A review by verbosevespertine
Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, and while Forest of a Thousand Lanterns/Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix isn’t exactly a fairytale retelling, there’s a lot of the elements that draw me to one. The importance of knowing your folktales, the lessons they impart, the roots they may have in your actual history, and the modern relevance they may still have - I love when a story intertwines these elements without bonking you over the head with them.