If your heart wanders realms - from the mortal kingdom, to the dark sinuous kingdom of the Night and even farther into the crystalline beauty embodied in the Immortal realm, then this is one gem of a duology I would recommend, fellow traveler! Amelie Wen Zhao dazzles again with her mellifluous descriptions of zephyrs and blossoms and the transcending beauty that echoes in the simplest of wishes. In this conclusion, we follow An'ying, as she discovers her true heritage and claims her destiny by making the choices between a love grown in shadows and another sustained by sunny skies and stormy oceans.
Brace yourself for bargains and twists with the nefarious Sansiran, Queen of the Mo, and the even more nebulous pathways to crown the Emperor of the Land. Amelie's is truly masterful at crafting the morally grey hero - whom you doubt at every turn, while also bringing to life Hao'yang's insecurities and his drive to prove his survival to those suffering in his Kingdom - her ability to transform these complicated emotions into lyrical prose is simply unparalleled!
Allowing An'ying to grow into her own with a clear vision for what she wishes to achieve and the slow burn conversations with both her loves are the stuff legends are made of - soul stirring and tear gushingly moving! The ending, in my opinion, was divine - epically and magnificently rendered, I cannot find fault with it!!
A million thank yous to the Dragons at the helm of Random House Children's Books and Netgalley for granting my wishes to read this arc! i am truly in your debt!
