Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom, #1)

by Amélie Wen Zhao

‘Devastatingly gorgeous’
Chloe Gong, #1 NYT bestselling author of THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS

‘I was swept away from the first page!’
Rebecca Ross, internationally bestselling author of A RIVER ENCHANTED

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to its forgotten past – and the demons that sleep at its heart…

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her. She spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark – until the night Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner, one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden at all costs.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. 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.

A ferocious tale of romance and fate, SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT is a gift to those seeking adventure with a mythological twist.

Perfect for fans of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan, THE FINAL STRIFE by Saara El-Arifi, and IRON WIDOW by Xiran Jay Zhao.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

5 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

Lan remembers a time when she had a different name. A time before the colonizers came to her land and changed everything – their culture, their magic, even their names. Not content to live with this new life handed to her, Lan delves into her people's past. And she finds the most intriguing things – a strange mark that ties directly to her people's history—a mark left behind by her mother.

Zen is one of the Last Kingdom's fabled magicians. Quite possibly one of the last. So he knows precisely what Lan is and what the mark on her arm means. Together, they may just have what it takes to change the destiny of their kingdom.

My Review:

Oh wow. I knew that Song of Silver, Flame Like Night would be fantastic – any book written by Amelia Wen Zhao is sure to impress. And boy, I was not disappointed here! This novel is magical, fantastical, and certain to capture your imagination.

Best of all are the very real foundations found within this story and their connection to mythology. It's all so perfectly balanced. Again, if you've read anything else by Amelie Wen Zhao, you've probably come to expect that!

The worldbuilding is superb, the characters compelling, and the story rich and complex. In other words, it's the perfect novel to pick up. In fact, I'm already highly tempted to dive back in and do a second reading!

Highlights:
Asian literature
Dragons!
Mythology
Coming of Age meets Fantasy

Trigger Warnings:
Death of parents
Loss of autonomy
Racism/colonialism
War/genocide

Thanks to Delacorte Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 January, 2023: Finished reading
  • 27 January, 2023: Reviewed