Stunning. Ferocious. Captivating. With an adventure full of secrets and against a rich backdrop of magic, these characters grapple with their family legacies while finding balance amidst an approaching and ongoing chaos.
A peasant girl with power she doesn’t wish to explore. A lost heir hell-bent on reclaiming his throne. A tenuous alliance established on shaken trusts, haunted pasts, and romantic sparks. Ahn is an orphan with a dangerous secret: she can wield magic; Altan is an exiled prince with a painful past: his family had been betrayed. Ahn needs medicines to save her adopted grandmother in the midst of desert that’s fruit of a cursed land, and Altan needs the ‘lifestealer’ to atone his ancestors’ deeds and take back what’s rightfully his. When their fates collide, a journey commences where the past unravels and vengeance rains.
Inspired by Chinese mythology, this fantasy paints a stunning world that holds scars and meditates on themes of war and oppression while xianxia influences shine through the thrilling action and elemental magic. Brave commentary on diluted history and political desperation, along with sentimental undertones of shared destinies and the burden of being a chosen one, pull in the reader. As the two young, broken yet hopeful characters begin to search for a legendary sword that may rid the land off its dark magic, a slow-burning romance blossoms against emotional barriers. With a diverse supporting cast that delights and tests loyalties, this strong debut chases the prosperity of peace and proves how one can trade anything for love—jade, fire, and gold.
Jade Fire Gold, June CL Tan
Hodder & Stoughton, Sept 2021
Review copy received via a publicist.
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