I went through while reading this is something I wasn't expecting, but I'm so glad Legend of the White Snake managed to hurt me so much. It earned its place on my ultimate favourite books shelf.
This is also my very first book by this author, but definitely not my last. I'll be going back to read her debut, and I'm seated for whatever she puts out next.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
December 7, 2024
a queer retelling of a traditional chinese folktale with a lot of heart
it was fun to read, emotional at points, and i even cackled aloud at some of the humor. i never felt bogged down with worldbuilding or info dumping, and i loved the descriptions. it was also cool to have a lot of chinese sayings interspersed throughout.
i don't know the original story, but the pacing held up well throughout and the story never felt cliche or predictable.
an overall enjoyable read!
it was fun to read, emotional at points, and i even cackled aloud at some of the humor. i never felt bogged down with worldbuilding or info dumping, and i loved the descriptions. it was also cool to have a lot of chinese sayings interspersed throughout.
i don't know the original story, but the pacing held up well throughout and the story never felt cliche or predictable.
an overall enjoyable read!
October 15, 2024
Xian is a prince who meets a snake spirit named Zhen, who he later decides he wants to be his concubine. Xian is after a spirit pearl that has magical abilities that can help heal his mother’s sickness. Zhen tries to keep his true identity a secret from Xian once he finds out that he’s the exact snake spirit the prince is looking for. i enjoyed this more than i thought i would but the romance between these two boys was so sweet and i loved how Xian never made Zhen feel pressured to do anything he didn’t want to. i also liked the side characters and the plot kept my attention with no problems. the magic was interesting and the ending is sort of bittersweet but it was just so endearing to see the lengths they’d go to in order to be together.
February 10, 2025
Gostei muito mais do que estava à espera!
Leu-se super bem, fiquei completamente viciada a partir de um terço do livro até ao fim adorei adorei adorei.
E o final🥹🥹🥹
Leu-se super bem, fiquei completamente viciada a partir de um terço do livro até ao fim adorei adorei adorei.
E o final🥹🥹🥹
June 19, 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.
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.
December 18, 2024
➸ 4 stars
𓍢⊹ ࣪ thank you to netgalley for the arc!
i really enjoyed reading this one!! two people from different words who are meant to be together overcoming odds pushing them apart and finding their way back to each other? ate it up!! i absolutely adored zhen, he deserves the world and all the happiness ever!! i thought xian was okay, when the reveal happened i wasn’t liking his character all that much and even though there was a reason for it, it still hurt! i did love zhen and xian together!! they were the absolute cutest; the stolen glances, the tenderness and the yearning was so perfectly written and i love them so much!!
“But out here on their own, Xian and Zhen weren’t a prince and a snake spirit; they were two boys who would risk their lives for each other, again and again, without thinking twice.”
the side characters were amazing too! i loved qing!! she’s an amazing friend and is loyal to her heart! i loved her friendship with zhen so much and how they’d stay by each others sides no matter what! and then there was feng, the moody and hilarious bodyguard who’s also loyal to a fault, he protected xian throughout this entire book and i loved their friendship!! qing and feng… they had something brewing and i would absolutely eat up a book about them!!
the plot twist in this book went crazy and i never would’ve expected it!! after it happened my mind went to that little throwaway comment at the beginning and the author is a genius because my jaw dropped to the floor!!
overall, i really enjoyed reading this and loved the story!!
“You…you gave up eternity to come back to me?”
“It wasn’t even a choice.”
𓍢⊹ ࣪ thank you to netgalley for the arc!
i really enjoyed reading this one!! two people from different words who are meant to be together overcoming odds pushing them apart and finding their way back to each other? ate it up!! i absolutely adored zhen, he deserves the world and all the happiness ever!! i thought xian was okay, when the reveal happened i wasn’t liking his character all that much and even though there was a reason for it, it still hurt! i did love zhen and xian together!! they were the absolute cutest; the stolen glances, the tenderness and the yearning was so perfectly written and i love them so much!!
“But out here on their own, Xian and Zhen weren’t a prince and a snake spirit; they were two boys who would risk their lives for each other, again and again, without thinking twice.”
the side characters were amazing too! i loved qing!! she’s an amazing friend and is loyal to her heart! i loved her friendship with zhen so much and how they’d stay by each others sides no matter what! and then there was feng, the moody and hilarious bodyguard who’s also loyal to a fault, he protected xian throughout this entire book and i loved their friendship!! qing and feng… they had something brewing and i would absolutely eat up a book about them!!
the plot twist in this book went crazy and i never would’ve expected it!! after it happened my mind went to that little throwaway comment at the beginning and the author is a genius because my jaw dropped to the floor!!
overall, i really enjoyed reading this and loved the story!!
January 25, 2025
DNF @ 50%
I picked this up because I was having FOMO and wanted a nice easy read in-between series. I usually wouldn't rate a book I've DNF but sometimes in life exceptions need to be made.
I don't like the characters. I agree with other reviews that they are under-developed.
Prince Xian (MC) is an *sshole and Zehn (ML) was too much of a pushover for my tastes.
I didn't really care for the plot. And I absolutely hated the 'romance'. I didn't think the insta-love would bother me but it did.
However, the writing was nice and I appreciated the short chapters. This story would've been better as a duology because there's great ideas but the execution just wasn't to my tastes.
Disclaimer:
I'm a hardcore danmei fan so had certain expectations going in. For beginners to this type of genre I can see them enjoying it. I'm also not in the YA age bracket and therefore aren't the target audience. Basically take this review with a massive pinch of salt and don't let me put you off picking it up. The beauty of Goodreads is that we all have different opinions after all.
I picked this up because I was having FOMO and wanted a nice easy read in-between series. I usually wouldn't rate a book I've DNF but sometimes in life exceptions need to be made.
I don't like the characters. I agree with other reviews that they are under-developed.
Prince Xian (MC) is an *sshole and Zehn (ML) was too much of a pushover for my tastes.
I didn't really care for the plot. And I absolutely hated the 'romance'. I didn't think the insta-love would bother me but it did.
However, the writing was nice and I appreciated the short chapters. This story would've been better as a duology because there's great ideas but the execution just wasn't to my tastes.
Disclaimer:
I'm a hardcore danmei fan so had certain expectations going in. For beginners to this type of genre I can see them enjoying it. I'm also not in the YA age bracket and therefore aren't the target audience. Basically take this review with a massive pinch of salt and don't let me put you off picking it up. The beauty of Goodreads is that we all have different opinions after all.
October 23, 2024
I got coverbaited by the pretty art, I was really looking forward to this release but the story itself is lacking and I should have DNF.
This is book is overly simplistic and predictable, it also lacks one of my favorite aspects of Chinese literature: dialogue usually takes the form of verbal sparring where people use words to poke at and size each other up. The romance is instalove which I will never find to be anything but shallow and insincere. You met 3 days ago, how can you be in love with someone you don’t know? There were a lot of goofy, contrived action scenes that had me rolling my eyes, a comically bad villain, and Zhen is the kind of flawlessly perfect and empathetic character that I find really boring. I didn’t mean for my review to turn into a rant but I’m just super disappointed, do not recommend.
CWs: animal cruelty, classism, torture, chronic illness, confinement, sexism, death, grief
This is book is overly simplistic and predictable, it also lacks one of my favorite aspects of Chinese literature: dialogue usually takes the form of verbal sparring where people use words to poke at and size each other up. The romance is instalove which I will never find to be anything but shallow and insincere. You met 3 days ago, how can you be in love with someone you don’t know? There were a lot of goofy, contrived action scenes that had me rolling my eyes, a comically bad villain, and Zhen is the kind of flawlessly perfect and empathetic character that I find really boring. I didn’t mean for my review to turn into a rant but I’m just super disappointed, do not recommend.
CWs: animal cruelty, classism, torture, chronic illness, confinement, sexism, death, grief
July 12, 2024
4.25/5 🌟
ok someone take my chinese card away cuz i don’t really know the story of the white snake but you also don’t need to know it in order to read and enjoy this book. Sher Lee does a wonderful job with the dual POV of Xu Xian, the prince, and Zhen, the white snake spirit. THEIR TENSION, THE SOFT TOUCH, THE FLIRTING, (and even the angst that follows). I really enjoyed all the side characters as well. They bring out a lot of their characteristics and personalities, through the interactions and relationships. My only small tiny thing is wishing it was longer (like a 50 episode cdrama rather than just a movie) everything was happening so fast and i really wanted see these characters develop, of course that not always possible since its a 300 page book.
also the biggest plus to sher lee. the chinese idioms that sprinkled in written in chinese, followed by pinyin, followed by the english translation. from a girlie that struggled through chinese school but still tryna keep in touch with her mother language thanks you so much for that.
ok someone take my chinese card away cuz i don’t really know the story of the white snake but you also don’t need to know it in order to read and enjoy this book. Sher Lee does a wonderful job with the dual POV of Xu Xian, the prince, and Zhen, the white snake spirit. THEIR TENSION, THE SOFT TOUCH, THE FLIRTING, (and even the angst that follows). I really enjoyed all the side characters as well. They bring out a lot of their characteristics and personalities, through the interactions and relationships. My only small tiny thing is wishing it was longer (like a 50 episode cdrama rather than just a movie) everything was happening so fast and i really wanted see these characters develop, of course that not always possible since its a 300 page book.
also the biggest plus to sher lee. the chinese idioms that sprinkled in written in chinese, followed by pinyin, followed by the english translation. from a girlie that struggled through chinese school but still tryna keep in touch with her mother language thanks you so much for that.
Want to read
October 18, 2025Idk much abt the Chinese legend of Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen. But what i do know is that the original story was not .
But...I'm hopeful. Let's see what happens.
But...I'm hopeful. Let's see what happens.
September 1, 2025
Squeezing in one last book finished minutes before it turns to September. This book has been whispering in the back of my brain for me to read ot for months and i finally caved. I really enjoyed this one for sure. its got alot of elements i know my danmei enjoying friends would love, but i could also see the appeal it has to a general audience. i had just a slight issue with some of the pacing towards the end, and i think we couldve done with like 50 more pages to make a more solid conclusion. but other than that I fell in love with the characters so i didn't really mind too much.
October 23, 2024
DNF at 40%
The cover of this book is beautiful but unfortunately the book is incredibly bland. The prose is super simplistic and there is no flow to it. And there is no depth to the narrative.
The characters are so very flat, as are their relationships. There’s nothing really appealing about either of the main characters.
The romance is so very insta-lust and so very superficial. There’s no emotion there and it’s everything I dislike in a romance.
The cover of this book is beautiful but unfortunately the book is incredibly bland. The prose is super simplistic and there is no flow to it. And there is no depth to the narrative.
The characters are so very flat, as are their relationships. There’s nothing really appealing about either of the main characters.
The romance is so very insta-lust and so very superficial. There’s no emotion there and it’s everything I dislike in a romance.
April 30, 2025
⌗ ⁺‧𓍢ִ🐍 ࣪𖤐 legend of the white snake by sher lee .ᐟ ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹
❝ the boy who had shared an apricot with him in the stable, who had made a pot of pu'er tea and taught him how to savor it, who hadn't hesitated to wipe his bleeding nose with his own sleeve... he had captured zhen's heart.❞ ⋆˚࿔⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆
𐔌 . ⋮ this was so so so fun!! i loved the characters so much and the writing was so gorgeous. THE PLOT TWISTS??? when i tell you i gasped i mean i gasped and had to put the book down. i loved the tension and the angst in this so much. gosh that ending :(( i was BAWLING for the last 10%. the last page only made me cry harder i fear. xian and zhen i love you both so much☹️🫶 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
࣪ ˖ ꫂ ၴႅၴ ₊ ⋆. ݁˖‧𓍢ִ 07/04/25 - 07/04/25 ֶ⋆·˚ ༘ *🧷:;
❝ the boy who had shared an apricot with him in the stable, who had made a pot of pu'er tea and taught him how to savor it, who hadn't hesitated to wipe his bleeding nose with his own sleeve... he had captured zhen's heart.❞ ⋆˚࿔⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆
𐔌 . ⋮ this was so so so fun!! i loved the characters so much and the writing was so gorgeous. THE PLOT TWISTS??? when i tell you i gasped i mean i gasped and had to put the book down. i loved the tension and the angst in this so much. gosh that ending :(( i was BAWLING for the last 10%. the last page only made me cry harder i fear. xian and zhen i love you both so much☹️🫶 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
࣪ ˖ ꫂ ၴႅၴ ₊ ⋆. ݁˖‧𓍢ִ 07/04/25 - 07/04/25 ֶ⋆·˚ ༘ *🧷:;
October 26, 2024
2024 reads: 289/250
i received a digital advanced review copy and a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
when prince xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother, causing a slow, painful death he’s still hoping to save her from. now, he sets out to find a spirit pearl, the only thing that will save his mother. he meets zhen, a white snake that consumed a spirit pearl years ago, allowing him the power to transform into a human. the two are immediately drawn to one another, but zhen soon realizes that he’s the white snake xian is hunting, and their relationship gets trickier.
i adored fake dates and mooncakes last year, so i was really excited for sher’s fantasy debut! this had so many elements i love to see in fantasy books: angst (i definitely shed a few tears), a retold legend, romance, and even a dual pov! i can see myself rereading this within the next year and recommending it to anyone and everyone i can.
i received a digital advanced review copy and a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
when prince xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother, causing a slow, painful death he’s still hoping to save her from. now, he sets out to find a spirit pearl, the only thing that will save his mother. he meets zhen, a white snake that consumed a spirit pearl years ago, allowing him the power to transform into a human. the two are immediately drawn to one another, but zhen soon realizes that he’s the white snake xian is hunting, and their relationship gets trickier.
i adored fake dates and mooncakes last year, so i was really excited for sher’s fantasy debut! this had so many elements i love to see in fantasy books: angst (i definitely shed a few tears), a retold legend, romance, and even a dual pov! i can see myself rereading this within the next year and recommending it to anyone and everyone i can.
December 6, 2024
i had to force myself through this book so i could be an efficient hater on goodreads
the dialogue and descriptions had no depth whatsoever. the food was described better than the inner thoughts of the main characters during the most vital scenes!! the book genuinely read like this: "he went there, did this, and then left. wow, he thought. then he went somewhere else." OH MY GOD IT WAS SO BORING I wanted to rip the book in HALF
i could not force myself to give a shit about any of the characters except for qing and wang because they at least had some kind of personality. xian and zhen were so basic they were basically the same guy. their romance was so bland there was literally 0 chemistry they just looked at eachother and got megaboners immediately
speaking of WHY was it so horny but not horny at the same time? atp just make it an adult novel like what the hell there was so much talk of sex but like it was so heavily censored it was just... odd?
the end part of the book was written like garbage there was like 5 twists in 5 pages it happened so fast i was gobsmacked like good lord give me time to BREATHE??????????????????? all in all i wish i didnt read this and dont waste your time with this
the dialogue and descriptions had no depth whatsoever. the food was described better than the inner thoughts of the main characters during the most vital scenes!! the book genuinely read like this: "he went there, did this, and then left. wow, he thought. then he went somewhere else." OH MY GOD IT WAS SO BORING I wanted to rip the book in HALF
i could not force myself to give a shit about any of the characters except for qing and wang because they at least had some kind of personality. xian and zhen were so basic they were basically the same guy. their romance was so bland there was literally 0 chemistry they just looked at eachother and got megaboners immediately
speaking of WHY was it so horny but not horny at the same time? atp just make it an adult novel like what the hell there was so much talk of sex but like it was so heavily censored it was just... odd?
the end part of the book was written like garbage there was like 5 twists in 5 pages it happened so fast i was gobsmacked like good lord give me time to BREATHE??????????????????? all in all i wish i didnt read this and dont waste your time with this
Want to read
May 1, 2023Heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover."
To all the people having enough time in their lives to be sending hate to someone who has been working hard, is disgusting. I'm sure that everyone hears this enough, "If you have nothing nice to say then don't say it at all."
Please keep your opinions to yourself.
As readers, when have we ever thought to judge the book by its blurb and not read it. The amount of times I've read a blurb and thought, "no that book isn't for me." and then I try it out and fall in love with it. You can not start writing these hateful comments for the fact a book might not be for you. If it isn't something of your interest then move on and pick another book. There is no reason to spread hate.
All your TBR's are endless. Please drop the hurtful comments and choose to spend your time reading.
Sorry if that sounded mean, but sometimes this needs to be said. I can not sit here reading those comments and not do anything.
To all the people having enough time in their lives to be sending hate to someone who has been working hard, is disgusting. I'm sure that everyone hears this enough, "If you have nothing nice to say then don't say it at all."
Please keep your opinions to yourself.
As readers, when have we ever thought to judge the book by its blurb and not read it. The amount of times I've read a blurb and thought, "no that book isn't for me." and then I try it out and fall in love with it. You can not start writing these hateful comments for the fact a book might not be for you. If it isn't something of your interest then move on and pick another book. There is no reason to spread hate.
All your TBR's are endless. Please drop the hurtful comments and choose to spend your time reading.
Sorry if that sounded mean, but sometimes this needs to be said. I can not sit here reading those comments and not do anything.
May 17, 2023
When this book is out, I will buy it and I will DEVOUR it! Screw the haters! ❤️❤️❤️
November 20, 2024
"I believe destiny is an excuse people give not to fight for what they really want in life."
February 8, 2025
This was a sweet and fast-paced romance clearly inspired by danmei, but written in a accessible way that would make it a great start for someone hesitant to read the genre.
While at times the narrative was a little too heavy on the tell and light on the show, I think this was a concious choice to make some of the worldbuilding and themes easier to understand.
Both characters were lovely and their connection, while quick, worked for me because of the themes of fate and sacrifice interwoven within. And it led to a beautiful ending.
Overall this did justice to its gorgeous cover, and I'd love to see this author write more books of this genre in the future.
While at times the narrative was a little too heavy on the tell and light on the show, I think this was a concious choice to make some of the worldbuilding and themes easier to understand.
Both characters were lovely and their connection, while quick, worked for me because of the themes of fate and sacrifice interwoven within. And it led to a beautiful ending.
Overall this did justice to its gorgeous cover, and I'd love to see this author write more books of this genre in the future.
September 19, 2024
This was an adorable read and I like to thank NetGalley for giving me a chance at reading it.
I would say this is a really quick, easy read. I rate it down for the depth and the way the evil characters kind of just came out in the last 15% of the book, but eh, sometimes that happens in a cdrama.
I love the gender-flipped version of Legend of the White Snake, and I love the changes made to it. Zhen and Xian are adorable. The story was fast-paced, you got to know the characters, them, and the secrets each other is hiding.
The romance was well done as well.
The only issues I can see people having with it is the depth (plot fodder that was missing) and the lack of depth the villains and Qing (the sister-like character to Zhen). But, for a cute, fast story about a Chinese tale that's m/m? Yep. This hit the spot.
I would say this is a really quick, easy read. I rate it down for the depth and the way the evil characters kind of just came out in the last 15% of the book, but eh, sometimes that happens in a cdrama.
I love the gender-flipped version of Legend of the White Snake, and I love the changes made to it. Zhen and Xian are adorable. The story was fast-paced, you got to know the characters, them, and the secrets each other is hiding.
The romance was well done as well.
The only issues I can see people having with it is the depth (plot fodder that was missing) and the lack of depth the villains and Qing (the sister-like character to Zhen). But, for a cute, fast story about a Chinese tale that's m/m? Yep. This hit the spot.
February 4, 2025
This book is fabulous!
A fantastic fantasy novel with some kissing parts and a my first intro to this Fairytale.
Zhen and Xian are wonderful characters and the heart strings were definitely pulling.
I will be recommending this to EVERYONE and seeking out the author's debut novel now too.
Much love to Quill Tree Books, Harper Collins Canada & Frenzy Books for my copy.
A fantastic fantasy novel with some kissing parts and a my first intro to this Fairytale.
Zhen and Xian are wonderful characters and the heart strings were definitely pulling.
I will be recommending this to EVERYONE and seeking out the author's debut novel now too.
Much love to Quill Tree Books, Harper Collins Canada & Frenzy Books for my copy.
September 4, 2024
3.5⭐️
An absolutely fantastic read! This Chinese-inspired BL fantasy romance was incredibly addictive and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely engrossed the entire time and couldn't put it down. The descriptive writing style and smooth flow of the story were captivating. I can't wait to read more from Sher Lee!
I would have loved for this to be 200 pages longer and in the New Adult category, so it could delve deeper into the characters and their story. I would’ve liked to see a little bit more angst and tension between the main characters. But even so, I still had a great time with it!
An absolutely fantastic read! This Chinese-inspired BL fantasy romance was incredibly addictive and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely engrossed the entire time and couldn't put it down. The descriptive writing style and smooth flow of the story were captivating. I can't wait to read more from Sher Lee!
I would have loved for this to be 200 pages longer and in the New Adult category, so it could delve deeper into the characters and their story. I would’ve liked to see a little bit more angst and tension between the main characters. But even so, I still had a great time with it!
May 29, 2025
Reverse Shrek but with a snake? YA, so gentle reading but sweet.
July 31, 2024
Many thanks to Sher Lee, Netgalley and publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After reading and enjoying Sher Lee's debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes, I was looking forward to her follow up, especially as it would be a fantasy and am grateful to have had the chance to read an early copy of this anticipated release. I was pleased to see that it played into and expanded on all the strengths of her debut work, and while I also saw some traces of the weaker aspects, the fantasy element definitely helped even those out a bit.
First and foremost, I love how customs, idioms and lore are built into the story - even if they aren't strictly relevant to the main plot line, they help to create the setting and atmosphere. I also loved how this took place around the time of the Duanwu festival which, once again, doesn't play into the main story but still adds a sense of atmosphere and I feel it's one that is less commonly used compared to say the Lunar New Year. This also falls in line with her debut centring around the Mid Autumn festival and I think it would be pretty need to continue seeing this pattern in upcoming works.
As for the actual plot and characters, both were well written and I love dual point of view - it switched at good intervals between Zhen and Xian, giving us a nice insight to both of their perspectives. Moving from her contemporary debut work to a fantasy, I was very pleasantly surprised with the opening scenes - the action and tension of the prologue were really well done and made for a great opening. The plot generally had a good flow between calmer and more urgent scenes which I think was partially thanks to the insertion of the aforementioned lore that doesn't necessarily play into the main plot alongside the higher stakes of the fantasy setting.
This is also very much a character driven story and I do think that a longer novel would have given us more time to get to know these characters on a deeper level, especially the side characters, but I did enjoy the cast. One downside is that I think things develop a little too fast between Xian and Zhen, it's a similar to how I felt about Fake Dates and Mooncakes. However, despite their somewhat fast beginning, there were several obstacles that entirely changed the dynamics between these two for a good portion of the book. There were unexpected darker turns which evened out what started out as an almost too sweet romance for the general setting and mood of the story and definitely helped create more tension and made you want to root for them.
The side characters, albeit I would have liked to have gotten to know them better, were also largely well done. I liked Xian's friendship with his childhood friend and bodyguard Feng and also his changing dynamics with Zhen, as well as Zhen's sister Qing who probably added the most humour to the plot. There were a couple of unexpected twists towards the end - some I saw coming and just as I thought I had guessed all that was about to unfold, a few more things came around that I did not see coming.
Over all, I really enjoyed this book and I am keen to read more books by Sher Lee - I'd love to see her stick to them taking place during certain festive times and I think the fantasy genre suits her well, although I would also pick up new contemporary works should she write any.
May 16, 2025
DNF’d at Chapter 8.
The author over explained literally everything. I don’t know why no one told them that readers are perfectly capable of researching these things or just using context clues. It took me out of the story. Even just using foot notes would have been fine. Cultural context is important, but again, trust in your readers that they’ll understand the subtleties of the characters’ actions without reiterating everything. You can just tell them one time, and they’ll figure it out. (I don’t need to be told the entire process of eating a lychee. You can just say he peeled the lychee and ate it. That’s more than enough.)
Also, the characters felt very one dimensional. The prince was hedonistic and self absorbed and immediately obsessed with Zhen, and Zhen was… fine actually. So was Qing. I just didn’t care for Xian, so their burgeoning romance was not particularly engaging.
However, it could be said that I approached this novel incorrectly because I thought it was danmei adjacent. It is clearly written for a Western audience and a younger one at that.
In conclusion, it was not for me, but it could be for someone that appreciates info dumping and the YA genre.
The author over explained literally everything. I don’t know why no one told them that readers are perfectly capable of researching these things or just using context clues. It took me out of the story. Even just using foot notes would have been fine. Cultural context is important, but again, trust in your readers that they’ll understand the subtleties of the characters’ actions without reiterating everything. You can just tell them one time, and they’ll figure it out. (I don’t need to be told the entire process of eating a lychee. You can just say he peeled the lychee and ate it. That’s more than enough.)
Also, the characters felt very one dimensional. The prince was hedonistic and self absorbed and immediately obsessed with Zhen, and Zhen was… fine actually. So was Qing. I just didn’t care for Xian, so their burgeoning romance was not particularly engaging.
However, it could be said that I approached this novel incorrectly because I thought it was danmei adjacent. It is clearly written for a Western audience and a younger one at that.
In conclusion, it was not for me, but it could be for someone that appreciates info dumping and the YA genre.
December 12, 2025
my rating ➸ 3.5
I received a free copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
first of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful.
secondly, i found this book to be an overall quick and cute read! the story was easy to follow albeit fairly predictable, but its good if you want a simple fantasy read. i do think the main romance was insta-lovey, since they barely interacted and already, they were attracted to each other. i usually prefer more of a slow burn, but i thought it was fine for this story.
i thought the dynamic between zhen and qing was amazing, and how much they cared for each other as family.
two things that were kinda lukewarm for me were xian as a character and the ending. maybe i just don't like time jumps right at the end and xian made a couple of choices i questioned a little.
I received a free copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
first of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful.
secondly, i found this book to be an overall quick and cute read! the story was easy to follow albeit fairly predictable, but its good if you want a simple fantasy read. i do think the main romance was insta-lovey, since they barely interacted and already, they were attracted to each other. i usually prefer more of a slow burn, but i thought it was fine for this story.
i thought the dynamic between zhen and qing was amazing, and how much they cared for each other as family.
two things that were kinda lukewarm for me were xian as a character and the ending. maybe i just don't like time jumps right at the end and xian made a couple of choices i questioned a little.
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