Title: Heart of The Sun Warrior
Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 480
Release Date: 10 November 2022
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Hello fellow book lovers, today I'm sharing my review of Heart of The Sun Warrior. The breathtakingly immersive and utterly thrilling conclusion to Sue Lynn Tan’s phenomenal Celestial Kingdom duology; which sees even more heart-stopping, high stakes action than it's predecessor, as Xingyin battles to save her family—and the Celestial Kingdom from ruin.
Synopsis
After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon, and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power.
While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation. Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would.
As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation – to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love… even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.
Review
This was an absolutely stunning sequel that I genuinely couldn’t put down! It’s so gorgeously crafted and even more detailed than in DOTMG— a feat in and of itself as I absolutely loved the lush and descriptive the world building in book one and thought every eloquently wrought (and lyrical) detail was perfect.
The action; which includes plenty of gossipy courtiers, backstabbing and political intrigue was pretty much non-stop and Sue Lynn Tan’s atmospheric, lyrical writing had me completely hooked!
I did feel that unlike Daughter of The Moon Goddess, Heart of The Sun Warrior was a little more character driven—focusing on the emotional aspects of the characters and adding more depth and dimension to their arcs. This was especially true for our endearing protagonist, Xingyin who’s still recovering from the fallout (and Celestial Emperor’s ire) after the events of DOTMG (and the conflicting feelings she has surrounding Wenzhi and Liwei.)
I definitely felt she’s matured since the last time we saw her—there’s definitely less impulsive decisions being made this time around and it was it was interesting to see how that affected Xingyin’s problem solving abilities. The romance aspect too, was a little more cautious though I still really enjoyed the love triangle aspect. I have to admit I’m a sucker for a morally grey bad boy, so I couldn’t help but root for Wenzhi as he tried to redeem himself and win back Xingyin’s trust.
And though I may not have been rooting as hard for him to end up with Xingyin, I did absolutely love Liwei as a character and the complex emotional journey he faces—having to tread the fine line between his loyalty to his family and his love for Xingyin whom they despise. It’s not an easy decision and one Liwei doesn’t make lightly which I really respected him for.
I also loved that we got the see more of Xingyin’s family and delve into her parents’ history a little more, it was also really interesting to hear more about her father—the famed mortal archer Houyi.
The ending was absolutely perfect even if it did have me sobbing uncontrollably, the prose was just soo georgoeusly magical and immersive—I didn’t want it to end!
Overall, Heart of The Sun Warrior was a visual (and emotional) feast for the senses—an addictive and utterly immersive fantasy that fairytale or mythology lovers absolutely must read.
Also, thanks to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for e-arc.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
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