Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

I was this close to being burned out on retellings when I heard of Julie C. Dao’s debut, a take on Snow White’s Evil Queen that imbues Asian-inspired elements into the classic, and often European, fairy tale. But I’m ready to give all the retellings a chance if they’re allowed to be as imaginative and inspired as this one.

I’m low-key fascinated by beauty right now (obviously, I suppose) so reading Forest means immersing yourself in Xifeng’s determination to remain beautiful and to, therefore, keep her future intact. Her beauty is what’s going to elevate her from her common life to that of Empress of Feng Lu. At least that’s what Xifeng’s aunt Guma says. She’s taught Xifeng everything she needs to know to rise as Empress someday. How to read, how to write, how to speak, how to remain beautiful, and how to dine on the hearts of living creatures.

Forest has a deceptively long range for being such a…not so long book, but by the end we’re several years from where we began as Xifeng grapples with a destiny that will not only require leaving behind those she loves (like not-so-secret boyfriend Wei) but also a lot of bloodshed. If you’re familiar with the Evil Queen’s story, you’ll enjoy picking out bits and pieces that are familiar albeit just slightly shifted to accommodate Dao’s new world.

At times it’s gruesome (when Xifeng eats a heart, she EATS a heart), but the world is beautiful and intriguing, and the prose is gorgeous. I was easily immersed in Xifeng’s journey, and in her character, and watching her steady spiral is thrilling and grim. Even knowing where this is headed, you still hold out a tiny bit of hope that Xifeng might be able to pull herself back from the brink. The only low point (I’d call it more of a slight dip actually) is love interest Wei, Xifeng’s devoted lover. He’s destined to be abandoned by his ambitious and superior girlfriend, a dynamic that isn’t unfamiliar for women and their high school boyfriends, but I digress.

Forest is a book that’s gotten a lot of buzz, all of it well-deserved, and I’m excited to see what’s next for Xifeng and, of course, Julie C. Dao.

Rating: 5/5 stars