Since this book clocks in somewhere around 500 pages, you could argue that there are points where the author may well be a little too in love with the world she’s built, but on the whole, the end result is rich, immersive, and realized down to its smallest details.

Her obvious care for every aspect of the tale is evident throughout, from its layered, multidimensional characters to the rich world they inhabit. Influenced by Chinese mythology, folklore, and xianxia writing, this story clearly has deep roots in Zhao’s own experiences and history, and it’s clear from its first pages-as well as in the author’s note that accompanies it-that this is a tale near and dear to her heart. (With a ridiculously exciting cliffhanger.) But here’s hoping we don’t make the same mistake with her follow-up, Song of Silver, Flame Like NIght, an immersive doorstopper of a fantasy opener that spins a dense, intriguing story of rebellion, hope, and self-discovery. The odds are fairly decent that a lot of readers slept on author Amelie Wen Zhao’s debut Blood Heir trilogy-the first book in the series was delayed following a storm of pre-release criticism and vitriolic Twitter feuding, the second by the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and the whole thing was sort of eventually overshadowed by a much larger (and necessary) industry debate about representation in teen fiction and the supposed perils of cancel culture.

Amelie zhao blood heir