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Song of the Crimson Flower

Julie C. Dao

Ages 13–17

Readers rate it 3.3 (3 on Hardcover)

290 pages · Released Nov 5, 2019

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Song of the Crimson Flower parent’s guide: what’s inside

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Substance use

What it offers

Educational value

A note for parents

This YA fantasy blends romance with darker magical themes and includes combat sequences tied to war storylines. The core narrative focuses on redemption, sacrifice, and the transformative power of love, with well-developed characters who demonstrate growth and empathy. Some violence and blood magic elements elevate the maturity level beyond typical middle-grade fantasy, making it better suited to teens comfortable with darker fantasy.

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From the publisher

From the acclaimed author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns comes a fantastical new tale of darkness and love, in which magical bonds are stronger than blood. Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. So... From the acclaimed author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns comes a fantastical new tale of darkness and love, in which magical bonds are stronger than blood. Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao's prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch, who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell. Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest's Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that's been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins? In this fantastical tale of darkness and love, some magical bonds are stronger than blood.

Shelved under

  • Young Adult Fiction
  • Fantasy
  • Young Adult
  • Adventure

Books in the Rise of the Empress series

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ISBN 9781524738365 · Penguin

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