My Thoughts:
This is the conclusion to the duology The Kingdom of Three, following the first book, Strike the Zither. You don’t need to know that this is based on a classic Chinese text. After all, it is thoroughly Americanized-ish to be led by women and sword sisters. You do, however, need to spend from now to this release in April to read the first book Strike the Zither. In fact, if you haven’t started the first book, read them closer to the April release date so that you can more easily keep track of all the characters. This is especially true because there are so many characters and connections to keep track of. It reads like a Russian novel/tome.
The main character keeps changing bodies too, so I would appreciate a little character list like a play.
The one thing I want to talk about without giving away anything is the fact that this is American-ish. What that means is that the feminism is American. The filial piety is very Asian. In addition, the concept of deity is very non-American , especially Christian. This is not the all seeing, all knowing deity. Think Greek and Roman gods and goddesses with their loyalty and bickering. Also, they mess up and try to manipulate fate.
What to read more like this? Check out other YA Asian fantasy books by Joan He (Descendant of the Crane), or Xiran Jay Zhao Iron Widow for older YA or Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor for younger YA.
From the Publisher:
All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless.
The warlordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains a puppet under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.
Fate has a winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed—and she will make her enemies pay, especially the enigmatic Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth. . . Only the heavens know.
Featuring gorgeous map art by Anna Frohmann and black-and-white portraits by Tida Kietsungden, Sound the Gong is the second book in Joan He's riveting Kindgom of Three duology.
The warlordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains a puppet under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.
Fate has a winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed—and she will make her enemies pay, especially the enigmatic Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth. . . Only the heavens know.
Featuring gorgeous map art by Anna Frohmann and black-and-white portraits by Tida Kietsungden, Sound the Gong is the second book in Joan He's riveting Kindgom of Three duology.
Publication Informaton:
Author: Joan He
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (April 30, 2024)
Print length: 320 pages
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