Forest of a Thousand Lanterns: 1 (Rise of the Empress) Paperback – 11 Sept. 2018

Good read

Content warnings: violence, abuse, mentions of sexual abuse, animal abuse, gore, murderXifeng has been told from birth that she will become incredibly powerful. All she wants is to fulfil her destiny but she struggles with the knowledge that to do so she must accept the evil growing within. She doesn't wish to lose her first love but she knows that to become the Empress she knows she can be she may have to sacrifice people near and dear to her.This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017 and whilst I read it in 2018 (we all know I'm a mess) it is one of the most interesting fantasy books I've read this year. An origin story of the evil queen in Sleeping Beauty, set in a high fantasy world inspired by dynastic China, sign me the heck up!Xifeng is one of the most enthralling characters I've ever read. The gradual change from her being a kind, caring girl to an evil empress was one of the most entertaining reads I've experienced this year. I'm so excited to read the sequel from another person's perspective knowing she's going to be an absolute monster. When you read fantasy novels you can read a fair amount of unconvincing villains and it can get tiring, so reading an origin story from the POV of the villain who is multifaceted was a bit of breath of fresh air.There was one thing I struggled with in my read of this novel and that was the pacing. The beginning moved a bit too slow, the middle was just the right pace and then suddenly the ending was a 2-year time jump. Honestly, it was a bit much and a bit confusing. The time jump was very jarring, as I was reading it and could see that there weren't many pages left and didn't know what was going to happen. Suddenly its 2 years later, everything is different and I don't know what's happening. Had the ending not happened that way and maybe the book had been a little bit longer to bridge that gap this would have been one of my faves of the year.I really loved the whole cast of characters, there were many differing personalities and whilst there were a couple characters that were a bit interchangeable in my head, for the most part, they all held their own in the novel and felt necessary for the development of the story.I wasn't really convinced by the relationship between Xifeng and Wei, but I do think this was intentional on the author's part. I feel like we are supposed to see the cracks and understand how their relationship falls apart.There were proofs of the sequel to this book at YALC and I had no idea and I'm so angry because I just really need the sequel!

**Triggers include physical abuse and gore/violence.**I stayed up until 2am to finish this even though I had a day of travel ahead of me. This has to be one of the best anti-heroine books I've read, and one of my favourite fairy tale-inspired stories. Publishing is saturated with retellings and reimaginings of existing tales, but this one really stands out. The world was vivid and unique, the writing was stunning, and it was deliciously dark, although some of those darker themes may not be for everyone. The heroine Xifeng was so interesting; even though she's led down a dark path and sometimes acts selfishly, she's a strong and powerful character. I love that this book didn't shy away from pushing her character further and exploring the darkness within her. I can't wait to read more of Julie C. Dao's work.

Wow!!!!!!! Okay I feel like I just got down from a rollercoaster ride and the ground is unstable. Am an avid Asian movie&novel fan, so it goes without saying that I enjoyed the read but I didn't feel comfortable with the way beauty was portrayed in this book like the one and only weapon of power for a woman. But all in all I learnt a lot from the book and yes xifeng isn't the best heroine, she has her flaws and I understand her. Her ambition wasn't her flaw, we all r ambitions but the means which she employed in pursuing this ambition. For me,I think she wasn't given an option, she grew up with this ambitions drilled into her head and so was blinded by it. I really can't wait to see wot becomes of our beautiful xifeng.

A spectacularly unique story with superb character development. Beautiful and emotional - I would read countless books if Julie Dao continues with this series.

I read this book recently after it sat on my shelf for ages! I got this in a previous Fairyloot box and I just never got round to reading it but with the sequel coming out I thought it was time to read it! I’m so glad I finally picked it up because I really loved this book!This is an east Asian retelling of the Evil Queen. Her journey to becoming empress and what lengths she will go to, to achieving what she wants. It is dark and twisted and you will quickly get caught up in Xifeng’s story and her rise to power.“If my beauty is my greatest weapon, vanity is the shield that protects me.”The story deals with the power of beauty and the lengths people will go to, to keep it. Xifeng is beautiful and she knows it and is willing to use that beauty to get what she wants and won’t let anyone stand in her way. Even though she is clearly the villain in this story I was still rooting for her. She is wonderfully complex and dark and we often see her ugly side, even though she is seen as beautiful, her inner beauty is lacking.She feels that because of her beauty she deserves the power of wealth of being empress. But she is also smart and cunning. She knows how to play the long game and navigate the politics of living in the emperors palace. I’m glad that we got to see her vulnerable side too, how she second guessed herself at times or how she was torn between getting what she wants and being with the man she loves. It made her a more well rounded character as we get to see different aspects of her.“She knew her own worth. She would seize her destiny with all the strength and spirit within her, and bend them all to her will: every man kneeling and every woman overshadowed.”This story has lots of political and court intrigue, we see Xifeng navigate living in the palace with the empress and how she has to balance between all the other characters in power. There is lots of manipulation and deceit that happens in this book, from Xifeng doing the manipulation to Xifeng even being manipulated at times too.The world that Julie creates is also wonderfully complex, intricate and detailed. I loved the rich imagery that is in the books which makes it so easy to imagine the world. I loved the way the Chinese culture and history is woven into the story.I think my ownly issue with the book was the pacing. I felt it was a little slow in the middle as it dragged a bit but it is worth it to continue as the ending is much more fast paced and explosive. And I love the way it ended with Xifeng achieving her goal yet there is also the promise of more.She was a monster, a bride of the darkness, and she rose to face her destiny as though it were the blood-red sunrise of a new day.If you like dark retellings and origin stories of the villains then I’m sure you will love this. It is a fresh and original retelling but still ties in the Evil Queen and Snow White story of ‘who is the fairest of them all’

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a truly captivating read.Filled with engrossing twists and turns and climax, it's hard to put down. A must read.

The book arrived without any damages and came earlier than expected! The weird thing is I got a signed copy!?!?!!!! I‘m really happy about that :) Also can’t wait to read it

With its richly imagined world and wonderfully diabolic antihero, FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS is a haunting debut that readers won't soon forget.This novel is unlike anything I've ever read before and is certainly one of my favorite books I've read this year.I adore a complex and unreliable main character, and Xifeng beautifully embodies those characteristics. Dao did such a wonderful job of showing Xifeng's backstory, motivations, and human characteristics as well as the darkness lurking inside her. Xifeng might not always be a likable character, but she is an unfailingly fascinating one. Being inside her mind was such a darkly captivating experience, and I am just itching to find out what happens next in her story.The world-building in this novel is quite frankly stunning. From the richly imagined legends and mythology to the lush setting, the world of a FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS is entirely immersive and an absolute joy to read about.The plot of the story itself is very character-driven. This is truly a story of Xifeng's transformation from a naive and driven girl to a darkly powerful young woman. While there are several jaw-dropping and intense moments in the story, it isn't as action-packed as many YA fantasy novels. Instead we get focus more on the political maneuverings and character/world development. While that does mean the plot moves more slowly, Dao's writing is so decadent and provocative, I was absolutely addicted to it.There are some beautiful and heart-pounding romance scenes in this novel. These make for some lovely scenes in the story, without overpowering the overall plot. They are a part of Xifeng's character arc, but they are not the main motivation behind it, and I really appreciated that. Though Xifeng's motivations were far from pure, it was wonderful to see a female protagonist pursuing her dreams and ambitions and prioritizing those above romance.I was truly blown away by this story and by Xifeng herself. I would highly recommend this to any reader. This is such a unique story, and it truly stands out amongst the many YA fantasy novels I've read this year. I will most eagerly be anticipating the next book in the series.

I'm no critic, so I won't be able to dig into the book like some wish.However, I absolutely loved it. People were talking about it on tumblr, and just from one post alone I decided to purchase the ebook and give it a read.I wasn't let down. It's beautifully written! And the characters are wonderful. It is definitely a novel I'll recommend to others for years.

Great read! Recommended to a friend.