Member Review

Xishi is an unparalleled beauty in a country that is still recovering from a crushing loss against its neighbors. A defeat in a war that cost not just the country's honor, but saw her village attacked and her little sister murdered. Her beauty catches the eye of court strategist Fanli and he gives her the chance to avenge the country by going to the foreign king's court as a concubine and spy. Except training with Fanli creates a deeper connection than just strategist and pawn, and arriving in her new country lets her see the war from both sides. Will Xishi be able to achieve her goal when her heart is with Fanli and the king she thought of as pure evil turns out to be nothing more than human?

It did not go at all how I expected yet somehow still managed to be everything I thought it would be. The way that Liang deals with all the mess of emotions and betrayals that come with war and the search for revenge is impressive. You will feel for both sides of the conflict in a way that makes it clear there is never a clear winner and there's no true healing in revenge. Liang's writing highlights characters' reasons and motivations so that you can connect with even those characters you would consider evil or inexcusable. It's all about human emotions and empathy.

The one thing I could possibly complain about is that getting attached to characters is dangerous.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the excellent read!