Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Harper Collins 

Released: 2nd of February 2023 

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.

What I Have to Say 

Well I enjoyed this a bit more than Blood Heir, but it still had a lot to be desired. 

I'll start with the things I liked. The world was perfectly built. I didn't feel the same disconnect between the setting and the story that I felt with Blood Heir. It was a beautiful, interesting society with overtones of colonialism and war. I loved the school, it was a dream school and I would love to go there and learn magic. On that note, the the magic system the Hin used was fascinating, I love the idea of a magic system based on writing and Chinese characters. I also want to learn more about the Elantian metal based writing system. 

All this stuff was great, but I wished that the main character would actually do something. Either she relied all on the boy or she unleashed an unknown power that wasn't really in her control. She just seemed so reliant on those around her and she couldn't stand on her own two feet. There were also a few things that confused me about the ending which I won't go into here. 

I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to read on or not. I really hope the next book improves though because this world has so much potential. 

3 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

Pages: 416 

Publisher: Piccadilly Press 

Released: 5th of January 2023 

Author Dhonielle Clayton makes her middle-grade debut with a fantasy adventure set in a global magic school in the sky.

Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, where Marvellers from all around the world come together to practice their cultural arts like brewing Indian spice elixirs, practicing Caribbean steel drum hypnosis, and bartering with fussy Irish faeries. Ella knows some people mistrust her Conjuror magic, often deemed "bad and unnatural," but she's eager to make a good impression—and, hopefully, some friends.

But Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy, and not all of the Marvellers are welcoming. Still, she connects with fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, who is never found without a magical creature or two. Just as Ella begins to find her way at the A.T.I., a notorious criminal escapes from prison, supposedly with Conjurors’ help. Worse, her favorite teacher Masterji Thakur never returns from a research trip, and only Ella seems concerned about his disappearance.

As tensions grow in the Marvellian world, Ella finds herself the target of vicious rumors and growing suspicions. With the help of her new friends, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her beloved mentor Masterji Thakur . . . before she loses her place at the A.T.I. forever. 

What I Have to Say 

This book was imaginative, fun filled and beautifully diverse, but it was all let down by a simple predictable story. I don't know if Dhonielle Clayton thought that things needed to be simplified for children (which is simply not true, just ask them to explain the latest Doctor Who episode!) or if she just spent all her time focused on the setting and neglected the storyline but something fell down here and I'm very disappointed. 

I'm extra disappointed because the world was so wonderful. It was filled with so much imagination and creativity. It would be perfect for fans of Nevermoor because it's filled with the same kind of zany, imaginative setting and wonderous creatures. 

It was also a very good look at what a global school would be like and how all the cultures would blend together and co-exist. It's a beautiful look at a diverse and vibrant school whilst still leaving rooms for themes of prejudice with the different forms of magic system that exist in this world. 

All in all, I really enjoyed most of this book. It could really have been a fantastic book if the plot hadn't let it down. I really hope the next book in the series is better. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Piccadilly Press for providing me with this copy for review.