Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Rating: 4/5
Just when Xingyin thinks she’s found peace, changes in the Celestial Kingdom cause everything to go to shambles.
Spoilers ahead.
Detailed Summary
Xingyin enjoys her time on the moon with her mother Chang’e and Ping’er. They have visitors–one is an old man and the other is a young wine-maker. Xingyin catches the old man hacking at the laurel trees in the forest. Liwei asks her to come to the Celestial Kingdom for a celebration. She agrees but Chang’e doesn’t light the moon and the Celestial Emperor is outraged. Xingyin hurries home. She finds a note in her mother’s room then goes to her father’s grave. There she finds Chang’e who tells her she saw Houyi, Xingyin’s father. Xingyin goes looking and finds Houyi who swears her to secrecy. He drank the last few drops of the elixir and regained his memories. He was an immortal sent to the mortal realm to kill the sunbirds. Xingyin returns to the moon. She works with Tao, the Keeper’s assistant’s brother, to steal the elixir but Tao takes it for himself. The Celestial Emperor sends forces to attack the moon and capture everyone. Wugang is now general and is intent on the laurel. Shuxiao and Xingyin try to set a trap for Wugang. Ping’er and Chang’e are sent ahead to flee but are captured. Wenzhi helps them flee but Ping’er dies. They take refuge in the Southern Sea because Ping’er wanted her body to be returned there. Queen Suihe lets them stay, not having heard the Emperor’s verdict about harbouring them. Xingyin meets the Celestial Empress and strikes a deal with her. She’ll take Liwei away from the palace (with the Empress’ help) but the Empress demands she break her relationship with Liwei (he’s proposed a few times but she’s biding her time). Xingyin agrees but only if the Empress doesn’t harm any of her kin. She manages to break into the Celestial palace and break Liwei (and Tao) out (he’s been kept imprisoned). They run into Zhiyi, Liwei’s childhood friend, who he discovers is his half-sister. She has the elixir because her mortal husband is dying. Xingyin says she stole the elixir so it’s rightfully hers. Zhiyi relents. Xingyin gives the elixir to her father and takes him back to the South Sea. Wenzhi is also there. Chang’e and Xingyin are summoned to the queen. They find Prince Yanxi and Prince Yanming there. They were hold hostage by Wugang. Xingyin et al. escape but at the surface, Wugang’s soldiers who he raised from the dead are there. Prince Yanming dies even though Xingyin calls the dragons for help. The Celestial Empress is also being held hostage, she reluctantly agrees to help them. She gives Xingyin the key to Xihe’s abode (the sun goddess). Xingyin is made to fight the phoenix and she tames it, winning the deal. The remaining sunbird gives its feather to Xingyin. Wenzhi is outside and they kiss. Liwei witnesses this and is upset. They go to the Cloud Wall but Wenzhi’s father King Wenming will only give them the scroll for disguises if Xingyin marries Wenzhi. At the fake wedding, Wenshuang reveals he has allied himself with Wugang. Xingyin kills him but only after he kils Wenming. Wenming gives Wenzhi the scroll. Mengqi and Shuxiao g0 t0 invade the Celestial Palace to get the Emperor (or something?). There’s a big battle between the Cloud Wall (and the kingdoms who allied with them) and Wugang’s soldiers. Xingyin disguises herself as her mother and is captured by Wugang’s people as planned. She is tied to the laurel. The sunbird feather is stored in her body just like how Wenming stored the scroll. She unleashes it and has to burn herself to destroy the laurel. The soldiers stop working because they were powered by the laurel. Xingyin also dies but then the laurel brings her back to life. Wenzhi who had created a magic link between them dies instead. Xingyin grieves and turns down Liwei’s marriage proposal. She keeps going to the Cloud Wall because she can sense Wenzhi’s spirit. Then one day, she doesn’t. She asks Liwei who reveals Wenzhi was sent to the mortal realm. Xingyin asks for an elixir for herself and Zhiyi, then visits Wenzhi in the mortal realm. They agree to meet at the teahouse later.
Review
Nothing suffuses me with more pleasure than a good old “I told you so!” I totally called Xingyin and Wenzhi being end-game! With that out of the way, Heart of the Sun Warrior was as thoughtfully crafted as the first book of the duology with a pretty satisfying albeit predictable ending. While the first book was very much action-packed, I loved that this book slowed down a tad and explored the characters’ relationships. I loved reading about Xingyin’s family and was pleasantly surprised that Houyi wasn’t a trick. I was so sure that he would end up being Wugang in disguise. I was glad Chang’e finally got the happiness she deserved.
I wasn’t as set on the plot of this book. To be quite honest, I would have been okay with the first book being standalone. I liked that Xingyin thought her family (Chang’e and Ping’er) were more important than two hunks vying for her hand. Part of me did feel the laurels and their powers were a little…hm, the right word eludes me. It was strange to me that no one had realised the power of the laurels until Wugang.
Just like in the first book, I wasn’t very keen on the love triangle. I also didn’t like how Xingyin kept saying she wasn’t toying around with both men because she did truly love both of them. Since this book wasn’t exploring polyamorous relationships (or anything in that vein), I genuinely struggle to understand how someone can romantically love two people. To me, Xingyin was very definitely toying around with both men. What I could understand less was why Liwei and Wenzhi took all that crap for so long! I nearly rolled my eyes right out of their sockets anytime the two of them were trying to one-up each other.
The writing style definitely made this book a solid 4 stars for me. Tan’s writing was so descriptive and beautiful that I was quite close to grinding my teeth to nothing out of envy! I am definitely going to keep an eye out for more of Tan’s books.
Earnestly Eccentric 