*Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Honestly? I feel like this duology was just one book that got chopped in half, and the second book suffered for it. I wasn't as familiar with the world (as it'd been a year since I read the first book), so a lot of the stakes weren't as meaningful. A lot of the cool worldbuilding and action was in Strike the Zither, leaving us with mostly moral dilemmas and foregone conclusions in Sound the Gong. It was still intricately researched and I learned a lot, but I was disappointed with the second book overall.

After adoring Strike the Zither, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the sequel. I was so nervous to start it though; I got an ARC months and months ago, but I knew Joan was going to break my heart like she always does. Sound the Gong certainly pulls no punches and leaves you stunned by the ending.

This review contains spoilers for book one, Strike the Zither.

Still in Lotus’s body, Zephyr continues to scheme in secret from her place alongside Ren. She’s still facing Miasma as a threat and reeling from the betrayal of Cicada and Crow. But for all her plots, can she really go against destiny and the will of the gods?

I knew that the original idea was to just have one, long standalone book, and I think you can certainly tell that it was split in half here. This book picks up pretty immediately after the first book’s ending, but thankfully the author has written a recap, if you’re like me and don’t have time to reread the first book. This was extremely helpful although I do kinda wish I had reread Strike the Zither anyways just because it would’ve immersed me in the world more.

Anyways, all this being said, Sound the Gong doesn’t leave much room for you to breathe. It’s very plot-heavy, especially in the first half, and is constantly moving. Zephyr proves to be an even more intriguing character than the first book. I knew she was ruthless and willing to do whatever she would to win for Ren, but I was amazed by a lot of the decisions she made! She is a morally gray character through and through, but her convictions always remain strong. I’m still reeling from one of the main plot points of this book, like Joan, you really did that…

Zephyr and Crow’s dynamic remains my favorite aspect of the series. They both understand each other in a way that nobody else does, and I can’t stop thinking about the implications of this throughout the story. I can’t even go into detail about them here because of spoilers, but just know that they are haunting me right now [had another thought and had to redact myself here].

I’m personally not super familiar with the Three Kingdoms, so reading the author’s note at the end was very enlightening. This series is certainly as close a homage to the original tale as it can be, which I think makes it a very unique story in YA fantasy today. If you’re in the market for a thrilling and engaging fantasy with a lot of political intrigue, you should definitely pick up the Kingdom of Three duology!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press for an eARC of Sound the Gong!

My jaw met the floor. What an epic conclusion to this duology! I loved Sound the Gong even more than Strike the Zither. Non stop action and twists and turns and tragedy. You can really feel all the emotion that was put into writing this book. Just incredible!!

Thank you NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the e-arc!
Such a fantastic continuation of the series! Series and I have been waiting for the next book to come out. If you love fantasy books and have been looking for something a bit more unique and really captivating this is it. It really has the perfect mix of fantasy elements and political intrigue to grab my attention and keep it throughout the series.
I definitely recommend reading the first book relatively close to the second book as I think it definitely helps understand the story. This is not a series I would put down and then pick up the second one without rereading the first. There are a lot of moving parts and I absolutely love Zephyr as a character. She is one of the reasons why I enjoy the series so much.

I got the first one as an ARC from Netgalley, and I was thrilled to be able to get the second too! Finishing Zephyr's journey was great, and I loved the retelling of the Three Kingdoms era politics. Would highly recommend!

I was SO excited to get the ARC from NetGalley, and this book did NOT disappoint. I liked the way it ended, and I won’t spoil it, but while some might find it unsatisfactory, it feels right. This book had a lot more “body-hopping” as one might see, and seeing how Zephyr was not able to utilize much of her magic besides changing bodied, it was interesting to see the lengths she went to to serve Ren. I must admit, I forgot why she was so dead-set, having read the first book months ago, and there were plenty of times it could have been explained in better detail than the “Rising Zephyr Operation” or however it was named…but that’s a more personal griff than a structural story issue.

The end with explaining the mirror of Chinese history as inspiration was helpful, and made me more curious about Chinese classics and histories.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this. And if you DIDNT like the ending…there’s an alternate ending on Joan He’s website!

An explosive conclusion that won’t let you come up for air.

Picking up where “Strike the Zither” leaves off, “Sound the Gong” follows Zephyr, now a god in a warrior’s body, as she pays the ultimate price to see her lordess Xin Ren succeed in ruling over the three kingdoms.

This book takes a darker turn with more betrayal, more scheming, more politics, and more death. My heart was racing as Zephyr slowly unravels Crow’s master plan and discovers where his loyalty truly lies. With a deeper understanding of his motivations, I found myself looking back on every move he made in the previous book with fresh eyes and marveled over Joan He’s craft.

Zepyr is ruthless in her pursuit of taking fate into her own hands. She stays true to her character in not deviating from her mission of putting Ren on the throne, but her act of cutting down whoever is in her way toes the line of villainy and makes readers question whether the harm she inflicts is justified by her noble cause. As the author puts it, Zephyr isn’t a “shining hero” and I loved her all the more for that. I was rooting for her to the very last page.

As a ZephyrCrow fan, the ending of “Sound the Gong” shattered my heart, but it fits the story well. The bonus epilogue is what put me back together again (available on the author’s website - you won’t want to miss it) and left me feeling hopeful. Both endings are satisfying in their own ways and wrap-up the duology nicely.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press for an advanced copy of this book.
For me this was the perfect end to the 3 Kingdoms duology. I fell in love with the characters in the first book, and enjoyed being able to experience the continuation of their story. I would love to say that I loved the story, but there was too much war and death in the story for that to be true. I did however love the ride I was able to take reading the book. There is something about reading a story told from the point of view of a flawed main character the way that Zephyr is flawed that will always speak to me. I think that it creates an interesting dynamic as a reader to feel yourself wanting to know how a story ends and not really knowing whether to root for the character or not. Joan He does a great job creating characters with so much depth.
The unique way that Joan was able to jump around to different storylines was such a beautiful addition to the story, and helped tie everyone into the ending beautifully. It was clear that there was a great amount of research that went into the creation of this book.
It was refreshing to see all the ways Joan was able to create endings for her characters that seemed to be what they deserved. I loved the way the ending felt so final, for me there was no room for something else to happen in a way that I will always appreciate.

Sound the Gong has every ounce of compelling storytelling and characterization as Strike the Zither. I don't particularly love He's way of concluding stories, and so I'm not sure I will continue to read them, but her writing up until the conclusion is just so captivating that I may have to suffer through it.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really thoroughly enjoyed this conclusion to the duology, it pick up right where Strike the Zither left, and I forgot how much I missed the characters!!! I would glady recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially those that loved Iron Widow. I can't wait to read more of Ms. He's works, she'll be an auto-buy author for me! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

“But while we are here, we live. We love. We leave our marks. Rain and wind may eventually erase them, but it won’t erase the lǐ I walked with everyone.”

I fell in love with Xin Dynasty era Strategist Zephyr in the first book of this duology, and falling back into her story in the sequel was everything I expected and more. Intrigue, loyalty, and strategy were woven into every page of this story, and this is part of why Joan He’s characters continue to stick with me long after I have finished reading her books.

I definitely recommend reading this one right after finishing the first book, as there are many events and stories and conversations that are referenced in the second book.

Read this duology if you enjoy:

🪭 Strategy and clever (but flawed) characters who are always thinking four steps ahead.

🪭 Tales of gods meddling in the mortal world, and the impact that might have on events.

🪭 The internal tug-of-war between love and duty.

🪭 Characters who aren’t really heroes and aren’t really villains, but have traits that would belong to both categories.

🪭 Layered plots with changing alliances, complex motivations, and events that don’t go as planned.

🪭 Fantasy that has many types of relationships, from familial bonds to found family to romantic… but where the romance does not overshadow the plot or other relationships.

🪭 Reimaginings of timeless tales, this case being the legendary Chinese classic (part historical, part fictional) Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century.

The world-building and character motives are stunning throughout this series, and the political intrigue kept me interested throughout both books. Each section was intricately woven into the story as a whole, and while the sequel felt much darker than the first book, it retained the wit and banter from the first book to keep it from tipping over the edge. This is definitely a series I see myself reading again in the future.

Thank you so much to Joan He for the advanced copy of the book; I loved it!

Sound the Gong is an incredible duology ender; though it can sometimes feel a bit cluttered or confused as it bounces from one new situation for its main character to another, somehow this adds to its overall quality of feeling very much like an abridged and reimagined retelling of the historical epic it is adapting, giving it the sense of being as sweeping as its inspiration is while covering a much smaller amount of time and space.

The few things that stuck out to me that I didn't like: as I mentioned before, it sometimes felt a bit harried and frenetic, as one stretch of Zephyr's journey would suddenly pivot and she'd be thrust into an entirely new situation. While this does sort of add to the overall effect, there were parts where I felt like I was reading two different books bound into one rather than a coherent whole. I also sometimes felt as though Zephyr herself was a bit fragmented as a character. On one hand, this makes sense considering what she is and what she is trying to do. On the other hand, I sometimes found myself frustrated as she kept ping-ponging back and forth on her feelings towards humanity and what she was trying to accomplish, and what she really wanted in the end. I suppose part of me wanted a clearer moment of realization for her, but that might not be what this story was, so I can't blame it for not providing what it didn't set out to give.

But the rest of the story is overall very good and resonating. I loved the borderline enemies-to-lovers content with Zephyr and Crow, and I'm glad we got to see more of them together in this. The ending was also exactly what this story needed. I don't want to spoil it, obviously, but to suffice to say while at first it felt like a bit of a gut punch, it settled into itself, and when you finished you know that could be the only way it ever ended. It's all the best and worst of humanity wrapped up together, just as it always promised to be. I'm glad I had a chance to have a glimpse of this world, and I am left feeling satisfied, and hopeful about what kind of a world it will be after the story's end.

I really enjoyed this one, Joan He is a huge fave of mine though so that was expected. This was a great finale to the series and I liked it. The plot was really compelling and exciting, fully action packed from page one. I'm excited for this to be out, I will be yelling about it until then

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

Sound the Gong is a retelling of the Three Kingdoms, a tale of politics and loyalties and sacrifices. It’s the second book in the series, and I was a little lost in the beginning. Readers who enjoyed Daughter of the Crane will enjoy this book as well, and if you’ve read Strike the Zither, come see how the story ends.

If you expected sparkles and rainbows from a Joan he book… think again…

Honestly though this was the perfect conclusion to this duology! Zephyr went thru so much character growth and i really love who she became. Her very unique forced proximity with Crow was delicious and traumatizing for them both. Big fan.

The final chapter? Knife to the heart. It was perfect. No notes.

From the publisher:
The epic conclusion to the Kingdom of Three duology
All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless. Her lordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.


Fate also seems to have a different winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed―and she will make her enemies pay, especially one dark-haired, dark-eyed Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth―that he worked for the South all along…

Only the heavens know.

REVIEW:
I was so glad I was able to this book right after Strike the Zither. The story picks up where it left off in the first book. Zephyr continues her quest to make Ren the victor and bring unity to the three kingdoms. Though she has new struggles and speed bumps, she knows that she wants to help Ren win this war. There are so many opticals and a huge twist at the end. This book is very much like the first read if you like Asian retellings, strategy, mind games, twists, and turns, this one is for you.



I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

So I feel like I may be a bit on the outside when it comes to this book.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from NetGalley and I will absolutely say that I enjoyed this story.
It was unique, complex, had interesting characters, and a lot of emotional and character development.
But where I am torn is I can't say that the read was enjoyable. The story just kept feeling like hit after hit. I've noticed a big trend in a lot of fantasy lately where the authors just don't leave room for natural development and progression. Essentially there is now down time to allow the reader to process and move through the story.
It's as if the common thread is perpetual chaos/trauma and it can make a book exhausting to read.
Again I enjoyed the story, but wouldnt say I enjoyed the process.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this!!!! I only read the first one a couple of days ago, and I am so happy I read both back to back. This is dark, emotional, and human. The characters get more depth into them and we are able to see different dynamics not because of narrative shifts, but due to 'fun' body hopping.

When I finished Strike the Zither last year I immediately knew I had to read Sound the Gong (if you read it you know!!). I was lucky enough to win an e-arc on IG (thank you!!!) and I finished it in three hours today. I couldn’t put it down!

Zephyr finds herself facing new challenges, including going up against her rival Crow, in her quest to help the Lordess Ren save the Empress and bring peace to the Three Kingdoms. The back and forth between Zephyr and Crow was absolutely PERFECT! I loved their banter! The betrayals! And even though I had been rooting for them to become lovers in book one (enemies to lovers is all our favorite romance trope right?!), I found myself satisfied with how their relationship ended.

The wonderful thing about this book, beyond the twists and turns and surprises with all the politics and battles, was the friendship and found family between Zephyr, Ren, Cloud, and Tourmaline. The way they unhesitatingly support each other, even under the threat of death, is something everyone hopes for in life. I was floored that Cloud and Tourmaline were able to recognize Zephyr so well even in different bodies, that they knew her so well.

The insights into Crow’s past and personality were exactly what I was hoping for after finishing book one so I was highly satisfied with all the tidbits and flashbacks we got. The epilogue from his POV had me squealing.

This duology is the perfect blend of character growth, family bonds, and politics to keep a reader engrossed until the end. I highly reccomend for anyone who loves fantasy that isn’t actually overshadowed by a romantic plotline.

After the events that went down in STRIKE THE ZITHER, my expectations were quite high for SOUND THE GONG! Unsurprisingly, Joan delivered an *epic* conclusion to her Three Kingdoms reimagining that will have readers thinking about these characters and their stories well after finishing the book.

Joan truly strikes again with breaktaking prose (how does she do it??), compelling characters (especially when they all start unraveling lol/rip I'm looking at you Zephyr ;')), and twists you really won't see coming! I also needed a long moment after reading that epilogue — that's how you write a powerful epilogue!

STRIKE THE ZITHER and SOUND THE GONG absolutely have a place on my forever shelf, and I can't wait for more readers to read these stories! (On another note, I will be thinking about dumpling steamers for a very long time...)