Song of the Crimson Flower is a beautiful young adult retelling of a Vietnamese fairy tale. It's set in the same world as Julie C Dao's previous books, Forest Of A Thousand Lanterns and Kingdom Of The Blazing Phoenix, and is advertised as a companion novel but is a stand alone and can totally be read without reading the prior two novels (I didn't read them and I understood everything just fine.)
When Bao, an orphaned physicians apprentice, is cursed by the elusive River Witch to find true love before the next full moon or face being turned into a bamboo flute (LOL) forever, he must enlist the help of Lan. Lan is the daughter of a wealthy retired government official and has never seen a hard day in her life and thinks that Bao is beneath her in social status and therefore worth.
What I loved:
-The beautiful imagery and fairy-telling skills of Julie C. Dao
-The classic "the curse can only be broken by true love's kiss" storyline
-Quick and easy read that can be read as a standalone from the series
What I didn't love:
-Lan is a BRAT who is cruel to the people around her simply because she's wealthier and thinks she's better than them.
When Bao, an orphaned physicians apprentice, is cursed by the elusive River Witch to find true love before the next full moon or face being turned into a bamboo flute (LOL) forever, he must enlist the help of Lan. Lan is the daughter of a wealthy retired government official and has never seen a hard day in her life and thinks that Bao is beneath her in social status and therefore worth.
What I loved:
-The beautiful imagery and fairy-telling skills of Julie C. Dao
-The classic "the curse can only be broken by true love's kiss" storyline
-Quick and easy read that can be read as a standalone from the series
What I didn't love:
-Lan is a BRAT who is cruel to the people around her simply because she's wealthier and thinks she's better than them.