EVIL QUEEN 👑

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Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao⁣
Length: 384 pages⁣
Genre: Fairytale Retelling / Dark YA Fantasy⁣
Publication date: Oct. 10 2017⁣

The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman in this dark and mystical East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl’s quest to become Empress.

“A richly developed fantasy world . . . Julie C. Dao is a talent to watch.”—Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Young Elites

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her.

Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high? Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and  exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute. 

Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and a world that hangs in the balance. Fans of Heartless, Stealing Snow, and Red Queen will devour this stunning debut.

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I really enjoyed this one despite the first half being too slow. It’s, definitely, worth the build up. And the writing style made me want to continue.⁣
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Also, it’s so dark and disturbing at times. Xifeng’s character is so driven by her ambition that she is willing to do everything to fulfill it. She’s not afraid to stain her hands with blood just to taste success. You can’t help but root for her, though.⁣
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And true to its inspiration, the main character is obsessed with beauty. And what I liked about it is it makes sense. The whole thing is backed with a solid story and with its setting. It’s not just the character telling the readers about it, but we are able to witness it and how she became her character. ⁣
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My main complain, though, is the lack of fantasy. It’s like Game of Thrones where majority of it are family dramas and politics. It needs more atmosphere and whimsy, I think. Other than that, it’s a solid read.⁣

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