Rating: 4 stars for a fabulous Chinese-fantasy book 2 that leaves you searching for another read that is up to par.
My Thoughts:
Of Jade and Dragons left me heartbroken at the end. I HAD to read this second book before it came out. Thank you Net Galley for making that happen. Here is one spoiler, though. The second book starts with heartbreak and also ends with heartbreak. Perhaps that is a trope with C-drama (versus K-drama).
In a way, this brings me back to watching Kung Fu movies with subtitles (never dubbed) at the local theatre in Chinatown with my mom. The women in these movies were fierce and would sacrifice themselves and go "down with the ship" to protect what was theirs. Ying reminds me of that. Perhaps the idea of riding off into the sunset with your soulmate is so western and so anti Asian. I actually think that is what I love about this new diverse fantasy --drama, heartbreak, ferocity, verve, martydom. So Asian. It is like looking at my matriarchs in my own family.
If your students are clamoring for more, there is a short list of next reads on the first book in this duology, Of Jade and Dragons. And if you are an English teacher and you go to an NCTE conference, go to the AAPI get together. It is like a support group for these young Asian American authors and they love talking about their newest books. The giveaways are fabulous and the camaraderie is great to see.
From the Publisher:
Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorise the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.
Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.
New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?
Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.
New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?
Publication Information:
Author: Amber Chen
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (June 17, 2025)
Print length: 464 pages
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