A Forgery of Fate

 

Rating: 4 stars for Asian Romantasy

My Thoughts:

I read so many Asian romantasy YA books that I actually thought this was the second book in Wesley Chu's War Arts books -- The Art of Prophecy being book 1 of the duology. Seriously, look at the art work and it is not so farfetched that I thought I was reading The Art of Destiny which is his book 2. I know I have it on my Kindle TBR list which is miles long, so I was ready to get back to the multiple characters in Chuʻs Game of Thrones type of story. 

It quickly became apparent that this was not the same story. Tru, the blue haired artist captured my imagination so quickly that I did not care that I chose the wrong book. I was already hooked. Truyan is feisty. She uses her art skills to forge artwork and take care of her sisters and mother, but she has a gift in her hands and her paint brush to paint the future. However, with Baba lost at sea and believed dead, Truyan is the main caretaker of her family until she falls into the garden of the masked demon Elang. Elang is a half dragon/half beautiful boy who is cursed to live on land until he can destroy his grandfather, the dragon king under the sea who has stolen Elang's pearl.

This is a Chinese Beauty and the Beast but the beauty, Truyan is much more powerful and pivotal to this story than just the love interest. This book has enough fighting, twists and betrayals to make this more C-drama, less Disney.

Back to the cover mix up - the beautiful cover is done by Vietnamese artist Tran Nguyen who is the artist behind what seems like ALL of the Elizabeth Lim YA books, the Wesley Chu War Arts books and my favorite cover this year Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier. Go to the artist blog linked here. The murals are just as stunning and an appropriately large canvas for her work. 

As far as Asian romantasy, this one is fabulous. It has all the highs and lows of an Asian romantasy without the super goopy cheeseball ending. Yes, it has a positive ending, but not without the heartbreak and worry of a Chinese drama. That is what makes Asian romantasy so much better!

From the Publisher:

Truyan Saigas didn't choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father's disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

Publication Information:

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (June 3, 2025)