Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1)
Author: Julie C. Dao
Publication Date: October 10th 2017
Publisher: Philomel Books
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a gorgeously written debut novel inspired by the Evil Queen legend from Snow White.
Xifeng lives a frugal and unhappy life in her dilapidated family home, along with her aunt Guma who raised her. By reading cards and practicing magic, Guma sees greatness in her niece's future, but this rise to power will come at a price. Xifeng will have to give up something or someone important to her to achieve it.
Xifeng is beautiful, ambitious and intelligent. She has a difficult and complicated relationship with her aunt. Although Guma treats her harshly with her words and physically beats her, she expresses that she has high expectations for her niece. Xifeng lives for the rare moments of kindness and occasional approval she receives from her aunt, hoping for genuine love and affection from her. Deciding to take her fate into her own hands, she leaves Guma and her village behind. She travels with her lover Wei to the Imperial City in the hopes of becoming the one destined to unite the five kingdoms and bring peace to the continent. However, it is foretold there is another whose destiny may be greater than her own.
Xifeng has an inner malevolence that she desperately strives to suppress. She is quick to anger and has extremely violent thoughts about others who she feels have slighted her, no matter how insignificant the circumstance. She constantly struggles to fight this creature within her and not embrace the darkness which will destroy her soul. Her transformation through her choices is plausible and authentic. She is resourceful as she faces adversity and rivals on her path to becoming the Empress.
There is remarkable attention to detail in every aspect of the story. The village, the Emperor’s palace, Imperial City and the forest where the tengaru reside, are all magnificently described. The characters are extremely well-developed, unique and believable. The connections and interactions between the women are more potent and fascinating than the romances, which makes for a more thought-provoking narrative.
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a powerful and compelling fantasy tale, filled with mystery, dark magic and secrets. Julie C. Dao has created a kingdom that is beautifully imagined. With East Asian mythology, colourful demons, political intrigue, complex relationships and an ambitious, yet tortured anti-heroine, I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC provided for review.
From the publisher:
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.
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.
You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Forest of a Thousand Lanterns here.
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