Julie C. Dao does an excellent job at bringing the Asian culture and folklore into all the books she writes. This story of love, magic and friendship is truly unique. Will love break the spell? That is truely the question in the book. We get to meet Bao and Lan. Bao is in love with Lan, when he confesses his love for her she rejects him in some of the cruelest ways possible. Later on she definetly comes to regret her choice. This book includes magical elements that make you question- is the bond of a magical spell truly deeper than the bond of blood? Is what this eveil witch telling Bao about true love fixing everything the truth? This epic fantasy will keep you intrigued and guessing qt every page.