The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman in this
dark and mystical East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen
legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress.
"A richly developed fantasy world . . . Julie C. Dao is a talent to
watch."--Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The
Young Elites
Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for
greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she
embraces the darkness within her.
Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map,
Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt,
the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's
majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high? Because in
order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her
and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery
fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has
sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is
absolute.
Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both
breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses
all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking
romance, and a world that hangs in the balance. Fans of Heartless,
Stealing Snow, and Red Queen will devour this stunning debut.
**Praise for *Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"A richly developed fantasy world coupled with an ambitious anti-heroine
of complex agency, this story shines and surprises at every turn.
Julie C. Dao is a talent to watch."--Marie Lu, #1 New York Times
bestselling author of The Young Elites
★ "A masterful reimagining of the early life of Snow White's Evil
Queen."--Booklist, starred review
★ "Lushly written . . . tantalizing reading."--Publishers
Weekly, starred review
"Rich in detail and full of gore and blood, this dark novel will
satisfy 'Game of Thrones' fans."--School Library Journal
*
*"A stunning reimagining of the Evil Queen. Filled with treacherous
courtesans, dark magic, terrible choices, and bloody hearts, Julie Dao's
exquisite take on this classic villain rises far above the average
retelling."--Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of
*Caraval
*
"Magnetic, seductive, and alluring, Dao's Forest of a Thousand
Lanterns is a lush, captivating read about desire and the lengths to
which we will go to find our true destiny."--S. Jae-Jones, New York
Times bestselling author of Wintersong
