Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix does not live up to its predecessor, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. It pains me to say this because I enjoyed the previous book. But the book deities weren’t kind to me in this round. I had to force myself to finish this book. Why didn’t I DNF it? I needed to know what happened to Xifeng. But aside from that? I could care less.

So, what went wrong?

Title: Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix (Rise of the Empress #2)
Author: Julie C. Dao
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2019
TW/CW: Mentions of cannibalism, violence (mild)
Synopsis: This fairy tale retelling lives in a mystical world inspired by the Far East, where the Dragon Lord and the Serpent God battle for control of the earthly realm; it is here that the flawed heroine of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns finally meets her match. An epic fantasy finale to that breathtaking and dazzling story.

Princess Jade has grown up in exile, hidden away in a monastery while her stepmother, the ruthless Xifeng, rules as Empress of Feng Lu. But the empire is in distress and its people are sinking into poverty and despair. Even though Jade doesn’t want the crown, she knows she is the only one who can dethrone the Empress and set the world right. Ready to reclaim her place as rightful heir, Jade embarks on a quest to raise the Dragon Lords and defeat Xifeng and the Serpent God once and for all. But will the same darkness that took Xifeng take Jade, too? Or will she find the strength within to save herself, her friends, and her empire?

Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with breathtaking pain and beauty, Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix is filled with dazzling magic, powerful prose, and characters readers won’t soon forget.

Fans of Stealing Snow, Red Queen, and The Wrath and the Dawn will hungrily devour this page-turning read.

StoryGraph | Goodreads | BookShopOrg | IndieBound | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Waterstones

Ok, let’s play a game.

Compare how Dao handled Jade and Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix to Xifeng and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns.

Check out my review of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Yes, both were equally very slow. Lore and worldbuilding weigh down both books. I can understand why people would not like either one of these books.

But the difference is how Dao handles her protagonists. 

Xifeng shines. She is both ruthless, yet sympathetic. You can see the layers to her characterization and her downfall. I could understand her motives, even if I didn’t support them. She’s intriguing. You can see the darkness within her and how it slowly claimed her soul. Readers can bear witness to her conflict.

Jade had none of this. She was lackluster from start to finish.

Biggest issue?

Jade is a one-dimensional character.

Let me tell you: there’s a freshly painted white wall out there that has more life and spirit than Jade. If you were to ask me to describe what her personality is like? She’s friendly, sweet, and naive. And — yeah, that’s all I can think of, to be honest. In fact? Her personality is that she is mindlessly and irritatingly good.

She started one-dimensional and ended one-dimensional. She didn’t grow through this story. 

Don’t get me wrong!

I love reading about kind, sweet characters who have a strong sense of justice. We certainly need to see more characters who are just that: kind. 

However, Jade is proof that just because someone is “the good guy” doesn’t mean that she automatically deserves readers’ support. I saw no reason whatsoever to support Jade over Xifeng. Sure, if we’re talking morals and ethics, then yeah, Xifeng deserves to be brought down.

But why must I support Jade, specifically?

We’re told that Jade is the legitimate heir and Xifeng is the usurper who needs to be cast down. Over and over again, we’re reminded of Jade’s bloodline. You can’t go without hearing how she is descended from the Dragon King. In every chapter, we’re told she is the only one worthy to sit on the throne. But even though Xifeng is 100% a murderous, power-hungry badass — I mean empress –, what has Jade done that proves she is more worthy? What has she done for the people that earn her their respect and love?

Why should I support Jade? It’s not enough to emphasize that she is of the Dragon King’s bloodline. I usually don’t mind that “heir comes back to reclaim their throne from a usurper” plotlines. Actually, I love them when they’re done right. And by right, I mean the author gives me multiple reasons to support a character’s claim for the throne that isn’t just, “Oh, they’re the descendant of this god/conqueror.”  

Without evidence, Jade is just another entitled princess who thinks she has more right to a throne because of her blood. Sadly, we never get this evidence. Since Jade is such a one-dimensional character, it’s hard to support her claims.

Know what doesn’t help?

Dao spends too much time on worldbuilding — specifically the world’s mythology. I know, blasphemy, right? Look, I love a book with good lore. But books can’t survive on intricate worldbuilding alone. I need a reason to keep going, whether it’s the plot and/or the characters. 

Too much time spent on these myths led to less time spent on developing these characters here. Even though Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix is a short book, it dragged on and on. I kept checking to see how much more I had to go every few pages because I could not believe how slow this book was going. 

Aside from the worldbuilding, there was nothing interesting about Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix. It’s just another Snow White retelling that just so happens to be inspired by East Asia. Different, sure. I’ll give it that! Kingdom had the foundations to be an excellent book that would be up to par with Forest. Here is a fascinating story, fantastic world, and exciting villain! And honestly? I adore Dao’s writing style.

But the truth? Dao executed this plot and Jade poorly. Dao managed to puff it up with air rather than actual substance. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a character with actual personality besides her being oh so nice and the total opposite of Xifeng. Plus, nothing significant was added to this world, aside from getting the conclusion to Xifeng’s story.

And as much as I love Xifeng? I would rather watch paint dry.

Final Word

With its lifeless characters (especially compared to a previous protagonist) plus slow, awkward pacing and a poorly executed plot, I will give Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao: 1.5 stars with a D for the grade. I can’t recommend this book to anyone, even fans of the first book.