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Rise of the Empress #2.5
Song of the Crimson Flower
From the acclaimed author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns comes a fantastical new tale of darkness and love, in which magical bonds are stronger than blood.
Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao's prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch, who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.
Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest's Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that's been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins?
In this fantastical tale of darkness and love, some magical bonds are stronger than blood.
Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao's prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch, who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.
Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest's Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that's been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins?
In this fantastical tale of darkness and love, some magical bonds are stronger than blood.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
59 people are currently reading
11754 people want to read
About the author
Julie C. Dao
14 books1,323 followersJulie C. Dao is the award-winning author of many books from Disney, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and more. Her novels have earned starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and her "Rise of the Empress" books are being made into a major television series at Amazon MGM Studios.
A proud Vietnamese-American who was born in upstate New York, she now lives in New England.
Pronunciation: JOOL-lee DOW
Pronouns: She/Her
A proud Vietnamese-American who was born in upstate New York, she now lives in New England.
Pronunciation: JOOL-lee DOW
Pronouns: She/Her
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January 14, 2021
YA fantasy romance is a genre that rarely serves me, a lesbian, this well, but Julie C. Dao understands tenderness and was ready to give it to us. This was excellent.
As Song of the Crimson Flower begins, upper-class Lan is in love with Tam, a wealthy nobleman, who, though he keeps delaying the wedding, also sends her letters and (she thinks) plays his flute every evening for her. When she first finds out that it was never real, that she was never loved by Tam, she is angry and upset and takes it out on Bao, the boy who truly loves her. When she goes to apologize, she finds that Bao has been cursed, and they must journey much further to attempt to break his curse.
Julie C. Dao avoids the trap of simply berating Lan for this (of course nasty) action. Instead, she is given room to understand the true nature of the world: the fact that there are men (and people in general) far nobler and kinder than her ex-fiancé. And along the way, she discovers that she may truly want different things than she has allowed herself to hope for. Lan’s character arc is subtle but very wonderful, revolving around her journey learning to separate herself from selfish men, and the grounding force of this whole book. I really really appreciate that this romance does not depend on Lan having to figure out that she was wrong to ever not want Bao; instead, it depends on her falling for him, independent of guilt.
Bao is a well-written character in his own right, one I found instantly easy to sympathize with. He is in a bad situation but still manages to be kind and caring and considerate towards others, and it is this that endears him both to Lan and other characters. A wide cast of side characters were easy to root for, as well; one is a character who I did not particularly like in Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, but found easy to empathize with here. While the major conflict involving side characters is perhaps not particularly narratively relevant, I enjoyed both of the characters enough to get invested anyway.
I absolutely loved how concisely and cleanly the beginning set the tone and mood of the book — I was instantly hooked. Bao’s character introduction in particular immediately made me love him, establishing him as kind and generous and already finding ways to solve his desperate need for a family. Bao and Lan’s scenes together are equally perfectly paced and well-timed, gaining your sympathy for them both and growing your appreciation for Bao’s kindness. The opening also establishes the world through conversations that feel like genuine explanations; we learn about this world’s problems as Lan does, in a way that is satisfying to the audience.
I say this all because Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had me struggling slightly with pacing of plot and character development. With this book, however, Dao was right-off-the-bat fixing that issue.
This romance was just… so tender. Bao is kind and undemanding in his love for Lan on a level that I think really resonated with me. And I really really loved seeing their relationship build over time. spoilers on a romance I stan:
The thing is, as a reader, I really really love love. Romance and tenderness are such important forces. The romance genre, however, and the ya romance genre, often play with depictions of relationships that feel really alienating to me. Putting aside the many books about men who treat everyone around them badly and are quickly forgiven for it when they decide to treat their love interests well: I do not personally resonate with characters who fall in love while hardly knowing each other. Song of the Crimson Flower is based on a story about a boy who falls in love with a girl while not quite knowing her, but its arc is based around a realization of similarity deep down.
This book was an excellent reading experience for me and after Forest of a Thousand Lanterns didn’t quite click for me (though I loved the writing), I’m really glad this book worked so well for me. @ Julie C. Dao thank you.
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She looked up and saw the love in Bao’s eyes—the love that had never left him, not even in his anger—and she couldn’t help feeling that it might all be worth it. It wasn’t just the right thing to do; she knew now that even without a spell, it was what she wanted to do.
As Song of the Crimson Flower begins, upper-class Lan is in love with Tam, a wealthy nobleman, who, though he keeps delaying the wedding, also sends her letters and (she thinks) plays his flute every evening for her. When she first finds out that it was never real, that she was never loved by Tam, she is angry and upset and takes it out on Bao, the boy who truly loves her. When she goes to apologize, she finds that Bao has been cursed, and they must journey much further to attempt to break his curse.
Julie C. Dao avoids the trap of simply berating Lan for this (of course nasty) action. Instead, she is given room to understand the true nature of the world: the fact that there are men (and people in general) far nobler and kinder than her ex-fiancé. And along the way, she discovers that she may truly want different things than she has allowed herself to hope for. Lan’s character arc is subtle but very wonderful, revolving around her journey learning to separate herself from selfish men, and the grounding force of this whole book. I really really appreciate that this romance does not depend on Lan having to figure out that she was wrong to ever not want Bao; instead, it depends on her falling for him, independent of guilt.
Bao is a well-written character in his own right, one I found instantly easy to sympathize with. He is in a bad situation but still manages to be kind and caring and considerate towards others, and it is this that endears him both to Lan and other characters. A wide cast of side characters were easy to root for, as well; one is a character who I did not particularly like in Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, but found easy to empathize with here. While the major conflict involving side characters is perhaps not particularly narratively relevant, I enjoyed both of the characters enough to get invested anyway.
I absolutely loved how concisely and cleanly the beginning set the tone and mood of the book — I was instantly hooked. Bao’s character introduction in particular immediately made me love him, establishing him as kind and generous and already finding ways to solve his desperate need for a family. Bao and Lan’s scenes together are equally perfectly paced and well-timed, gaining your sympathy for them both and growing your appreciation for Bao’s kindness. The opening also establishes the world through conversations that feel like genuine explanations; we learn about this world’s problems as Lan does, in a way that is satisfying to the audience.
I say this all because Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had me struggling slightly with pacing of plot and character development. With this book, however, Dao was right-off-the-bat fixing that issue.
“I’ve never stopped caring for you,” he said shakily. “I don’t know if I ever could.”
“Well, then,” she said, “stop taking your affection out on me.”
This romance was just… so tender. Bao is kind and undemanding in his love for Lan on a level that I think really resonated with me. And I really really loved seeing their relationship build over time. spoilers on a romance I stan:
The thing is, as a reader, I really really love love. Romance and tenderness are such important forces. The romance genre, however, and the ya romance genre, often play with depictions of relationships that feel really alienating to me. Putting aside the many books about men who treat everyone around them badly and are quickly forgiven for it when they decide to treat their love interests well: I do not personally resonate with characters who fall in love while hardly knowing each other. Song of the Crimson Flower is based on a story about a boy who falls in love with a girl while not quite knowing her, but its arc is based around a realization of similarity deep down.
This book was an excellent reading experience for me and after Forest of a Thousand Lanterns didn’t quite click for me (though I loved the writing), I’m really glad this book worked so well for me. @ Julie C. Dao thank you.
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January 19, 2020
In Song of the Crimson Flower, Lan, the daughter of a wealthy nobleman, cruelly rejects Bao, a poor physician's assistant, when he declares his love for her. But when a curse traps Bao's soul inside his flute, Lan wants to make amends for her terrible words and goes along with Bao on a quest to break the curse.
The story reads like a fairy tale, full of heroic moments and strong characters. Dao is masterful at building beautiful landscapes and backdrops without overdoing it, and reading her books always feels like gazing upon a lush, vibrant painting. The characters are all so kind and selfless that you can't help but cheer for them. It's a sweet and heartwarming story that leaves me feeling happy and fuzzy.
If there's any downside, it may be that everything is a little too sweet, with all the characters being so thoroughly pure and good. Even the villain is fairly toothless, and so the plot proceeds without the usual amount of tension that would drive a story forward. The reading experience is pleasant, but never charged up or at the edge of your seat as you would normally expect in a good versus evil story.
And yet, there is something compelling about it even though it is predictable. It starts out a little slow, but soon enough, I was wrapped up in the story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Obviously as an adult, I know this isn't what love really is like. But perhaps it's the nostalgia of getting in touch with a younger me, who believed in fairy tales and thought love was so simple. No matter the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, as I have enjoyed all of Dao's books, and I hope she continues to write more.
The story reads like a fairy tale, full of heroic moments and strong characters. Dao is masterful at building beautiful landscapes and backdrops without overdoing it, and reading her books always feels like gazing upon a lush, vibrant painting. The characters are all so kind and selfless that you can't help but cheer for them. It's a sweet and heartwarming story that leaves me feeling happy and fuzzy.
If there's any downside, it may be that everything is a little too sweet, with all the characters being so thoroughly pure and good. Even the villain is fairly toothless, and so the plot proceeds without the usual amount of tension that would drive a story forward. The reading experience is pleasant, but never charged up or at the edge of your seat as you would normally expect in a good versus evil story.
And yet, there is something compelling about it even though it is predictable. It starts out a little slow, but soon enough, I was wrapped up in the story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Obviously as an adult, I know this isn't what love really is like. But perhaps it's the nostalgia of getting in touch with a younger me, who believed in fairy tales and thought love was so simple. No matter the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, as I have enjoyed all of Dao's books, and I hope she continues to write more.
October 19, 2019
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
★ I picked this book in a moment of excitement when it was available for downloading on Edelweiss for everyone. I was having second thoughts as I started to read less YA books and I did not want to be harsh and unfair to this book. So I kept procrastinating reading it until I was finally in the mood recently.
★ This is my second book by the author, I read her Forest of a Thousand Lanterns last year and it was good. I liked her anti-hero protagonist. This book takes place in the same world and we got glimpses to some of the characters but this can be read as a standalone and it has totally different vibes to it.
★ Speaking of vibes, this had the same vibes that the old fairy tales I grew up with had, this book made me nostalgic and this explains why I enjoyed it. If you look at the synopsis you may understand why: It is basically a love story with a magical curse (The guy is trapped into a flute) by a witch! Weird and new and unique!
Book: The bloodpox disease is a dangerous disease where people ooze blood from every orifice they have!!
Me, a doctor: It is called DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation).
★ The characters were well written but I confess that Lan, the female MC was hard o love at first because she was being so rude, but she realizes that and tries to fix it through the story so bonus points for her growth.
★ The writing was good, I can’t say that the plot surprised me, just like the fairy tales I mentioned. The ending could be guessed as soon as you are oriented to the story and it is under 300 pages so it was not hard to go through.
★ Summary: This book made me go back to my first reading days! The story was simple, predictable and well written with characters that grow through the story. I can recommend for fans of fairy tales!
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
“Love isn’t waiting for someone to remember me. Love isn’t dreaming about them all alone. Love is talking together, forgiving each other, finding common threads in the lives we want. I’ve learned that now. You taught me.”
★ I picked this book in a moment of excitement when it was available for downloading on Edelweiss for everyone. I was having second thoughts as I started to read less YA books and I did not want to be harsh and unfair to this book. So I kept procrastinating reading it until I was finally in the mood recently.
★ This is my second book by the author, I read her Forest of a Thousand Lanterns last year and it was good. I liked her anti-hero protagonist. This book takes place in the same world and we got glimpses to some of the characters but this can be read as a standalone and it has totally different vibes to it.
★ Speaking of vibes, this had the same vibes that the old fairy tales I grew up with had, this book made me nostalgic and this explains why I enjoyed it. If you look at the synopsis you may understand why: It is basically a love story with a magical curse (The guy is trapped into a flute) by a witch! Weird and new and unique!
Book: The bloodpox disease is a dangerous disease where people ooze blood from every orifice they have!!
Me, a doctor: It is called DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation).
★ The characters were well written but I confess that Lan, the female MC was hard o love at first because she was being so rude, but she realizes that and tries to fix it through the story so bonus points for her growth.
★ The writing was good, I can’t say that the plot surprised me, just like the fairy tales I mentioned. The ending could be guessed as soon as you are oriented to the story and it is under 300 pages so it was not hard to go through.
★ Summary: This book made me go back to my first reading days! The story was simple, predictable and well written with characters that grow through the story. I can recommend for fans of fairy tales!
You can get more books from Book Depository
January 1, 2020
very lovely! it was much more tender than I was expecting, which I really enjoyed.
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April 3, 2019
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
So, confession time: I didn’t actually finish this book.
I wouldn’t normally rate it, but I did get 55% of the way through and I knew I would end up giving it this rating anyway, even if I managed to struggle all the way though to the end.
So, why such a low rating? Because the heroine is a COW.
Lan is the daughter of a wealthy government official, Minister Vu. She comes from rich and happy family home, filled with family who loves her and everything she could possibly want. She even has the requisite romance: Tam, the son of her father’s friend, is courting her, and it’s a relationship approved of by both their parents. Yes, Tam is taking distressingly long to choose a wedding date… but at least he rows beneath her window every night to read her beautiful love poems, right?
Wrong. Because it isn’t Tam at all: it’s Bao, a poor orphan apprenticed to Tam’s father. Bao has been in love with her his whole life, and when he seizes the opportunity to reveal the truth, he expects to at least be met with a courteous refusal, if not a reciprocal admission of love.
Lan reacts to his confession badly. I can forgive her for that: she, having just discovered that the boy of her dreams was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, falls sick – but not before viciously reminding Bao of his poverty, orphan-hood, and negligible social status.
Mean? Yes. But like I said, with the shock she’d just suffered, I could understand and accept it.
Only, Lan NEVER stops being the biggest bitch on the face of the planet.
Bao gets cursed into a flute by a river witch, and Lan’s the only person who can keep him in his physical form, so she agrees to travel with him to find a way to break the curse. This is her penance. So far, so good. But the blurb claims that ‘Bao now despises her’, and I was expecting something approaching apology and humility from her, considering she’d absolutely destroyed his heart for no good reason.
Bao does not despise her. Not even a little bit. He continues loving her, and it’s painfully obvious. He gets a little miffed off with the bitch, for having been a raging bitch to him, but then HE APOLOGISES TO LAN FOR IT! Lan keeps flouncing around expecting apologies, even though she’s supposed to be the one doing penance, and she has no right to be upset with Bao for trying to protect his heart!
The bit where I completely gave up on their romance comes about 45% in. Lan informs Bao that he’s sulked enough over her having shattered his heart. She thinks it’s time he ‘stopped being rude’ to her. He was never rude to you, you absolute spoiled cow! But he just folds and AGREES WITH HER. Ugh.
Assorted other reasons for the low rating:
❌ There was no sense of urgency to the action , even though Bao has two weeks before the curse becomes permanent. This is partly because they don’t even get underway in the journey until halfway through the book.
❌ Admittedly, I haven’t read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, the ‘prequel’ to this one. But I know it features a romance between Xifeng and Wei. Even though Xifeng is dead now and I never read her story, I didn’t like seeing Wei falling in love with someone else.
❌ Things, and people, were poorly described.
❌ Since this is supposed to be a standalone, not enough worldbuilding was done for those of us who are new to the series.
The two-star rating is only because I felt so sorry for Bao, and also because the concept of a Vietnamese fantasy world was fascinating. It’s just a shame the book didn’t live up to it.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
So, confession time: I didn’t actually finish this book.
I wouldn’t normally rate it, but I did get 55% of the way through and I knew I would end up giving it this rating anyway, even if I managed to struggle all the way though to the end.
So, why such a low rating? Because the heroine is a COW.
Lan is the daughter of a wealthy government official, Minister Vu. She comes from rich and happy family home, filled with family who loves her and everything she could possibly want. She even has the requisite romance: Tam, the son of her father’s friend, is courting her, and it’s a relationship approved of by both their parents. Yes, Tam is taking distressingly long to choose a wedding date… but at least he rows beneath her window every night to read her beautiful love poems, right?
Wrong. Because it isn’t Tam at all: it’s Bao, a poor orphan apprenticed to Tam’s father. Bao has been in love with her his whole life, and when he seizes the opportunity to reveal the truth, he expects to at least be met with a courteous refusal, if not a reciprocal admission of love.
Lan reacts to his confession badly. I can forgive her for that: she, having just discovered that the boy of her dreams was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, falls sick – but not before viciously reminding Bao of his poverty, orphan-hood, and negligible social status.
Mean? Yes. But like I said, with the shock she’d just suffered, I could understand and accept it.
Only, Lan NEVER stops being the biggest bitch on the face of the planet.
Bao gets cursed into a flute by a river witch, and Lan’s the only person who can keep him in his physical form, so she agrees to travel with him to find a way to break the curse. This is her penance. So far, so good. But the blurb claims that ‘Bao now despises her’, and I was expecting something approaching apology and humility from her, considering she’d absolutely destroyed his heart for no good reason.
Bao does not despise her. Not even a little bit. He continues loving her, and it’s painfully obvious. He gets a little miffed off with the bitch, for having been a raging bitch to him, but then HE APOLOGISES TO LAN FOR IT! Lan keeps flouncing around expecting apologies, even though she’s supposed to be the one doing penance, and she has no right to be upset with Bao for trying to protect his heart!
The bit where I completely gave up on their romance comes about 45% in. Lan informs Bao that he’s sulked enough over her having shattered his heart. She thinks it’s time he ‘stopped being rude’ to her. He was never rude to you, you absolute spoiled cow! But he just folds and AGREES WITH HER. Ugh.
Assorted other reasons for the low rating:
❌ There was no sense of urgency to the action , even though Bao has two weeks before the curse becomes permanent. This is partly because they don’t even get underway in the journey until halfway through the book.
❌ Admittedly, I haven’t read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, the ‘prequel’ to this one. But I know it features a romance between Xifeng and Wei. Even though Xifeng is dead now and I never read her story, I didn’t like seeing Wei falling in love with someone else.
❌ Things, and people, were poorly described.
❌ Since this is supposed to be a standalone, not enough worldbuilding was done for those of us who are new to the series.
The two-star rating is only because I felt so sorry for Bao, and also because the concept of a Vietnamese fantasy world was fascinating. It’s just a shame the book didn’t live up to it.
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November 7, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
I enjoyed Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and I was excited to read about a "good" couple rather than an evil villain set in the same world. And I do like the idea of this being a companion novel and not a third book in the series.
While the cover isn't drawing me in I do find it pretty and it gives the feel of an old fashioned fairy tale which is definitely the tone of Song of the Crimson Flower. I don't hate the title either, it fits with the titles for the others in the series.
The Premise
We get to see a different side of blood magic when a nobleman's daughter cruelly rejects an orphan physician's apprentice in Song of the Crimson Flower. Bao gets cursed due to his love and is embroiled in a family feud that is rooted in a coming drug war.
I really enjoyed the fairy tale feel of this story. It's set in the same Asian based fantasy world as the Rise of the Empress duology so it has that old fashioned feel of a folklore or fairy tale. And we get a witch, a curse and true love that revisits some of the powerful characters from Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix.
The entire journey in Song of the Crimson Flower is really heartfelt and showcases both Bao as a physician's apprentice and what a lovely wife Lan would make for him. I also really enjoyed Commander Wei and his little romance! Friendship and camaraderie was highlighted along their journey and the war aspect brought tensions high.
My Experience
I was really taken with Bao, our curse victim. First I love orphans and his parentage plays a big part in the story. But that is just a jumping off point. Bao is awkward, anxious and sooooo adorable!! He gets himself into a really bad situation and its all due to love and admiration. I really loved how he wasn't a macho man but was sensitive, poetic and compassionate. He really made me want to root for him and I gladly followed him as he learned about his past.
Lan makes a major mistake, but for once I was really sympathetic to her. Anyone caught unawares like she was wouldn't have reacted well. And I loved how she chose to come back from it and commit to doing whatever was in her power. Many would feel like the time frame of the story makes this an instalove story but I felt like Lan was so genuine in how her awareness of Bao totally changed her attitude toward him. She really captured my heart.
Song of the Crimson Flower is a lovely epilogue to the Rise of the Empress duology. We meet a new couple who must navigate a curse, learn the history of the crimson flower and befriends many of the old heroes of the land. If you enjoyed the duology then you'll need to snatch this up and see how it all ends!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
B+ Cover & Title grade
Thanks to Bookish First and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
November 28, 2019
Not bad... not bad.
Song of the Crimson Flower is a book that I definitely read out of order. Doesn't even matter to me because I still liked everything about this book. It probably made me even more excited to dive into the first two books because this novella definitely delivered. In it, Lan and Bao were adorable. I honestly couldn't help but ship them because an enemies to lovers romance is something I could get behind.
Yeah, they were crushes before.. but eh, details.
The adventure was so much fun in this book. I listened to the audiobook of it (which is weird because I own all the books in this series as audios.. so yeah still listened out of order (lol)). Each chapter made me smile with glee because it just kept bringing me deeper into their story. Plus it didn't hurt that Bao and Lan were easily likable.
Overall, really enjoyed this book and definitely can't wait to dive into the first two books of this series.
Song of the Crimson Flower is a book that I definitely read out of order. Doesn't even matter to me because I still liked everything about this book. It probably made me even more excited to dive into the first two books because this novella definitely delivered. In it, Lan and Bao were adorable. I honestly couldn't help but ship them because an enemies to lovers romance is something I could get behind.
Yeah, they were crushes before.. but eh, details.
The adventure was so much fun in this book. I listened to the audiobook of it (which is weird because I own all the books in this series as audios.. so yeah still listened out of order (lol)). Each chapter made me smile with glee because it just kept bringing me deeper into their story. Plus it didn't hurt that Bao and Lan were easily likable.
Overall, really enjoyed this book and definitely can't wait to dive into the first two books of this series.
Want to read
August 20, 2019I'm ready
November 4, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had a fantastic time with this book! It has been a long time since I was able to read an entire book in a single day but it was so easy to get lost in this book. This wasn't a long book with less than 300 pages but I thought it told a big story. The story grabbed me from the start and the story progress at a perfect pace to keep the pages turning. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try.
This book is listed as a companion book to the author's Rise of the Empress series. When I started reading this book, I had no idea that it had any connection to another book and I still wouldn't if I didn't happen to see it on Goodreads. This book reads wonderfully as a stand-alone story. I am thinking I may need to read the other books in the series though just because I enjoyed this one so much.
This was a wonderfully imaginative fantasy. Bao has grown up as an orphan and knows that he is not worthy of those in the upper class. He has lived with a local physician and his family and is training as an apprentice. Lan is the daughter of an important man and has lived a rather charmed life. She is looking forward to setting a date for her wedding. Things fall apart for both Bao and Lan and their lives are forever changed. They must work together to beat a witch's curse and will have quite the adventure working towards that task.
I really liked both Bao and Lan and wanted to see them together. They have both made mistakes in their lives but they were really a victim of circumstances more than anything. When Bao needed help, Lan didn't hesitate and I loved seeing them work together towards a common goal. They didn't ask more of each other than they thought they would be willing to give. It was really nice getting to see them get to know each other away from the opinions of society.
I loved the way some magic was worked into the story. I thought that the curse was very well done and I liked how it evolved over the course of the story. I liked that the magic wasn't an overpowering part of the story but there was enough to add a really nice element to the story. This book had a very nice balance of action, romance, and magic.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really well-done story that was a lot of fun to read. This was the first book by Julie C. Dao that I have had the chance to read but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up more of her work in the future.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Philomel Books via Bookish First.
Initial Thoughts
So I read this whole book today. I had a goal of reading a book today so there is that. This is also a rather short book at less than 300 pages. But the important point is that I actually didn't want to put this one down. It was so easy to finish in a day because it was just a really well-told story. I read is as a stand-alone so it works great if you haven't read any of this author's previous work. I just really enjoyed Bao and Lan's story and all of its magic.
I had a fantastic time with this book! It has been a long time since I was able to read an entire book in a single day but it was so easy to get lost in this book. This wasn't a long book with less than 300 pages but I thought it told a big story. The story grabbed me from the start and the story progress at a perfect pace to keep the pages turning. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try.
This book is listed as a companion book to the author's Rise of the Empress series. When I started reading this book, I had no idea that it had any connection to another book and I still wouldn't if I didn't happen to see it on Goodreads. This book reads wonderfully as a stand-alone story. I am thinking I may need to read the other books in the series though just because I enjoyed this one so much.
This was a wonderfully imaginative fantasy. Bao has grown up as an orphan and knows that he is not worthy of those in the upper class. He has lived with a local physician and his family and is training as an apprentice. Lan is the daughter of an important man and has lived a rather charmed life. She is looking forward to setting a date for her wedding. Things fall apart for both Bao and Lan and their lives are forever changed. They must work together to beat a witch's curse and will have quite the adventure working towards that task.
I really liked both Bao and Lan and wanted to see them together. They have both made mistakes in their lives but they were really a victim of circumstances more than anything. When Bao needed help, Lan didn't hesitate and I loved seeing them work together towards a common goal. They didn't ask more of each other than they thought they would be willing to give. It was really nice getting to see them get to know each other away from the opinions of society.
I loved the way some magic was worked into the story. I thought that the curse was very well done and I liked how it evolved over the course of the story. I liked that the magic wasn't an overpowering part of the story but there was enough to add a really nice element to the story. This book had a very nice balance of action, romance, and magic.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a really well-done story that was a lot of fun to read. This was the first book by Julie C. Dao that I have had the chance to read but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up more of her work in the future.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Philomel Books via Bookish First.
Initial Thoughts
So I read this whole book today. I had a goal of reading a book today so there is that. This is also a rather short book at less than 300 pages. But the important point is that I actually didn't want to put this one down. It was so easy to finish in a day because it was just a really well-told story. I read is as a stand-alone so it works great if you haven't read any of this author's previous work. I just really enjoyed Bao and Lan's story and all of its magic.
November 7, 2019
3.5 stars! A Vietnamese YA fantasy that reads like a fairytale and includes mentions of characters and events and details of a world I’m already familiar with? Yes, please! This book was one I flew through in what basically amounts to one sitting, and I truly enjoyed the experience. The characters, the story, the world - everything came together really well!
August 16, 2020
This was a nice surprise! I wasn’t expecting to be super interested in this one, but I really did enjoy it. I liked the magic and the love story between the main characters was sweet and realistic. I enjoyed their journey thought the story was really good.
*Huge thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for the review copy!
*Huge thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for the review copy!
dnf-lost-interest
October 31, 2019BOTM YA November 2019 pick!
December 3, 2020
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Song of the Crimson Flower is a charming retelling of a Vietnamese myth that centers a romance and reads like a fairytale. It's set in the world of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, and it was fun to see cameos from characters in that series. This follows a boy with an unrequited love who is cursed by a witch, and the girl he loves who had been engaged to his foster brother. Things get complicated and they embark on journey to free him from the curse.
I had a good time with this story and the authors writing is beautiful. The later part of the book dragged a little bit for me, but overall I had a positive experience. If you liked her earlier books, this one is certainly worth a read.
Song of the Crimson Flower is a charming retelling of a Vietnamese myth that centers a romance and reads like a fairytale. It's set in the world of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, and it was fun to see cameos from characters in that series. This follows a boy with an unrequited love who is cursed by a witch, and the girl he loves who had been engaged to his foster brother. Things get complicated and they embark on journey to free him from the curse.
I had a good time with this story and the authors writing is beautiful. The later part of the book dragged a little bit for me, but overall I had a positive experience. If you liked her earlier books, this one is certainly worth a read.
September 15, 2020
Rep: Vietnamese-coded
Trigger warnings: Drug use/drug addiction, violence, classism
~
This book seems like a cozy fantasy story that takes place in the midst of the Rise of the Empress universe. And it’s certainly a story I was eager for! I legitimately thought this was a book I’d end up loving. The first few chapters seemed that way too. We’re shown Lan and Bao unwittingly falling for each other, then we see Lan hurt and betrayed and cruelly rejecting Bao, Bao running away and encountering the witch that curses him, and it seems like just the perfect set-up for a wonderful love story that just so happens to take place in Empress Jade’s realm.
But then this book takes an abrupt detour away from the cozy fantasy story I was hoping for and makes right for a great big honking epic, complete with a mysterious drug that enhances magical abilities, a plague decimating the people, a daring escape from a city jail, and a final battle. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of that, of course. But I very firmly believe that such a lengthy story, with so many different aspects and influences to the final outcome, cannot be told well within the scope of 288 pages.
I’m not asking for a 500+ page monster. But Song of a Crimson Flower felt, ultimately, rushed, hectic, and like the author was running out of time. The last time I felt this way about something I was reading, I was correcting a final paper from one of my former students who admitted that he’d crammed it two hours before the start of the class. That was, in the end, what the book felt like. Crammed.
It’s sad, because I feel like if the author had taken the time to write this book, really crafted a longer story with a more in-depth look at the characters, their motivations, and the political climate that led to the state of war, I feel like I’d have enjoyed this book a little bit more.
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Trigger warnings: Drug use/drug addiction, violence, classism
~
This book seems like a cozy fantasy story that takes place in the midst of the Rise of the Empress universe. And it’s certainly a story I was eager for! I legitimately thought this was a book I’d end up loving. The first few chapters seemed that way too. We’re shown Lan and Bao unwittingly falling for each other, then we see Lan hurt and betrayed and cruelly rejecting Bao, Bao running away and encountering the witch that curses him, and it seems like just the perfect set-up for a wonderful love story that just so happens to take place in Empress Jade’s realm.
But then this book takes an abrupt detour away from the cozy fantasy story I was hoping for and makes right for a great big honking epic, complete with a mysterious drug that enhances magical abilities, a plague decimating the people, a daring escape from a city jail, and a final battle. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of that, of course. But I very firmly believe that such a lengthy story, with so many different aspects and influences to the final outcome, cannot be told well within the scope of 288 pages.
I’m not asking for a 500+ page monster. But Song of a Crimson Flower felt, ultimately, rushed, hectic, and like the author was running out of time. The last time I felt this way about something I was reading, I was correcting a final paper from one of my former students who admitted that he’d crammed it two hours before the start of the class. That was, in the end, what the book felt like. Crammed.
It’s sad, because I feel like if the author had taken the time to write this book, really crafted a longer story with a more in-depth look at the characters, their motivations, and the political climate that led to the state of war, I feel like I’d have enjoyed this book a little bit more.
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March 27, 2019
This best way I can describe this book is simple. The writing is simple but pretty. Its has a slow in the beginning but picks up after the love interest gets turned into a flute (its that kind of fairy tale). The two main characters are simple and fun to read. I think this is the first time I have read of the boy love interest being awkward and bumbling instead of the girl. The other characters were more just background noice and I think might have meant more if I had read the other two companion novels. Also the ending isn't particularly strong, if you've read the synopsis you can probably guess the entire ending. Actually you could probably guess the whole book. Besides the romance and writing nothing about this book is particular engaging. Its just a simple and quick read for those whole like fairy tales.
Want to read
July 2, 2019So excited for a book steeped in Vietnamese culture =D
November 5, 2019
This book has a vibe that is charming and positive. The short length (under 300 pages) and rather fast pace makes this an ideal choice for people who need a break after a large and/or intense read or just want a relaxing reading experience in general. The story presented here is simple but in a classical way, resembling a fairy tale.
What drew me to this title initially is the unusual romance, one of the more notably unique aspects of this title. I’ll just go into details that are already presented in the back cover summary and avoid spoilers. The heroine is Lan, a young noblewoman. Her love interest is Bao, an aspiring physician and orphan. Though of two very different social classes, they were childhood friends.
As adults, she is in love with another and rejects Bao in anger- granted, she has what I think many will consider good reasons for doing so. Her words are cruel nonetheless and tarnish his idealized image of her. Filled with regret after the fact, she wants to make amends and finds that he’s been cursed by a witch. The two go on a journey to locate the witch and undo the curse. Time is ticking and his soul might otherwise be forever trapped. During their journey, she starts to see him in a new light. Conversely, he tries to close his heart off to her.
The nature of their love story is a sort of childhood friends-to-enemies, then enemies-to-lovers setup that I immediately wanted to read about. Both characters grow and change in their perceptions of each other. While I feel the large concept is teeming with the potential for intensity and drama, it’s surprisingly a surprisingly cute and easygoing romance overall. It’s also quite chaste and all-ages friendly, not any problematic aspect that I can recall.
Next area I want to cover- the reversal of fairytale stereotypes. I was very pleased to find this in Song of the Crimson Flower. For example, one of the side characters has a nuanced portrayal despite usually being of a type that is treated as uniformly evil in fables/fairytales. Next, rather than a hero saving a heroine, the hero is the one in dire straits with a heroine keen on helping to save him. Moreover, the female characters are on equal footing with the male ones in terms of power, conversation, and a zest for adventure.
Aside from undoing Bao’s curse, the characters also find out troubling things about a substance called “black spice” that has been spreading throughout multiple kingdoms and having very negative effects. The spice seems to originate from a place called the Gray Kingdom, a location which lies at the center of breaking Bao’s curse.
The setting is historical Vietnam with a touch of magic. The visuals of this world are simple to grasp yet often beautifully described. The magical energy that permeates this land is tangible and the side characters have some worthwhile development and relationships, with bits of back story. That aspect could have been broader, but it’s not bad for the page count.
Plot-wise, there was one event toward the end that I felt could have been situated differently for greater emotional impact. A small change would have injected a revelatory element of surprise for which this perhaps too even-keel novel would have benefitted from.
There is a noticeable absence of any controversial or particularly grim elements. In addition to the YA demographic, middle grade readers branching into YA might be one possible audience. But the main characters are on the older side of teenaged and behave in ways that are gracefully smart and reasonable. I think a lot of adults would find something to like here as well. Tracing back to the fairytale comparison, there is a potential wide reach and appeal for this title.
Why You Should Try It – Graceful characterization. Feels like a light and airy fairytale, but reverses stereotypes in a neat way. Well-paced and short (under 300 pages) with what I think would be wide appeal to middle grade, YA, and adult readers. The romance is interesting. The setting is a unique and well-realized, a fantasy-infused historical Vietnam. Lovely writing style. I’m definitely eager to try more books by this author that pertain to this universe.
Why You Might Not Like It – The short length keeps many facets brief and fast-moving in a way I sense could make it less memorable over time. Moments that could have been more harrowing or surprising are missed in favor of keeping to a consistently light and positive tone. I found some of the assorted kingdom world-building chatter tedious and side characters too numerous for the page count, though perhaps other books in this universe may aid in fleshing them out properly.
Note : Received an ARC of this title from BookishFirst for the purpose of this review.
What drew me to this title initially is the unusual romance, one of the more notably unique aspects of this title. I’ll just go into details that are already presented in the back cover summary and avoid spoilers. The heroine is Lan, a young noblewoman. Her love interest is Bao, an aspiring physician and orphan. Though of two very different social classes, they were childhood friends.
As adults, she is in love with another and rejects Bao in anger- granted, she has what I think many will consider good reasons for doing so. Her words are cruel nonetheless and tarnish his idealized image of her. Filled with regret after the fact, she wants to make amends and finds that he’s been cursed by a witch. The two go on a journey to locate the witch and undo the curse. Time is ticking and his soul might otherwise be forever trapped. During their journey, she starts to see him in a new light. Conversely, he tries to close his heart off to her.
The nature of their love story is a sort of childhood friends-to-enemies, then enemies-to-lovers setup that I immediately wanted to read about. Both characters grow and change in their perceptions of each other. While I feel the large concept is teeming with the potential for intensity and drama, it’s surprisingly a surprisingly cute and easygoing romance overall. It’s also quite chaste and all-ages friendly, not any problematic aspect that I can recall.
Next area I want to cover- the reversal of fairytale stereotypes. I was very pleased to find this in Song of the Crimson Flower. For example, one of the side characters has a nuanced portrayal despite usually being of a type that is treated as uniformly evil in fables/fairytales. Next, rather than a hero saving a heroine, the hero is the one in dire straits with a heroine keen on helping to save him. Moreover, the female characters are on equal footing with the male ones in terms of power, conversation, and a zest for adventure.
Aside from undoing Bao’s curse, the characters also find out troubling things about a substance called “black spice” that has been spreading throughout multiple kingdoms and having very negative effects. The spice seems to originate from a place called the Gray Kingdom, a location which lies at the center of breaking Bao’s curse.
The setting is historical Vietnam with a touch of magic. The visuals of this world are simple to grasp yet often beautifully described. The magical energy that permeates this land is tangible and the side characters have some worthwhile development and relationships, with bits of back story. That aspect could have been broader, but it’s not bad for the page count.
Plot-wise, there was one event toward the end that I felt could have been situated differently for greater emotional impact. A small change would have injected a revelatory element of surprise for which this perhaps too even-keel novel would have benefitted from.
There is a noticeable absence of any controversial or particularly grim elements. In addition to the YA demographic, middle grade readers branching into YA might be one possible audience. But the main characters are on the older side of teenaged and behave in ways that are gracefully smart and reasonable. I think a lot of adults would find something to like here as well. Tracing back to the fairytale comparison, there is a potential wide reach and appeal for this title.
Why You Should Try It – Graceful characterization. Feels like a light and airy fairytale, but reverses stereotypes in a neat way. Well-paced and short (under 300 pages) with what I think would be wide appeal to middle grade, YA, and adult readers. The romance is interesting. The setting is a unique and well-realized, a fantasy-infused historical Vietnam. Lovely writing style. I’m definitely eager to try more books by this author that pertain to this universe.
Why You Might Not Like It – The short length keeps many facets brief and fast-moving in a way I sense could make it less memorable over time. Moments that could have been more harrowing or surprising are missed in favor of keeping to a consistently light and positive tone. I found some of the assorted kingdom world-building chatter tedious and side characters too numerous for the page count, though perhaps other books in this universe may aid in fleshing them out properly.
Note : Received an ARC of this title from BookishFirst for the purpose of this review.
April 19, 2019
4/5. This was so enchanting and interesting, full review to come.
April 15, 2020
So, I was expecting way more from this book. That said, the first part was exactly what I wanted. The story was well written, the setting just perfect and I liked the characters. Bao and Lan were a nice couple, though Lan tended to be a bit of a spoiled princess here and there. But, overall, she was enjoyable. The story was predictable too, but intriguing to read their journey. The Grey City mythology seemed promising as well.
However, things went downhill halfway through. When Lan and Bao met Commander Wei, Song of Crimson Flower turned into book three of the Rise of the Empress duology. I had read the first book of it, but I opted out from reading the second, as the first one didn't appeal to me that much. And so, with a few knowledge about the main plot of Xifeng, Wei and her stepdaughter, it was easier to read this one and piece things together. Unfortunately, I can't imagine a reader who has never experienced Xifeng and her story would comfortably read Song of the Crimson Flower. So, I don't recommend it if you haven't read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns at least. Also, if you had and you want to read the second book of the series, keep in mind that this book will spoil what is happening in Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, so I would suggest finishing the main duology first.
Other than that, and even though Bao and Lan's story was pretty great, the rest of it wasn't. The book tended to focus more on the old characters and their stories rather than the new ones, even if they were the main ones of this book. As I couldn't find myself caring about Wei's romance, I got bored with their arc, and the final conclusion of their story was just cheesy. The Grey City big battle was not present at all and we just saw the aftermath of it, which was disappointing. Maybe I was expecting too much from Queen Vy, as she did appear as a strong, evil character, but she was disappointing in the end as well.
In conclusion, I loved Bao and Lan and their story was entertaining. The rest of it was a let down.
However, things went downhill halfway through. When Lan and Bao met Commander Wei, Song of Crimson Flower turned into book three of the Rise of the Empress duology. I had read the first book of it, but I opted out from reading the second, as the first one didn't appeal to me that much. And so, with a few knowledge about the main plot of Xifeng, Wei and her stepdaughter, it was easier to read this one and piece things together. Unfortunately, I can't imagine a reader who has never experienced Xifeng and her story would comfortably read Song of the Crimson Flower. So, I don't recommend it if you haven't read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns at least. Also, if you had and you want to read the second book of the series, keep in mind that this book will spoil what is happening in Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, so I would suggest finishing the main duology first.
Other than that, and even though Bao and Lan's story was pretty great, the rest of it wasn't. The book tended to focus more on the old characters and their stories rather than the new ones, even if they were the main ones of this book. As I couldn't find myself caring about Wei's romance, I got bored with their arc, and the final conclusion of their story was just cheesy. The Grey City big battle was not present at all and we just saw the aftermath of it, which was disappointing. Maybe I was expecting too much from Queen Vy, as she did appear as a strong, evil character, but she was disappointing in the end as well.
In conclusion, I loved Bao and Lan and their story was entertaining. The rest of it was a let down.
October 21, 2019
You can find this review on my blog Shades of Paper.
After completely falling in love with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns two years ago I knew I had to read everything Julie C. Dao publishes, and since this book was a standalone set in the same world as her debut novel, I got even more excited.
It took me a while to get into the story because I was a bit confused at the very beginning by what was happening. It took me a couple of chapters to start to understand everything that was going on, because even though I was a bit familiar with the world, the book started a bit suddenly, but once I kept reading I found the story to be more fast paced and easy to get into.
My main issue with this book was that it was too short. All the actions that took place in Song of the Crimson Flower happened very fast and I feel it didn’t have time to build up anticipation or to make the reader engaged enough in the story to want to keep reading. I feel if the novel was longer and the pacing slower in a way, the reader could have gotten more time to grasp everything and become more connected with the story, but with the way it was done I feel a bit underwhelmed by everything that was going on.
For example, I think the book had so many great subplots that were unexplored, because the story was a bit too focused on the romance. I think the bloodpox thing was a very interesting element to add to the story, but overall was unexplored and frankly a bit forgotten by everything that was going on. There were certain times where nothing was really going on and it felt like the story was dragged, instead of flowing smoothly as I hoped.
The ending happened a bit fast, and though it was very action-packed and it’s solve the conflict of the story and wrapped up the plot nicely, I would have preferred it to be more slow burn than what it was. Though I have to say that I really enjoyed those last few chapters and think that’s where the essence of the story was the most, so even though I had my issues with the pacing and would have loved to get to know certain things a bit more, the story had its redeemable qualities.
Though I ended up liking these characters, and was so happy to see some cameos from Forest of a Thousand Lanterns in there, the characters felt a bit flat sometimes. It’s true that we know a basic information about them and their motivations and the journey they went through, but there was something missing about them. It took me a while to see any chemistry between the two main characters, and so that made the romance appeared quite forced to me. Though I ended up liking some of their dynamics and interactions and I could totally see a romance happening, I would have liked for them to be more complex.
Overall, I think Song of the Crimson Flower had its good and bad things. I adored Julie C. Dao’s writing and think it was so lushed and beautiful, and even though I had my issues with the length and the pacing of the book, I think it had some elements that I really enjoyed seeing in a book.
TW: abandonment
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t change my opinion whatsoever. All thoughts are my own.
....
..
Thank you Philomel Books for the ARC.
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“Soon, she would make Ba and Mama proud, and she would have everything: a lovely, elegant wing of the Huynh’s home, servants to tend to her every wish as a cherished daughter-in-law, and Tam, the handsome young man who wove his love for her into the melody o a flute beneath the moon.”
After completely falling in love with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns two years ago I knew I had to read everything Julie C. Dao publishes, and since this book was a standalone set in the same world as her debut novel, I got even more excited.
It took me a while to get into the story because I was a bit confused at the very beginning by what was happening. It took me a couple of chapters to start to understand everything that was going on, because even though I was a bit familiar with the world, the book started a bit suddenly, but once I kept reading I found the story to be more fast paced and easy to get into.
My main issue with this book was that it was too short. All the actions that took place in Song of the Crimson Flower happened very fast and I feel it didn’t have time to build up anticipation or to make the reader engaged enough in the story to want to keep reading. I feel if the novel was longer and the pacing slower in a way, the reader could have gotten more time to grasp everything and become more connected with the story, but with the way it was done I feel a bit underwhelmed by everything that was going on.
For example, I think the book had so many great subplots that were unexplored, because the story was a bit too focused on the romance. I think the bloodpox thing was a very interesting element to add to the story, but overall was unexplored and frankly a bit forgotten by everything that was going on. There were certain times where nothing was really going on and it felt like the story was dragged, instead of flowing smoothly as I hoped.
”I’m going on an adventure at last, Bà nôi, she thought, looking up at the sky. Just like we always talked about.”
The ending happened a bit fast, and though it was very action-packed and it’s solve the conflict of the story and wrapped up the plot nicely, I would have preferred it to be more slow burn than what it was. Though I have to say that I really enjoyed those last few chapters and think that’s where the essence of the story was the most, so even though I had my issues with the pacing and would have loved to get to know certain things a bit more, the story had its redeemable qualities.
Though I ended up liking these characters, and was so happy to see some cameos from Forest of a Thousand Lanterns in there, the characters felt a bit flat sometimes. It’s true that we know a basic information about them and their motivations and the journey they went through, but there was something missing about them. It took me a while to see any chemistry between the two main characters, and so that made the romance appeared quite forced to me. Though I ended up liking some of their dynamics and interactions and I could totally see a romance happening, I would have liked for them to be more complex.
Overall, I think Song of the Crimson Flower had its good and bad things. I adored Julie C. Dao’s writing and think it was so lushed and beautiful, and even though I had my issues with the length and the pacing of the book, I think it had some elements that I really enjoyed seeing in a book.
TW: abandonment
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn’t change my opinion whatsoever. All thoughts are my own.
“Tam had not written her the love song.
Tam had not played her such beautiful music.
Tam had not bothered to come and see her.”
....
..
Thank you Philomel Books for the ARC.
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January 13, 2020
♡ Not wholly unique, but entertaining nonetheless! Having been mostly unfamiliar with the original Magic Flute tale might've prevented me from fully appreciating certain aspects of this retelling. The prose is beautiful, which I had expected from reading Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, and I'm glad that the pacing never faltered! Overall a pretty fun little fantasy!
October 27, 2019
Julie C. Dao is officially the Queen on fantasy.
I don't make the rules, I just state them.
This read beautifully, with a fantastic, classic fairytale vibe and Disney had better jump on it and turn it into an equally beautiful movie asap.
I don't make the rules, I just state them.
This read beautifully, with a fantastic, classic fairytale vibe and Disney had better jump on it and turn it into an equally beautiful movie asap.
July 29, 2020
This was a good book. Len and Bao are a cute couple, and Wei has a new love story (much better than Xifeng!) The cheesy romance parts of the book were telenovela level (we can't stay away from each other or we can't breathe!), which was kind of fun to read. The adventure parts, though, could have been a little better. Still, a cute romance, and I'd read the series again.
November 25, 2019
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
Julie C. Dao is one of my auto-buy authors -- I totally fell in love with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and adored The Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix,/i>. I thought that with the completion of the Rise of the Empress duology, we would leave the world of Feng Lu forever. So imagine my surprise and delight to discover that Song of the Crimson Flower, her latest book, was set in the same world! This book completely stands alone from the Rise of the Empress duology, but will still delight fans of the original books with some familiar faces and themes.
Much like the Rise of the Empress series, Song of the Crimson Flower has the feeling and nostalgia of a gorgeous fairy tale in an East Asian setting. It has the same fairy tale structure, tropes, and characters that we so often see in classic tales, giving it a lovely, warm feeling of nostalgia. Reading Song of the Crimson Flower feels like you’re sinking into a favourite childhood tale or storybook, which is one of the most rewarding reading experiences for me.
The fact that this takes place in Feng Lu, the well-established world of The Rise of the Empress duology, doesn’t mean that Dao slacks on worldbuilding at all. She expands the Grasslands with much more detail than previously seen and paints a picture of both the wealth and poverty that our characters experience. Magic and medicine, both good and bad, are woven through the story in an incredibly effective way. This is particularly effective in the way that the Black Spice drug is portrayed -- it causes horrible addiction and tears apart families, but could also be a miracle cure to a horrible illness that haunts the Grasslands. I loved the way that she balanced these themes and coloured this book with shades of gray.
The romance is a major driver for the plot and characters, and I really enjoyed the growing relationship between Lan and Bao. Neither is perfect at the start and both desperately need to grow in order to become more understanding people, which I always love. I particularly enjoyed Lan’s character arc -- her journey to see past her privilege was a pleasure to read. My favourite romance, however, was one between two minor characters. I was completely and totally invested in their story and would have happily have read from their point of view too. I was also thrilled to see many familiar faces in this book and loved that we got to see old favourites eight years after the events of the first series.
Song of the Crimson Flower will delight fans of Dao’s previous books, but also stands alone as a fine YA fantasy tale for newcomers to her writing. This is the perfect book to cosy up with and binge read on a cold winter night!
CW: Drugs and discussion of addiction, abandonment
4.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
Julie C. Dao is one of my auto-buy authors -- I totally fell in love with Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and adored The Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix,/i>. I thought that with the completion of the Rise of the Empress duology, we would leave the world of Feng Lu forever. So imagine my surprise and delight to discover that Song of the Crimson Flower, her latest book, was set in the same world! This book completely stands alone from the Rise of the Empress duology, but will still delight fans of the original books with some familiar faces and themes.
Much like the Rise of the Empress series, Song of the Crimson Flower has the feeling and nostalgia of a gorgeous fairy tale in an East Asian setting. It has the same fairy tale structure, tropes, and characters that we so often see in classic tales, giving it a lovely, warm feeling of nostalgia. Reading Song of the Crimson Flower feels like you’re sinking into a favourite childhood tale or storybook, which is one of the most rewarding reading experiences for me.
The fact that this takes place in Feng Lu, the well-established world of The Rise of the Empress duology, doesn’t mean that Dao slacks on worldbuilding at all. She expands the Grasslands with much more detail than previously seen and paints a picture of both the wealth and poverty that our characters experience. Magic and medicine, both good and bad, are woven through the story in an incredibly effective way. This is particularly effective in the way that the Black Spice drug is portrayed -- it causes horrible addiction and tears apart families, but could also be a miracle cure to a horrible illness that haunts the Grasslands. I loved the way that she balanced these themes and coloured this book with shades of gray.
The romance is a major driver for the plot and characters, and I really enjoyed the growing relationship between Lan and Bao. Neither is perfect at the start and both desperately need to grow in order to become more understanding people, which I always love. I particularly enjoyed Lan’s character arc -- her journey to see past her privilege was a pleasure to read. My favourite romance, however, was one between two minor characters. I was completely and totally invested in their story and would have happily have read from their point of view too. I was also thrilled to see many familiar faces in this book and loved that we got to see old favourites eight years after the events of the first series.
Song of the Crimson Flower will delight fans of Dao’s previous books, but also stands alone as a fine YA fantasy tale for newcomers to her writing. This is the perfect book to cosy up with and binge read on a cold winter night!
CW: Drugs and discussion of addiction, abandonment
4.5 out of 5 stars
November 18, 2019
Song of the Crimson Flower is a story about class and love that defies boundaries. It's about the truth of love that will transcend words even when the world seems to be pulling us apart. Is it more important for us to be proper than the image of propriety? For us to be honorable or to seem honorable? Dao also examines the ways we build people up in our head and put them on a pedestal. We end up seeing what we want to see, what will be most comfortable to us.
While there's this plot where the fate of the kingdoms hang in the balance, the story is centered around Bao and Lan's relationship. The ways they challenge each other, but also the way they defy each other's expectations. Bao made my heart hurt. He just wants so desperately to be loved, to have a family, to belong. And when he begins to get a taste of what he wants, he realizes that maybe it isn't what he wanted at all. We are asked if our nature is what will win out, our blood, or the qualities from those who have nurtured us.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
While there's this plot where the fate of the kingdoms hang in the balance, the story is centered around Bao and Lan's relationship. The ways they challenge each other, but also the way they defy each other's expectations. Bao made my heart hurt. He just wants so desperately to be loved, to have a family, to belong. And when he begins to get a taste of what he wants, he realizes that maybe it isn't what he wanted at all. We are asked if our nature is what will win out, our blood, or the qualities from those who have nurtured us.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
September 7, 2024
What is in a love spell? I really liked this story in which the girls must save the guy, a different take on so many beloved fairytales. I thought the story was well written with compelling characters. I would not say this was on my top ten of favorite fantasies, but I am going to read what is next for this author because the writing alone was beautiful.
December 26, 2019
This is everything I wanted in a YA Vietnamese inspired fantasy. I feel so validated.
August 2, 2022
Not really a bad book just kinda fell flat for me, wanted to like it but i just didn’t really care about anything.
June 17, 2021
actual rating: 3.5 stars
when bao confessed his love for lan, he was not expecting such cruelty and viciousness from her. having painted a lovely picture of lan, bao couldn't believe the person he loved and admired from afar could utter such painful words. devastated, he ran away only to be cursed by a witch who has some odd ties with him. appalled at her own actions, lan wanted to apologise to bao but finds out that bao had left. when she finds bao's flute on a boat near her house, she discovered bao's curse.
determined to break the spell, lan and bao travelled towards the gray city where black spice (used by empress xifeng in forest of a thousand lanterns) was being used and experimented upon as a cure for bloodpox even though it has been illegalised throughout the country.
as a physician's apprentice, bao's ability in medical treatments is exceptional. even though master huynh has treated bao with kindness, others in the family didn't especially madam huynh. despite that, bao's personality is still filled with warmth and no hint of resentment or unhappiness. he's well-loved by the people in the river market but never felt like he truly belonged anywhere. having lived so long without knowing his biological parents, bao don't think much about his true background until the moment he met the witch who cursed him.
lan may be a lord's daughter but she isn't afraid to get down and dirty when the situation calls for it. heartbroken beyond repair, lan decides to help bao break his curse while going on a self-identifying adventure. throughout the journey, she sees past bao's lanky and awkward physique and discovered his kindness and genuine personality.
it's hard not to be a little protective of bao at first considering that his feelings got shattered before anything could happen between them. however, lan's continuous encouragements and care towards bao cannot be discounted. watching her fall in love with sweet bao was fun.
through this journey, we meet empress jade and commander wei once again. both of who we encountered in the first two books. it's nice to see jade in action as the empress after what happened in kingdom of the burning phoenix, and commander wei when he was used by xifeng in book one.
when bao confessed his love for lan, he was not expecting such cruelty and viciousness from her. having painted a lovely picture of lan, bao couldn't believe the person he loved and admired from afar could utter such painful words. devastated, he ran away only to be cursed by a witch who has some odd ties with him. appalled at her own actions, lan wanted to apologise to bao but finds out that bao had left. when she finds bao's flute on a boat near her house, she discovered bao's curse.
determined to break the spell, lan and bao travelled towards the gray city where black spice (used by empress xifeng in forest of a thousand lanterns) was being used and experimented upon as a cure for bloodpox even though it has been illegalised throughout the country.
as a physician's apprentice, bao's ability in medical treatments is exceptional. even though master huynh has treated bao with kindness, others in the family didn't especially madam huynh. despite that, bao's personality is still filled with warmth and no hint of resentment or unhappiness. he's well-loved by the people in the river market but never felt like he truly belonged anywhere. having lived so long without knowing his biological parents, bao don't think much about his true background until the moment he met the witch who cursed him.
lan may be a lord's daughter but she isn't afraid to get down and dirty when the situation calls for it. heartbroken beyond repair, lan decides to help bao break his curse while going on a self-identifying adventure. throughout the journey, she sees past bao's lanky and awkward physique and discovered his kindness and genuine personality.
it's hard not to be a little protective of bao at first considering that his feelings got shattered before anything could happen between them. however, lan's continuous encouragements and care towards bao cannot be discounted. watching her fall in love with sweet bao was fun.
through this journey, we meet empress jade and commander wei once again. both of who we encountered in the first two books. it's nice to see jade in action as the empress after what happened in kingdom of the burning phoenix, and commander wei when he was used by xifeng in book one.
January 4, 2020
Okay, so my first thought on this is that I'm using the Goodreads rating system of 1/5 stars means "I did not like it." I feel horrible about rating any book one star, but that's the description that fits me for this book. It was not horrible. I just... didn't like it. At all.
I had no idea until I was about 90% of the way through this book that it is a companion (not exactly a sequel) to the Rise of the Empress series which I have not read. It is meant to stand on its own, but there is so little world building that this book should be read after the other books by this author. I might have liked it more that way, as I probably would have understood more about the politics of this society and the illness that has befallen its people.
Because this book relies so much on others, it feels very shallow. The story plays out exactly like I expected it to after finishing the second chapter. There are no twists and, despite the witch's warning, no sense of urgency in the plot. I didn't feel that anything was really at risk for the main characters. I actually felt more for the "side couple" in this story than I ever felt for the main characters.
Lan is also an unlikable main character. I feel like the author forced her to change to fit the plot, not that she ever genuinely grew up or became any less selfish. This meant I didn't feel the romance at all between Lan and Bao. It felt like they fell in love with preconceived ideas of one another, not the person actually in front of them. I don't see their romance lasting long term.
Overall, the writing is not horrible. Younger YA readers who are suckers for romance but want something that isn't the same old contemporary Kasie West novel churned out again and again with a different title might like this book.
I had no idea until I was about 90% of the way through this book that it is a companion (not exactly a sequel) to the Rise of the Empress series which I have not read. It is meant to stand on its own, but there is so little world building that this book should be read after the other books by this author. I might have liked it more that way, as I probably would have understood more about the politics of this society and the illness that has befallen its people.
Because this book relies so much on others, it feels very shallow. The story plays out exactly like I expected it to after finishing the second chapter. There are no twists and, despite the witch's warning, no sense of urgency in the plot. I didn't feel that anything was really at risk for the main characters. I actually felt more for the "side couple" in this story than I ever felt for the main characters.
Lan is also an unlikable main character. I feel like the author forced her to change to fit the plot, not that she ever genuinely grew up or became any less selfish. This meant I didn't feel the romance at all between Lan and Bao. It felt like they fell in love with preconceived ideas of one another, not the person actually in front of them. I don't see their romance lasting long term.
Overall, the writing is not horrible. Younger YA readers who are suckers for romance but want something that isn't the same old contemporary Kasie West novel churned out again and again with a different title might like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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