“Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White” plunged me into a whirlwind of emotions that shook me to the depths of my soul. Asian authors have a unique gift for blending sorrow and joy in a way that leaves me empathizing with every word and thirsting for more.
Book Review: Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White
- Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
- Series: Song of the Last Kingdom #2
- Publisher: Delacorte (January 2, 2024)
- Format: 345 pages, Paperback
- ISBN: 9780593809228
- ASIN: 059380922X
- Language: English
Plot Overview
The story continues to follow Lan and Zen, both bound to demon gods yet treading vastly different paths. Lan is determined to end the suffering and wars plaguing her country, believing the demon gods to be the root of it all. Her quest for the mythical weapon known as the “God Slayer” intertwines her fate with Zen’s—a painful reminder of love lost and betrayal.
Zen, desperate to save his kingdom and protect Lan, inches closer to a devastating sacrifice. To stand against his enemies, he seeks an army within the ruins of his ancestral home. But as control over the Black Turtle demon god slips through his fingers, his time is running out.
Song of the Last Kingdom
If Song of Silver, Flame Like Night served as an intricate introduction, Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White elevates the series to epic proportions. The lush, vividly decorated world pulls readers into its gripping story, filled with vibrant imagery and intense emotion.
Lan and Zen’s journey is a hurricane of heartbreak and resilience. Both deeply flawed, shaped by haunting pasts and destined for doomed futures, their humanity shines through. I devoured the book in a single day, swept away by the raw emotions and wrenching choices the characters faced.
Amélie Wen Zhao captures the entire spectrum of emotions in this story—so beautiful, so tragic, and so achingly real.
Rating
I enjoyed Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White even more than the first book, though I realize that without Song of Silver, Flame Like Night laying the foundation of the magic system, I wouldn’t have appreciated this masterpiece as much. The action is fast-paced but perfectly aligned with the plot. Zen’s fleeting time is palpable throughout, leaving me overcome by the inevitability of his fate.
This book will make your heart skip a beat, soar, and shatter into pieces. The ending left me breathless—painful yet profoundly fitting.
“She had given her heart to a boy.
And he had given his soul to a demon.”
Despite the heartache of parting with beloved characters, I cannot deny this is one of the finest books I’ve read. A resounding 5 stars and rivers of tears for Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White.
The epic sequel to the book Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is a fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.
Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.
Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom—and the girl—he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it—in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.
The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.
