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The Emperor and the Endless Palace
“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.
In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.
And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.
Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.
As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.
An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love.
In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.
In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.
And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.
Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.
As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.
An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2024
About the author
Justinian Huang
2 books337 followersBorn to immigrants in Monterey Park, California, Justinian Huang studied English at Pomona College and screenwriting at the University of Oxford. He is now based in Los Angeles with Swagger, a Shanghainese rescue dog he adopted during his five years living in China. THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE is his debut novel.
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Shelved as 'dnf'
December 3, 2023“i pounded his pink plum” oh! my bad for not seeing the erotica tag
March 10, 2024
E-ARC generously provided by Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4.5 stars. Weaving three timelines together and examining sex, obsession, and the all-consuming nature of love, Justinian Huang's The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a triumph of a queer Asian fantasy story that is as compelling as it is expansive.
4.5 stars. Weaving three timelines together and examining sex, obsession, and the all-consuming nature of love, Justinian Huang's The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a triumph of a queer Asian fantasy story that is as compelling as it is expansive.
March 5, 2024
Despite my better judgement I did find myself perusing the reviews of this book as I spent my day running errands and listening to this story, and I can't really speak to the marketing of this book that seems to have left some of my fellow readers underwhelmed. Personally I haven't really seen this book too many places, maybe a few seconds of the author also talking about reactions to the book and that it was queer in some way that sounded messy. Either way when this popped up as a Libro Influencer pick this month I knew that I was going to have to prioritize getting to this one ASAP.
For once I stuck to that and did get to the book ASAP.
I will start this off by saying this isn't a romance. It might be getting marketed as one, but it doesn't really follow the genre conventions and so I wouldn't really sit here and argue it is one. It is a love story, but it's also a revenge tale. In some ways it also feels like a cautionary tale in the vein of the folktales that so much of this feels like an homage to.
Many of my fellow readers have discussed this book as being erotic, either as something they weren't expecting or something that detracted in some way from the romance. At times it felt like this book was being labeled as entirely erotica as though that devalued any potential literary merit. Look there's a lot of bodily fluids int his book. A lot of sex is had, but honestly the way that sex is tied into the plot and character dynamics always felt purposeful. It's not just the culmination point of a love story in a way it's also weaponized. Sure some of the euphemisms did get a little tired, but there was a way that they were tied to the era of the love story being told in the chapter that to me felt more like an extension of the world building than Huang attempting purple prose for the sake of having a strong pen game. When I say that the use of sex is weaponized at points in this novel I don't mean that int he sense it's an assault, though there are moments in the narrative that are definitively rape and other instances where consent feels like it exists more on a spectrum than clearly defined and these are things that a person can definitely feel uncomfortable reading about and I understand that.
I will say that a lot of this book exists in the land of vibes. It's not that there isn't a plot, we spend the entire book getting different chunks of the three timelines at a pretty even rate, I just wasn't entirely sure how these timelines were going to matter to me. Eventually the story did start to come together and I did value the way that the narrative was almost subverted in the end and the way it asked to rethink the narrative almost entirely.
So no, I might not have been rooting for this in the same way I'm supposed to root for a book that is allegedly a romance, but I was thoroughly enraptured by the narrative from the very first minutes of the audiobook. It's easily one of my favorite books of the year and I would not be surprised at all if I picked this up again before the year is out and I would encourage everyone to try this out for themselves when the book drops in a couple weeks.
For once I stuck to that and did get to the book ASAP.
I will start this off by saying this isn't a romance. It might be getting marketed as one, but it doesn't really follow the genre conventions and so I wouldn't really sit here and argue it is one. It is a love story, but it's also a revenge tale. In some ways it also feels like a cautionary tale in the vein of the folktales that so much of this feels like an homage to.
Many of my fellow readers have discussed this book as being erotic, either as something they weren't expecting or something that detracted in some way from the romance. At times it felt like this book was being labeled as entirely erotica as though that devalued any potential literary merit. Look there's a lot of bodily fluids int his book. A lot of sex is had, but honestly the way that sex is tied into the plot and character dynamics always felt purposeful. It's not just the culmination point of a love story in a way it's also weaponized. Sure some of the euphemisms did get a little tired, but there was a way that they were tied to the era of the love story being told in the chapter that to me felt more like an extension of the world building than Huang attempting purple prose for the sake of having a strong pen game. When I say that the use of sex is weaponized at points in this novel I don't mean that int he sense it's an assault, though there are moments in the narrative that are definitively rape and other instances where consent feels like it exists more on a spectrum than clearly defined and these are things that a person can definitely feel uncomfortable reading about and I understand that.
I will say that a lot of this book exists in the land of vibes. It's not that there isn't a plot, we spend the entire book getting different chunks of the three timelines at a pretty even rate, I just wasn't entirely sure how these timelines were going to matter to me. Eventually the story did start to come together and I did value the way that the narrative was almost subverted in the end and the way it asked to rethink the narrative almost entirely.
So no, I might not have been rooting for this in the same way I'm supposed to root for a book that is allegedly a romance, but I was thoroughly enraptured by the narrative from the very first minutes of the audiobook. It's easily one of my favorite books of the year and I would not be surprised at all if I picked this up again before the year is out and I would encourage everyone to try this out for themselves when the book drops in a couple weeks.
August 14, 2024
I would like to thank Edelweiss and MIRA/HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
🍑This was some of the most erotic, lusty reincarnation stories i have read to date AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! On top of which, this book cover makes me weep because of how gorgeous it is, as it is the ultimate goal of every M/M romance lover to be able to gorge on the unabashedly erotic without having to hide their naked torso covers from babcie on the train! I'm not sorry though, Nana! Gotta find that romance trope and just LOVE IT & LIVE IT, yk! Shout out to my sis Brooke and the Tao of autocorrect we gain insight from pretty much everyday and owe the above yolo gem to lol!💎
👑Ok back to the review, which is much more of a "yaaasss queen, GET IT" flex, than a plot examining critical piece. It takes all kinds. This was the soft-historical eroticism i never knew i wanted nor needed in my life, and i'm obviously HERE👏🏽 FOR👏🏽 IT!👏🏽
✨Also, I see the comp as: The Song of Achilles meets The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue...and while The Emperor and the Endless Palace shares some last chapter similarities to the former...and the memory piece of the latter, the lyricism and narrative content/tonal quality are in NO WAY COMPARABLE!✨
Those 3 books don't even vibe the same....like AT ALL...so please don't be vitriolic and hate on this debut just because marketing splashes are engineered for google keyword searches! thank you.🥹🙏🏽
🦊2nd note: for all my M/M Romance babes out there, this story does NOT have an HEA! but in its own way, this insatiable romance will continue to endure and give that soulmate energy, because at the heart of The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a lusty tragic love story, and the pleasure pull of the bonds are in many ways, an ethereal addiction!🦊
🍑So yeah as is my wont for my reading life, i went into this blind and i could not have been happier about this surprise erotic offering wrapped up in such a pretty package lmao! I was all kinds of enchanted and most importantly, beyond gleeful every time fruit was used in the most poetically garish ways to describe the most erotic instances! And because i was simply content to go along with all the lusty fun, i did NOT think i would be AS emotionally involved by the end of this book, but i WAS! I shed some real tears for these boys who just can't seem to quit each other...even after death!🍑
🐲Quality wise, i was hooked on the flow, the passion and the true feelings, magnified by 3 timelines and the gorgeous men who lived them! I got tied up in the folkloric historical swoony spirit of this weave, as well as the earnest sweetness of River, our contemporary incarnation of one of the lovers across time! I was satisfied throughout, and while i generally hate time jumping narratives, everything about this was beautiful and enrapturing and Justinian Huang was masterful with the characterizations...all unique and fully realized expressions of their individuality, ALL WHILE BEING ITERATIONS OF THEIR PAST SELVES. I'm still floored by how much i GOT from this read.🐉
💖So YES!!! I'm very happy that THIS BOOK HIT for me, and because joy and peace and pleasure should be at the heart of all reading experience, I AM THE WINNER HERE!💖
🍑This was an easy, super satisfying sexy read, and for a debut i thought it was marvelous, well written, and hot as fk! The Emperor and the Endless Palace was all around entertaining and i'm not mad that it low-key hijacked my emotions and made me cry at the end! Overall, it's supremely pleasant to have a new author i immediately love and will autobuy in the future, and because i'm a MEGA fan of this author's flex, it is obvious that i cannot wait to devour whatever Justinian Huang serves up next!🍑
🍑This was some of the most erotic, lusty reincarnation stories i have read to date AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT! On top of which, this book cover makes me weep because of how gorgeous it is, as it is the ultimate goal of every M/M romance lover to be able to gorge on the unabashedly erotic without having to hide their naked torso covers from babcie on the train! I'm not sorry though, Nana! Gotta find that romance trope and just LOVE IT & LIVE IT, yk! Shout out to my sis Brooke and the Tao of autocorrect we gain insight from pretty much everyday and owe the above yolo gem to lol!💎
👑Ok back to the review, which is much more of a "yaaasss queen, GET IT" flex, than a plot examining critical piece. It takes all kinds. This was the soft-historical eroticism i never knew i wanted nor needed in my life, and i'm obviously HERE👏🏽 FOR👏🏽 IT!👏🏽
✨Also, I see the comp as: The Song of Achilles meets The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue...and while The Emperor and the Endless Palace shares some last chapter similarities to the former...and the memory piece of the latter, the lyricism and narrative content/tonal quality are in NO WAY COMPARABLE!✨
Those 3 books don't even vibe the same....like AT ALL...so please don't be vitriolic and hate on this debut just because marketing splashes are engineered for google keyword searches! thank you.🥹🙏🏽
🦊2nd note: for all my M/M Romance babes out there, this story does NOT have an HEA! but in its own way, this insatiable romance will continue to endure and give that soulmate energy, because at the heart of The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a lusty tragic love story, and the pleasure pull of the bonds are in many ways, an ethereal addiction!🦊
🍑So yeah as is my wont for my reading life, i went into this blind and i could not have been happier about this surprise erotic offering wrapped up in such a pretty package lmao! I was all kinds of enchanted and most importantly, beyond gleeful every time fruit was used in the most poetically garish ways to describe the most erotic instances! And because i was simply content to go along with all the lusty fun, i did NOT think i would be AS emotionally involved by the end of this book, but i WAS! I shed some real tears for these boys who just can't seem to quit each other...even after death!🍑
🐲Quality wise, i was hooked on the flow, the passion and the true feelings, magnified by 3 timelines and the gorgeous men who lived them! I got tied up in the folkloric historical swoony spirit of this weave, as well as the earnest sweetness of River, our contemporary incarnation of one of the lovers across time! I was satisfied throughout, and while i generally hate time jumping narratives, everything about this was beautiful and enrapturing and Justinian Huang was masterful with the characterizations...all unique and fully realized expressions of their individuality, ALL WHILE BEING ITERATIONS OF THEIR PAST SELVES. I'm still floored by how much i GOT from this read.🐉
💖So YES!!! I'm very happy that THIS BOOK HIT for me, and because joy and peace and pleasure should be at the heart of all reading experience, I AM THE WINNER HERE!💖
🍑This was an easy, super satisfying sexy read, and for a debut i thought it was marvelous, well written, and hot as fk! The Emperor and the Endless Palace was all around entertaining and i'm not mad that it low-key hijacked my emotions and made me cry at the end! Overall, it's supremely pleasant to have a new author i immediately love and will autobuy in the future, and because i'm a MEGA fan of this author's flex, it is obvious that i cannot wait to devour whatever Justinian Huang serves up next!🍑
April 20, 2024
.𖥔 ݁ 2.5 stars
it was kind of camp tbh
❪ thank you to the publisher for the e-arc. ❫
it was kind of camp tbh
❪ thank you to the publisher for the e-arc. ❫
February 24, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up
Mixed feelings on this one, but it's a very specific sort of book. Erotic, gay fantasy romance with a reincarnation element? Although I would say it's definitely heavier on the sex than the romance and while I found elements of the book to be interesting I can't say I was ever rooting for a romantic pairing.
The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a novel that spans three timelines, reaching from the distant past into the modern day. There is court intrigue, betrayal, magic, and lots of sex and drugs. The idea is a cursed love that extends across many lifetimes, between very toxic people who are kind of immature, aren't good at being faithful to a relationship, and are sometimes abusive and manipulative. So...if I think of this as a "romance" it's not really a success for me, but as a partially historical erotic fantasy novel, it's more interesting. There's tons of drama and I think the right reader will love this. It was certainly an experience! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Mixed feelings on this one, but it's a very specific sort of book. Erotic, gay fantasy romance with a reincarnation element? Although I would say it's definitely heavier on the sex than the romance and while I found elements of the book to be interesting I can't say I was ever rooting for a romantic pairing.
The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a novel that spans three timelines, reaching from the distant past into the modern day. There is court intrigue, betrayal, magic, and lots of sex and drugs. The idea is a cursed love that extends across many lifetimes, between very toxic people who are kind of immature, aren't good at being faithful to a relationship, and are sometimes abusive and manipulative. So...if I think of this as a "romance" it's not really a success for me, but as a partially historical erotic fantasy novel, it's more interesting. There's tons of drama and I think the right reader will love this. It was certainly an experience! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Read
June 11, 2024THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE is a story brimming with potential. Its marketing is bold, with comparisons to era-defining love stories such as SONG OF ACHILLES. This pitch has been ambitious, and set my expectations for this book high.
Across various lifetimes, THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE tells the tale of reincarnated lovers stuck in an endless loop, their romance forever star-crossed as fate tangles them together time and again.
My favorite types of stories are the kind that transcend their singular telling, which is why I’m so drawn to reincarnation-based plots. I’m nothing if not a sucker for stories that say “love (not always romantic!!!) conquers all” or that celebrate the interconnectedness of culture and humanity. They always make me feel a part of something larger than myself and/or bring me some comforting sense of hope. And this book sets itself up to be one of these stories: one that discusses love, romance, and human relationships across distant lands and time.
Which is why it was so disappointing.
The story starts out promising, its scope wide but its strokes confident, painting a canvas full of folkloric imagery and setting up the bones of something stuffed with yearning, queerness, and transformation. While reading the first chapter, I vividly remember thinking: “oh. I’m going to love this.” But this command begins and ends with that first chapter, the rest of the book featuring only glimpses into this level of storytelling.
The majority of this book’s journey is oddly timid and disjointed. Its folkloric and fantastical elements are scattered, isolated to mere moments without any profound impact on the world-building or the story as a whole. The prose feels the same, as the story sometimes halts to insert moments of lovely meaningful writing sandwiched between tentative plot points.
Despite the book’s claim to tell some grand story that transcends time and space, it struggles to hold an overarching narrative, functioning through individual moments. This book isn’t one story told across separate timelines or even three stories told simultaneously, but rather is three fractions of a story on rotation, with minimal narrative distance covered by any of the individual timelines. It reminds me of those children’s stereoscopes I played with growing up, clicking through reels of scenes only connected by their shared concept.
This book tells us that these characters are trapped in a cycle of reincarnation spanning thousands of years and hundreds of lifetimes, so the fact that this book only provides some inconsequential sliver of insight into three (THREE!) of them was baffling to me. I desperately wanted even the slightest peek into another lifetime to help understand the magnitude of this supposed epic, transcendent romance. The story would have been served so much better with interludes between chapters that share even vague glimpses into other lifetimes. Or it needed to express why these three lifetimes are significant turning points at the absolute least. It desperately needed some tangible portrayal of the weight of these thousands of years.
There isn’t even that much interconnectivity between the three portrayed timelines, and the connections that are present feel more like wink wink nudge nudges rather than actual links. It reads as though nothing really changes in this relationship over lifetimes and, well, nothing IS actually changing in this relationship over lifetimes! Which makes me ask, why reincarnation then?
Because you’re telling me that you have lived hundreds of lifetimes, thousands of years, and you… what? have sex and then reincarnate again? There is just literally nothing greater going on between these characters. Not a singular piece of ground, over thousands of years, is covered in progressing… what, exactly?
Which, let’s get into that, shall we? As we find out later on in the story, there’s supposedly some curse that’s tied to a specific object that one of the main characters is trying to track down in the modern timeline. And we don’t even really know what this curse is, who placed it or why, or how to break it. There’s just… a “curse”and it’s supposedly causing their reincarnation in some way. It’s all very noncommittal. This explanation feels literally just dropped in there as an attempt to justify their reincarnation, but actually has no real impression on the nonexistent plot.
As you can probably surmise from my description so far, the rules of the world are just vague. Not in any kind of an interesting way, but in a way that feels like the author is just hesitant to touch world-building or logic, which resulted in fragmented, confusing connections between elements and uncertain stakes. Because there is no part of the plot here we can really root for! There is no real end goal!
Without any understanding behind this “curse” or the circumstances these characters are in, we have absolutely nowhere to go. There is no wrong to be righted, because the provided information about this supposed “wrong” is minimal at best, and there is no known way to “right” it. (There’s one that’s implied, but it's really confusing and the characters never actually take major strides to fulfilling it.) And it’s not even clear what the punishment or consequence for the “wrong” is, because it just seemed like it’s reincarnation, which doesn’t seem all that bad, since there was nothing wrong happening to them due to reincarnation.
(Sidebar! It’s officially now time for me to bring in THE quote. The quote that this book is being marketed around. Because this quote makes absolutely no sense with this story, and it is a great example as to how this book confuses itself with its logic.
“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
So let’s begin counting the things that make no sense with this quote! Problem 1: If these characters’ reincarnation loop is something they’re doomed into, why is the feeling of reincarnation being equated to love, which is something we’re supposed to view as a positive? Problem 2: If the characters are in love and therefore want to be together, why would we stop the reincarnation, which is supposedly what is giving them the feeling of love?)
Now let’s talk about this book’s only real obstacle: a third character who gets between our main characters.
I absolutely hate this third character. He essentially rapes one of the main characters over multiple timelines, and yet his relationship to the two main characters seems to be narratively framed as a love V, his role being to keep a character torn between loyalty and lust. So he never quite works as a villain because he’s also set up as a love interest, but never works as a love interest because he is a controlling rapist. I didn’t know what to make of him and his presence in the story really put me off. There are also like two or three chapters in which the characters spend nearly the whole scene scheming about killing this guy off and then there's never any actual follow through on that, ever? There's never any attempt made on his life and there's never a moment where they decide not to kill him off. Fully just forgotten.
(Quickly back to the quote! Problem 3: If love is the feeling of metaphysical recognition, and this other character is reincarnating with the main two, shouldn’t the main two characters both be in love with this character? Wouldn’t they all three be amorously in love after living hundreds of lifetimes in orbit?)
In general, I’m not a fan of the erotica in this book. I really don’t mind explicit sexual content, and I had been warned ahead of time about the amount of sexual content in this book, but I found myself SO uncomfortable. I think this is primarily because there are good sex scenes, neutral sex scenes, and bad sex scenes, and then there are consensual sex scenes, dubious sex scenes, and nonconsensual sex scenes, with little to no correlation between those different factors. The story seems to have no invested interest in consent when it comes to sexual content. Until there is one attempted rape scene in one of the timelines, when it is clear the audience is meant to be thinking: “oh no, he’s going to rape him, that’s bad!” But this doesn’t hold any actual weight because so many of the other sexual scenes are nonconsensual or dubious and are treated as normal or even kind of sexy by the narrative.
The language of these scenes is also just… so cringey? I was confused by the combination of explicit descriptions of sexual acts and the coy substitution of certain sexual words and body parts. I just could not take “influence” and “pink plum” seriously. If you’re going to be that explicit with the sexual actions of your characters, and you’re not trying create some profound metaphorical imagery, then stop using code words! It was cute the first time and then it got annoying!
Anyways, back to the reincarnation issues because AGAIN, the world-building in regards to the rules of this don’t make any sense. To recap: we’re initially told that only the two characters are doomed in a loop because of the “curse.” (And also because they’re in love? Unclear.) And then, of course, we find out that this third character is also reincarnating with them.
But actually, the story also suggests that there are more people reincarnating along with these other characters. At some points in the novel, a character in one timeline is clearly hinted at in another, but these connections are never expanded upon beyond that.
(Problem 4: How can their romance be epic because they keep reincarnating and therefore creating this growing feeling of true love, when potentially everyone around them is someone they know from previous lives?)
And you know what? I’m actually VERY down for an ensemble cast. I think this book would have flourished so much more if this was fleshed out. It would have created a clearer arc between the three POVs and maybe even would have helped craft a better and more constant rhetoric about love and community.
(If it weren’t for that dastardly curse that literally contradicts everything, what the fuck is that?)
But truly, the most frustrating thing about this book is that it doesn’t seem that these characters are actually… in love. I’m concerned that Huang doesn’t know the difference between romantic attraction, sexual attraction, and love. We’re told A LOT that these two men have some “special feeling” between them that transcends lifetimes, and that that feeling is “true love,” but the only thing we’re really shown between them is some really great sex.
In fact, the greatest examples of love I can point to in the book are shown by side characters in the modern timeline–characters, who don’t as far as I’m aware, have any parallels between timelines.
(Problem 5: If love is metaphysical recognition, does this only count for romantic and/or sexual love? Problem 6: If the answer to problem 5 even is yes, one of the side characters has romantic AND sexual AND platonic love for one of the main characters, but doesn’t seem to appear in other timelines, so is he not actually feeling love? Problem 7: Is no one able to feel love for someone they aren’t reincarnated with? Problem 8: If this side character is feeling unrequited love, does that mean he was reincarnated with the main character, but the main character was not reincarnated with him? How does that make sense? Problem 9: By the time it rolls around to the modern timeline, we never see these characters in love, just very sexually attracted to each other, while other characters show their love through genuine compassion and support and patience, but their love is not as valued by the main character, so is love just the feeling of finding someone really hot? Problem 10: If they’re trapped by this curse of reincarnation, and metaphysical recognition is love, how could they have fallen in love in their first lifetime? Check. mate.)
Now, it’s possible there is some sort of commentary here about the way we define love, and how we should be looking to the people who support us rather than staying caught up in the cycles of the past, but… I’m not sure that the book really supports this. It seems, above all, to value undying loyalty.
By the final chapters (without spoiling it, I promise), the book practically falls apart, all its final choices undermining every message this story initially sets out to portray without any shift of perspective. It constantly contradicts itself, leaving a muddied, frustrating, and inconclusive messaging. We lose the plot line of the curse entirely, there’s still barely any narrative distance covered across any of the three timelines, and the romance is just…??? It lacks closure, and I really love an open ending but there isn’t even a final beat or question for us to ponder on that carries us off and away from this book.
At the end of it all, I think this book just has no clue what it is trying to say. There is no guiding hand, leaving the audience to saunter aimlessly through this garden of ideas.
I don’t know where the blame for these issues lie, with the author or the editor or both or neither, but wow was this one a disappointment. When you have a narrative brimming with this much potential, you need to make sure you have a strong grip on it. A shaky hand only causes spillage, making a mess of the story and your reader.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: sexual content (including dubious and nonconsensual content), drug use, drugging, alcohol, animal death, homophobia, death, mind control, gun violence, blood, death of father (past), death by cancer (past), infidelity (mention), alcoholism (mention), suicide (mention), fatphobic comment
Across various lifetimes, THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE tells the tale of reincarnated lovers stuck in an endless loop, their romance forever star-crossed as fate tangles them together time and again.
My favorite types of stories are the kind that transcend their singular telling, which is why I’m so drawn to reincarnation-based plots. I’m nothing if not a sucker for stories that say “love (not always romantic!!!) conquers all” or that celebrate the interconnectedness of culture and humanity. They always make me feel a part of something larger than myself and/or bring me some comforting sense of hope. And this book sets itself up to be one of these stories: one that discusses love, romance, and human relationships across distant lands and time.
Which is why it was so disappointing.
The story starts out promising, its scope wide but its strokes confident, painting a canvas full of folkloric imagery and setting up the bones of something stuffed with yearning, queerness, and transformation. While reading the first chapter, I vividly remember thinking: “oh. I’m going to love this.” But this command begins and ends with that first chapter, the rest of the book featuring only glimpses into this level of storytelling.
The majority of this book’s journey is oddly timid and disjointed. Its folkloric and fantastical elements are scattered, isolated to mere moments without any profound impact on the world-building or the story as a whole. The prose feels the same, as the story sometimes halts to insert moments of lovely meaningful writing sandwiched between tentative plot points.
Despite the book’s claim to tell some grand story that transcends time and space, it struggles to hold an overarching narrative, functioning through individual moments. This book isn’t one story told across separate timelines or even three stories told simultaneously, but rather is three fractions of a story on rotation, with minimal narrative distance covered by any of the individual timelines. It reminds me of those children’s stereoscopes I played with growing up, clicking through reels of scenes only connected by their shared concept.
This book tells us that these characters are trapped in a cycle of reincarnation spanning thousands of years and hundreds of lifetimes, so the fact that this book only provides some inconsequential sliver of insight into three (THREE!) of them was baffling to me. I desperately wanted even the slightest peek into another lifetime to help understand the magnitude of this supposed epic, transcendent romance. The story would have been served so much better with interludes between chapters that share even vague glimpses into other lifetimes. Or it needed to express why these three lifetimes are significant turning points at the absolute least. It desperately needed some tangible portrayal of the weight of these thousands of years.
There isn’t even that much interconnectivity between the three portrayed timelines, and the connections that are present feel more like wink wink nudge nudges rather than actual links. It reads as though nothing really changes in this relationship over lifetimes and, well, nothing IS actually changing in this relationship over lifetimes! Which makes me ask, why reincarnation then?
Because you’re telling me that you have lived hundreds of lifetimes, thousands of years, and you… what? have sex and then reincarnate again? There is just literally nothing greater going on between these characters. Not a singular piece of ground, over thousands of years, is covered in progressing… what, exactly?
Which, let’s get into that, shall we? As we find out later on in the story, there’s supposedly some curse that’s tied to a specific object that one of the main characters is trying to track down in the modern timeline. And we don’t even really know what this curse is, who placed it or why, or how to break it. There’s just… a “curse”and it’s supposedly causing their reincarnation in some way. It’s all very noncommittal. This explanation feels literally just dropped in there as an attempt to justify their reincarnation, but actually has no real impression on the nonexistent plot.
As you can probably surmise from my description so far, the rules of the world are just vague. Not in any kind of an interesting way, but in a way that feels like the author is just hesitant to touch world-building or logic, which resulted in fragmented, confusing connections between elements and uncertain stakes. Because there is no part of the plot here we can really root for! There is no real end goal!
Without any understanding behind this “curse” or the circumstances these characters are in, we have absolutely nowhere to go. There is no wrong to be righted, because the provided information about this supposed “wrong” is minimal at best, and there is no known way to “right” it. (There’s one that’s implied, but it's really confusing and the characters never actually take major strides to fulfilling it.) And it’s not even clear what the punishment or consequence for the “wrong” is, because it just seemed like it’s reincarnation, which doesn’t seem all that bad, since there was nothing wrong happening to them due to reincarnation.
(Sidebar! It’s officially now time for me to bring in THE quote. The quote that this book is being marketed around. Because this quote makes absolutely no sense with this story, and it is a great example as to how this book confuses itself with its logic.
“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
So let’s begin counting the things that make no sense with this quote! Problem 1: If these characters’ reincarnation loop is something they’re doomed into, why is the feeling of reincarnation being equated to love, which is something we’re supposed to view as a positive? Problem 2: If the characters are in love and therefore want to be together, why would we stop the reincarnation, which is supposedly what is giving them the feeling of love?)
Now let’s talk about this book’s only real obstacle: a third character who gets between our main characters.
I absolutely hate this third character. He essentially rapes one of the main characters over multiple timelines, and yet his relationship to the two main characters seems to be narratively framed as a love V, his role being to keep a character torn between loyalty and lust. So he never quite works as a villain because he’s also set up as a love interest, but never works as a love interest because he is a controlling rapist. I didn’t know what to make of him and his presence in the story really put me off. There are also like two or three chapters in which the characters spend nearly the whole scene scheming about killing this guy off and then there's never any actual follow through on that, ever? There's never any attempt made on his life and there's never a moment where they decide not to kill him off. Fully just forgotten.
(Quickly back to the quote! Problem 3: If love is the feeling of metaphysical recognition, and this other character is reincarnating with the main two, shouldn’t the main two characters both be in love with this character? Wouldn’t they all three be amorously in love after living hundreds of lifetimes in orbit?)
In general, I’m not a fan of the erotica in this book. I really don’t mind explicit sexual content, and I had been warned ahead of time about the amount of sexual content in this book, but I found myself SO uncomfortable. I think this is primarily because there are good sex scenes, neutral sex scenes, and bad sex scenes, and then there are consensual sex scenes, dubious sex scenes, and nonconsensual sex scenes, with little to no correlation between those different factors. The story seems to have no invested interest in consent when it comes to sexual content. Until there is one attempted rape scene in one of the timelines, when it is clear the audience is meant to be thinking: “oh no, he’s going to rape him, that’s bad!” But this doesn’t hold any actual weight because so many of the other sexual scenes are nonconsensual or dubious and are treated as normal or even kind of sexy by the narrative.
The language of these scenes is also just… so cringey? I was confused by the combination of explicit descriptions of sexual acts and the coy substitution of certain sexual words and body parts. I just could not take “influence” and “pink plum” seriously. If you’re going to be that explicit with the sexual actions of your characters, and you’re not trying create some profound metaphorical imagery, then stop using code words! It was cute the first time and then it got annoying!
Anyways, back to the reincarnation issues because AGAIN, the world-building in regards to the rules of this don’t make any sense. To recap: we’re initially told that only the two characters are doomed in a loop because of the “curse.” (And also because they’re in love? Unclear.) And then, of course, we find out that this third character is also reincarnating with them.
But actually, the story also suggests that there are more people reincarnating along with these other characters. At some points in the novel, a character in one timeline is clearly hinted at in another, but these connections are never expanded upon beyond that.
(Problem 4: How can their romance be epic because they keep reincarnating and therefore creating this growing feeling of true love, when potentially everyone around them is someone they know from previous lives?)
And you know what? I’m actually VERY down for an ensemble cast. I think this book would have flourished so much more if this was fleshed out. It would have created a clearer arc between the three POVs and maybe even would have helped craft a better and more constant rhetoric about love and community.
(If it weren’t for that dastardly curse that literally contradicts everything, what the fuck is that?)
But truly, the most frustrating thing about this book is that it doesn’t seem that these characters are actually… in love. I’m concerned that Huang doesn’t know the difference between romantic attraction, sexual attraction, and love. We’re told A LOT that these two men have some “special feeling” between them that transcends lifetimes, and that that feeling is “true love,” but the only thing we’re really shown between them is some really great sex.
In fact, the greatest examples of love I can point to in the book are shown by side characters in the modern timeline–characters, who don’t as far as I’m aware, have any parallels between timelines.
(Problem 5: If love is metaphysical recognition, does this only count for romantic and/or sexual love? Problem 6: If the answer to problem 5 even is yes, one of the side characters has romantic AND sexual AND platonic love for one of the main characters, but doesn’t seem to appear in other timelines, so is he not actually feeling love? Problem 7: Is no one able to feel love for someone they aren’t reincarnated with? Problem 8: If this side character is feeling unrequited love, does that mean he was reincarnated with the main character, but the main character was not reincarnated with him? How does that make sense? Problem 9: By the time it rolls around to the modern timeline, we never see these characters in love, just very sexually attracted to each other, while other characters show their love through genuine compassion and support and patience, but their love is not as valued by the main character, so is love just the feeling of finding someone really hot? Problem 10: If they’re trapped by this curse of reincarnation, and metaphysical recognition is love, how could they have fallen in love in their first lifetime? Check. mate.)
Now, it’s possible there is some sort of commentary here about the way we define love, and how we should be looking to the people who support us rather than staying caught up in the cycles of the past, but… I’m not sure that the book really supports this. It seems, above all, to value undying loyalty.
By the final chapters (without spoiling it, I promise), the book practically falls apart, all its final choices undermining every message this story initially sets out to portray without any shift of perspective. It constantly contradicts itself, leaving a muddied, frustrating, and inconclusive messaging. We lose the plot line of the curse entirely, there’s still barely any narrative distance covered across any of the three timelines, and the romance is just…??? It lacks closure, and I really love an open ending but there isn’t even a final beat or question for us to ponder on that carries us off and away from this book.
At the end of it all, I think this book just has no clue what it is trying to say. There is no guiding hand, leaving the audience to saunter aimlessly through this garden of ideas.
I don’t know where the blame for these issues lie, with the author or the editor or both or neither, but wow was this one a disappointment. When you have a narrative brimming with this much potential, you need to make sure you have a strong grip on it. A shaky hand only causes spillage, making a mess of the story and your reader.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: sexual content (including dubious and nonconsensual content), drug use, drugging, alcohol, animal death, homophobia, death, mind control, gun violence, blood, death of father (past), death by cancer (past), infidelity (mention), alcoholism (mention), suicide (mention), fatphobic comment
May 11, 2024
⌗ ◌ 🍶𓂃 𓈒𓏸 pre-read
꒰ arc copy provided via publisher | 07 / 04 / 2024 ꒱
i've heard (...) interesting stuff about this (war flashbacks to “i pounded his pink plum”) but i will be giving this a chance. don't be surprised if i dnf.
January 25, 2024
I had really high expectations for this book after reading the blurb, I read a lot of danmei so a book set in ancient China with a reincarnation plot (my favorite romance trope) sounded like it would be right up my alley. I was expecting an emotional slow burn romance across multiple lives but unfortunately the execution of this story really didn’t work for me.
The story is split into three timelines: one involving the emperor and a clerk in ancient China, one involving an innkeeper and a fox spirit in China in the 1700s, and one in modern day LA. The historical timelines were much stronger than the modern timeline but the story was plagued throughout by shallow characters, wooden dialogue, and a plot that felt more like an idea than a fully realized final draft.
At no point did the relationship between the MCs feel like anything but infatuated lust. This is a very sex-forward book with no believable romance or emotional intimacy built into the story, no times that the characters actually had a connection unless they were boning (the characters even referred to it as “the true feeling” in one sex scene). And boy, those sex scenes were not fun to read. Most of the sex scenes aren’t between the MCs and there are lots of comically unsexy phrases such as “he impaled me victoriously”, “blanketing me in his meat”, or “pounded his pink plum”. The MCs feel very self-centered and immature which I found off-putting. Basically, I was rooting against their relationship and by the time a love triangle subplot became revealed I was well and truly over it. I started this book with the wrong expectations and wanted to DNF but it was an ARC so I felt obligated to read to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.
CWs: substance abuse, death, gore, ableism, sexual assault/rape, cheating
The story is split into three timelines: one involving the emperor and a clerk in ancient China, one involving an innkeeper and a fox spirit in China in the 1700s, and one in modern day LA. The historical timelines were much stronger than the modern timeline but the story was plagued throughout by shallow characters, wooden dialogue, and a plot that felt more like an idea than a fully realized final draft.
At no point did the relationship between the MCs feel like anything but infatuated lust. This is a very sex-forward book with no believable romance or emotional intimacy built into the story, no times that the characters actually had a connection unless they were boning (the characters even referred to it as “the true feeling” in one sex scene). And boy, those sex scenes were not fun to read. Most of the sex scenes aren’t between the MCs and there are lots of comically unsexy phrases such as “he impaled me victoriously”, “blanketing me in his meat”, or “pounded his pink plum”. The MCs feel very self-centered and immature which I found off-putting. Basically, I was rooting against their relationship and by the time a love triangle subplot became revealed I was well and truly over it. I started this book with the wrong expectations and wanted to DNF but it was an ARC so I felt obligated to read to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.
CWs: substance abuse, death, gore, ableism, sexual assault/rape, cheating
June 21, 2024
Loved how unapologetically gay and Asian this was and how I felt that it didn’t try to appeal to the heterosexual or white gaze. Unfortunately it still may have been a genre clash for me. I really did not understand most of what was going on plot-wise and the characters’ relationships with one another didn’t feel believable. Perhaps those more into erotic storytelling and genre fluidity would like this one more!
April 14, 2024
Probably the biggest example of mismatched marketing and book I have read recently. Also the best, because it is really very good. But it's being promoted as romantasy (as part of the title! The kobo book is titled "The Emperor and the Endless Palace: A Romantasy Novel" which, uh, no, LOL. Book marketers are shameless...) or as mm romance ("A sweeping triumph in queer romance –Booklist" and it´s not romance. Really). It's like marketers and even reviewers seem to actively not know what readers think a romance or romantasy (I am also shaky on that) is.
So this is a fantasy novel on 3 timelines, about three pairs (hints of triangles maybe) of Chinese (one Chinese-American) gay men and how they connect. It does interesting things with perspective, it pulls some surprises, the settings are interesting and I found it compulsively readable. It was not, though, what I expected, and that was fine, because it was more interesting and original than I thought it would be.
A lot of stories, particularly fantasy (particularly from writers with a fanfic background), about gay men in love or having sex with men seem to be from what I mentally call a female perspective, often with what I call Barbara Cartland like dynamics (Achilles and Patroclus, told by Madeline Miller). Maybe it's realistic, I cannot judge, but I doubt it is, and it is actually a bit tiresome, like authors just want to recycle old fashioned relationship dynamics, but if they make both MCs men, bingo, automatic modernity, and immunity from criticism by women readers. This, and it might be the reason for the negative reactions to it, is totally not mm romance for people who loved The Song of Achilles or Red, White & Royal Blue, the sex is much more disconnected from love, people have sex with multiple people including transactional sex, lots of drugs and debauchery (but I would not classify this book as erotic either). It was romantic, in scope, yearning, description of feelings, but not what most readers consider romance. If I am dodging saying if it has an HEA .
Flaws: the ending feels rushed, a few things are little explained, including how the earliest lifetime was resolved, maybe some characters in two of the lifetimes needed a bit more character development (though they might have been kept more remote for surprising reader potential). The first timeline is a romanticized, simplified take on Chinese history, and going by Wikipedia, it's very very simplified and I do not know how I feel about it even if the author is of Chinese ancestry.
And a totally annoying thing, and I will be a bitch about it, and will be whenever this book is mentioned, the stupid italics. The dialogue that is taking place in Mandarin is all in italics (all dialogue in two of the timelines), while dialogue taking place in English (and a couple times in Cantonese) is conventionally portrayed. I hated it, hated it. The reader can guess that in two of the timelines they are not speaking English (and the dialogue does convincingly portray the flavour of a different language), and in the modern timeline, the author specifies lots of times, besides the italics, which language is being spoken. UNNECESSARY USE OF ITALICS and I will forever bitch about that.
Not sure how to rate this. It's flawed, yeah (even when not judged by being a bad example of the genre it's being marketed as), but it's cool as fantasy, fresh and vivid, and really good at so many other things. 4.5 stars, not sure which way to go. A lot of the low ratings seem really stupid, and I feel like balancing that but 4 might be more objective because indeed structure and flaws and character definition.
So this is a fantasy novel on 3 timelines, about three pairs (hints of triangles maybe) of Chinese (one Chinese-American) gay men and how they connect. It does interesting things with perspective, it pulls some surprises, the settings are interesting and I found it compulsively readable. It was not, though, what I expected, and that was fine, because it was more interesting and original than I thought it would be.
A lot of stories, particularly fantasy (particularly from writers with a fanfic background), about gay men in love or having sex with men seem to be from what I mentally call a female perspective, often with what I call Barbara Cartland like dynamics (Achilles and Patroclus, told by Madeline Miller). Maybe it's realistic, I cannot judge, but I doubt it is, and it is actually a bit tiresome, like authors just want to recycle old fashioned relationship dynamics, but if they make both MCs men, bingo, automatic modernity, and immunity from criticism by women readers. This, and it might be the reason for the negative reactions to it, is totally not mm romance for people who loved The Song of Achilles or Red, White & Royal Blue, the sex is much more disconnected from love, people have sex with multiple people including transactional sex, lots of drugs and debauchery (but I would not classify this book as erotic either). It was romantic, in scope, yearning, description of feelings, but not what most readers consider romance. If I am dodging saying if it has an HEA .
Flaws: the ending feels rushed, a few things are little explained, including how the earliest lifetime was resolved, maybe some characters in two of the lifetimes needed a bit more character development (though they might have been kept more remote for surprising reader potential). The first timeline is a romanticized, simplified take on Chinese history, and going by Wikipedia, it's very very simplified and I do not know how I feel about it even if the author is of Chinese ancestry.
And a totally annoying thing, and I will be a bitch about it, and will be whenever this book is mentioned, the stupid italics. The dialogue that is taking place in Mandarin is all in italics (all dialogue in two of the timelines), while dialogue taking place in English (and a couple times in Cantonese) is conventionally portrayed. I hated it, hated it. The reader can guess that in two of the timelines they are not speaking English (and the dialogue does convincingly portray the flavour of a different language), and in the modern timeline, the author specifies lots of times, besides the italics, which language is being spoken. UNNECESSARY USE OF ITALICS and I will forever bitch about that.
Not sure how to rate this. It's flawed, yeah (even when not judged by being a bad example of the genre it's being marketed as), but it's cool as fantasy, fresh and vivid, and really good at so many other things. 4.5 stars, not sure which way to go. A lot of the low ratings seem really stupid, and I feel like balancing that but 4 might be more objective because indeed structure and flaws and character definition.
March 28, 2024
I loved the writing in this! It bounces around between 3 very different time periods - modern day, the 1700s, and 4 BCE, and the men who are caught up together through reincarnation and their doomed efforts to break the cycle.
The blurb calls this a “romantic thriller” and I think that’s a great description. I don't understand where I have seen people calling this romantasy - because it's not, or saying it's erotica - because it didn't feel that way to me? And using both of those terms in regard to this book I feel like misrepresent and mislead someone potentially checking out this book. Yeah there is sex early in this book, and the language used to describe it differs from present day to 4BCE, but just because there is some explicit sex - and really, it's not even THAT explicit, like.....I didn't read this thinking it was erotica. (Honestly, I'd give more warning to possible content with consent and violence before explicit content warnings lol)
It’s sexy, queer, has so much Asian pride and love, has morally grey characters, nine tail foxes, Chinese history with the cut sleeve emperor, and honestly I'm still thinking about this one after finishing it, so it sticks with you. I loved it. I absolutely loved how we had a mix of Chinese history, then one more steeped in folklore and myth, and then a present day story all in one. Cannot wait for more from this author!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The blurb calls this a “romantic thriller” and I think that’s a great description. I don't understand where I have seen people calling this romantasy - because it's not, or saying it's erotica - because it didn't feel that way to me? And using both of those terms in regard to this book I feel like misrepresent and mislead someone potentially checking out this book. Yeah there is sex early in this book, and the language used to describe it differs from present day to 4BCE, but just because there is some explicit sex - and really, it's not even THAT explicit, like.....I didn't read this thinking it was erotica. (Honestly, I'd give more warning to possible content with consent and violence before explicit content warnings lol)
It’s sexy, queer, has so much Asian pride and love, has morally grey characters, nine tail foxes, Chinese history with the cut sleeve emperor, and honestly I'm still thinking about this one after finishing it, so it sticks with you. I loved it. I absolutely loved how we had a mix of Chinese history, then one more steeped in folklore and myth, and then a present day story all in one. Cannot wait for more from this author!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with and e-ARC and Libro.fm for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review!
This is probably my most anticipated debut of the year, and I'm so pleased to say that it exceeded every expectation. I do want to start out the review by saying that I know this is being marketed as a romantasy, and I have to say, I do feel like the marketing of this book is a bit misleading (which is entirely on the publisher, and absolutely no fault of the book or the author whatsoever). I will say straight off the bat that while I believe this is widely marketed as a fantasy romance/romantasy, I would not personally categorize it as a romance at all, seeing as it does not follow the genre conventions of a romance (namely, it does not have a HEA/HFN). It does have fantastical elements, but I would say that it leans more heavily into the folklore vibes than magic fantasy, if that makes sense. Overall, this is a pretty hard book to categorize, and I love that about it, but it does make it difficult for me to try and figure out who exactly I think it's for.
The Emperor and the Endless Palace is, at its core, a love story that follows two people who are connected by the red threads of fate - their connection spans multiple lifespans, and they are re-incarnated and fated to find their way back to each other in every lifetime. We follow this love story through three lifetimes in particular. The first (chronologically), is a re-imagining of the love affair between Emperor Ai and Dong Xian, and a loose retelling of the origin of the term, "cut-sleeve". In the second timeline, we follow an innkeeper who encounters a nine-tailed fox and enlists the help of a doctor. In the present-day timeline, we are following River, a med school student who meets a mysterious stranger at a rave.
There really isn't much of a plot besides just seeing how their love story ends, and how all the different pieces of each timeline comes together, but in my opinion, that is the beauty of this story. It's a quick read, and incredibly captivating. It takes a while to get into the book, but once it gets going (about 60% of the way in), it does not slow down. The book never overstays its welcome, and by the end, I find myself very satisfied with how everything played out.
I don't usually dedicate a whole paragraph to sexual content in my reviews, but I've seen some people describe this as an erotica, and I can't say I necessarily agree with that. There is a lot of sex in the book, but none of it feels unnecessary, nor is it particularly explicit. Many of the sex scenes are very short (we're talking a few sentences/paragraphs), use mostly euphemisms instead of explicit/direct language, and are not very graphic at all. Your mileage may vary on this, but I'd personally call this a steamy book, but not necessarly very spicy, if that makes sense at all. All that to say, I don't feel like the sexual content detracts from the book in any way (which seems to be something that other reviewers feel), and I think that calling it an erotica does it a disservice in the sense that someone specifically looking for an erotica will likely be disappointed. That aside, I will say there are instances of sexual abuse/questionable consent, so do keep that in mind in case that is a trigger for you.
I don't really know what else I can say about this book that won't spoil the reading experience for you, because I feel like that was part of the sheer joy that I had coming out of this book. I went in expecting one thing, but got something entirely different, in a way that I never expected but very much needed. I love the way Huang is able to evoke the feeling of being told a folktale, especially in the past timelines, and the writing is honestly just so good.
I guess in the end, I'd say I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes being taken on a ride by the author, and is open to trusting the author to know exactly where to take this story, even if it's not necessarily where you'd anticipate it go. If you enjoy melancholic love stories, folktales, but also a dash of intrigue, I think you should give this a go. I expected a fun fantasy romance, but instead, I got an unapologetically queer, thought-provoking piece of fiction that just truly can't be placed into any closed box, and it's one of those books that reminds me why I love reading.
This is probably my most anticipated debut of the year, and I'm so pleased to say that it exceeded every expectation. I do want to start out the review by saying that I know this is being marketed as a romantasy, and I have to say, I do feel like the marketing of this book is a bit misleading (which is entirely on the publisher, and absolutely no fault of the book or the author whatsoever). I will say straight off the bat that while I believe this is widely marketed as a fantasy romance/romantasy, I would not personally categorize it as a romance at all, seeing as it does not follow the genre conventions of a romance (namely, it does not have a HEA/HFN). It does have fantastical elements, but I would say that it leans more heavily into the folklore vibes than magic fantasy, if that makes sense. Overall, this is a pretty hard book to categorize, and I love that about it, but it does make it difficult for me to try and figure out who exactly I think it's for.
The Emperor and the Endless Palace is, at its core, a love story that follows two people who are connected by the red threads of fate - their connection spans multiple lifespans, and they are re-incarnated and fated to find their way back to each other in every lifetime. We follow this love story through three lifetimes in particular. The first (chronologically), is a re-imagining of the love affair between Emperor Ai and Dong Xian, and a loose retelling of the origin of the term, "cut-sleeve". In the second timeline, we follow an innkeeper who encounters a nine-tailed fox and enlists the help of a doctor. In the present-day timeline, we are following River, a med school student who meets a mysterious stranger at a rave.
There really isn't much of a plot besides just seeing how their love story ends, and how all the different pieces of each timeline comes together, but in my opinion, that is the beauty of this story. It's a quick read, and incredibly captivating. It takes a while to get into the book, but once it gets going (about 60% of the way in), it does not slow down. The book never overstays its welcome, and by the end, I find myself very satisfied with how everything played out.
I don't usually dedicate a whole paragraph to sexual content in my reviews, but I've seen some people describe this as an erotica, and I can't say I necessarily agree with that. There is a lot of sex in the book, but none of it feels unnecessary, nor is it particularly explicit. Many of the sex scenes are very short (we're talking a few sentences/paragraphs), use mostly euphemisms instead of explicit/direct language, and are not very graphic at all. Your mileage may vary on this, but I'd personally call this a steamy book, but not necessarly very spicy, if that makes sense at all. All that to say, I don't feel like the sexual content detracts from the book in any way (which seems to be something that other reviewers feel), and I think that calling it an erotica does it a disservice in the sense that someone specifically looking for an erotica will likely be disappointed. That aside, I will say there are instances of sexual abuse/questionable consent, so do keep that in mind in case that is a trigger for you.
I don't really know what else I can say about this book that won't spoil the reading experience for you, because I feel like that was part of the sheer joy that I had coming out of this book. I went in expecting one thing, but got something entirely different, in a way that I never expected but very much needed. I love the way Huang is able to evoke the feeling of being told a folktale, especially in the past timelines, and the writing is honestly just so good.
I guess in the end, I'd say I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes being taken on a ride by the author, and is open to trusting the author to know exactly where to take this story, even if it's not necessarily where you'd anticipate it go. If you enjoy melancholic love stories, folktales, but also a dash of intrigue, I think you should give this a go. I expected a fun fantasy romance, but instead, I got an unapologetically queer, thought-provoking piece of fiction that just truly can't be placed into any closed box, and it's one of those books that reminds me why I love reading.
February 28, 2024
The Emperor and the Endless Palace was deliberately set aside to read in February as part of a loose theme of romance inspired books. I love folklore, historical romance, star crossed lovers, doomed scenarios. Anything with a hint of romance: I'm there for tame 1980's Mills and Boon to intricate tales that balance hardcore sex with controlling mind games.
I feel cheated that I didn't get to read "A sweeping, supernatural romance, ENDLESS PALACE is a story of folklore and tradition, of danger and betrayal, of lust and, ultimately, eternal love. From ancient China to modern Los Angeles,"
I wanted to read the book that the blurb of The Emperor and the Endless Palace described. What I got instead was a book with characters of the same name and similar basic facts (there are three time lines), essentially a poorly interpreted fanfic of a great plot.
I was subjected to a never-ending series of terrible stilted sex scenes, interspersed with a loose plot of a love triangle over 3 time period. There was too much detail provided in the sex scenes. I can't call it romantic relationships because no connections were built in any time period, it was instant lust and the most cringe worthy descriptions. And not enough details in character development and motivation. Why did I have to step outside of the page to Google "cut sleeve" or the Han Dynasty? Folklore, magic or superstition can only cover up so much and is of no use where there are gaping holes in plot and undeveloped characters.
I dislike giving hard reviews of books because I know that writing isn't easy, it's very personal and authors invest a lot into crafting a book. I generally prefer to point out the elements that I enjoyed and minimise the parts I didn't like as much. rather than spending ages saying how much I'm annoyed by this, that and the other in a book. In this instance all I can say is that the folklore was interesting. I feel misled and very much aggrieved by everything else.
The marketing of this book is drastically off and bears very little resemblance to the story inside the very pretty cover.
..."asking what true, queer love is... and what it costs." It told me nothing about queer love and was a depiction of thoughtless, selfish people who prioritised themselves at the expense of others. This wasn't love in action. Love doesn't lead to abuse, destruction and death time after time.
And to be clear the reason why The Emperor and the Endless Palace is 1 star from me isn't because of the subject matter: Gay, Asian, folklore or quaintly categorised as 'spicy'. It is because irrespective of the blurb, I didn't like it. I hated the plot structure of a different timeline each chapter as each chapter conveyed very little (towards developing the plot and explaining the mystery) and was deliberately ended on an artificial cliffhanger. The characters were immature, unlikeable and the plot deliberately vague.
If I wanted to read about hate f*cking, poor dialogue and characters doing random nonsensical things, that would be an intentional choice, it shouldn't be foisted on me. The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a straight up bait and switch. If I'd paid for this, I would demand my money back with interest for time wasted, plus pain and suffering endured in the reading of it. It is an example of the very reason why we have the Trade Descriptions Act.
My thanks to Edelweiss for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I feel cheated that I didn't get to read "A sweeping, supernatural romance, ENDLESS PALACE is a story of folklore and tradition, of danger and betrayal, of lust and, ultimately, eternal love. From ancient China to modern Los Angeles,"
I wanted to read the book that the blurb of The Emperor and the Endless Palace described. What I got instead was a book with characters of the same name and similar basic facts (there are three time lines), essentially a poorly interpreted fanfic of a great plot.
I was subjected to a never-ending series of terrible stilted sex scenes, interspersed with a loose plot of a love triangle over 3 time period. There was too much detail provided in the sex scenes. I can't call it romantic relationships because no connections were built in any time period, it was instant lust and the most cringe worthy descriptions. And not enough details in character development and motivation. Why did I have to step outside of the page to Google "cut sleeve" or the Han Dynasty? Folklore, magic or superstition can only cover up so much and is of no use where there are gaping holes in plot and undeveloped characters.
I dislike giving hard reviews of books because I know that writing isn't easy, it's very personal and authors invest a lot into crafting a book. I generally prefer to point out the elements that I enjoyed and minimise the parts I didn't like as much. rather than spending ages saying how much I'm annoyed by this, that and the other in a book. In this instance all I can say is that the folklore was interesting. I feel misled and very much aggrieved by everything else.
The marketing of this book is drastically off and bears very little resemblance to the story inside the very pretty cover.
..."asking what true, queer love is... and what it costs." It told me nothing about queer love and was a depiction of thoughtless, selfish people who prioritised themselves at the expense of others. This wasn't love in action. Love doesn't lead to abuse, destruction and death time after time.
And to be clear the reason why The Emperor and the Endless Palace is 1 star from me isn't because of the subject matter: Gay, Asian, folklore or quaintly categorised as 'spicy'. It is because irrespective of the blurb, I didn't like it. I hated the plot structure of a different timeline each chapter as each chapter conveyed very little (towards developing the plot and explaining the mystery) and was deliberately ended on an artificial cliffhanger. The characters were immature, unlikeable and the plot deliberately vague.
If I wanted to read about hate f*cking, poor dialogue and characters doing random nonsensical things, that would be an intentional choice, it shouldn't be foisted on me. The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a straight up bait and switch. If I'd paid for this, I would demand my money back with interest for time wasted, plus pain and suffering endured in the reading of it. It is an example of the very reason why we have the Trade Descriptions Act.
My thanks to Edelweiss for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2024
So...here's the thing. This book was super original, and pretty engaging. I read it fairly quickly and was fully invested while I was reading. I was so here for the multiple storylines, queer representation, and the blend of historical fic and fantasy. The reincarnation storyline was super intriguing to me and I was very into parsing out where and how all of these characters fit together. But there were some issues I had with it that weighed just a little heavier:
The romance (in all its iterations) is so toxic. And, truthfully, I'd be okay with that if the book (and the way the book is marketed tbh) wasn't pushing this as "a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love." Is true love in the room with us? I can't see him.
Also, this is something that may not phase other readers but I hated the language used during the (many, many) sexual scenes. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be poetic or to fit it into the historical fic context and it was such miss for me. I don't mind some smutty scenes, but if I had to hear Dong refer to his genitals as "my influence" one more time I would've perished.
Really, I was just hoping there would be more political intrigue, more fantasy and folklore elements, and to care about the characters more than I did. There were good bones, though, and since this is a debut, I'd be interested to see what the author puts out next.
The romance (in all its iterations) is so toxic. And, truthfully, I'd be okay with that if the book (and the way the book is marketed tbh) wasn't pushing this as "a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love." Is true love in the room with us? I can't see him.
Also, this is something that may not phase other readers but I hated the language used during the (many, many) sexual scenes. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be poetic or to fit it into the historical fic context and it was such miss for me. I don't mind some smutty scenes, but if I had to hear Dong refer to his genitals as "my influence" one more time I would've perished.
Really, I was just hoping there would be more political intrigue, more fantasy and folklore elements, and to care about the characters more than I did. There were good bones, though, and since this is a debut, I'd be interested to see what the author puts out next.
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 14, 2024DNF pg 100
This isn’t really what I expected it to be so I’m putting it down for now. Obviously not the books fault, I’m just not sure if it’s something I want to read. I’m going to wait to see what my friends think.
This isn’t really what I expected it to be so I’m putting it down for now. Obviously not the books fault, I’m just not sure if it’s something I want to read. I’m going to wait to see what my friends think.
March 31, 2024
→1✰
dnf at 16%
my toxic trait is requesting arcs only for the cover
dnf at 16%
my toxic trait is requesting arcs only for the cover
April 21, 2024
2.5 stars. Parts of this book are just delicious and I cherish them! But overall I was left with a bit of a confused "meh?" feeling, alas.
I had this one on a library hold forEVER because I am constitutionally unable to resist things with tags like "iconic queer romance" and "beautiful Asian men across eons". Plus have you SEEN that COVER?? Like, I'm not sure I've ever fallen so hard for a book cover before.
Upon opening it up, I did raise my eyebrow that we are starting with a quote from (electronic music artist) Zhu's Good Life. Not that I disapprove, just that I haven't seen many (any?) SFF books reference contemporary electronic music culture. And in case you're confused, I AM HERE FOR IT.
This is because I am in the .02% of book nerds who also has a past as deeply devoted electronic music fan / clubber / raver. Like, as in, going out 2-3 times a week. Part of that time was even in Los Angeles, where one of the three timelines in this book is set. And a further part of that was in queer LA, though I never went full circuit party. So I completely LOVED that Huang made one of his gay protagonists experiencing this for the first time, complete with neutral portrayal of drug use. I never expect to see this part of my life experience reflected in a book, certainly not SFF, and so that was an unexpected treasure.
However. I went into this book expecting either a star-crossed, time-crossed romance, or else a twisty, interlocking tale of intrigue across reincarnated lives...and I don't think it delivered on either, though it was closer to the latter than the former. The book intros three storylines: in contemporary (or slightly future) LA, and China in the 1700s and 4 BCE Han dynasty. There are key pairings in each: River / Joey, He Shican / Jiuliang, and Dong Xian / Emperor (Liu Xin).
Tbh, I don't think I entirely followed the plot. The story in ancient China that supposedly this all springs from should have been the strongest romance but...I didn't feel it. And then as souls transfer down through the times, I'm not sure what was trying to be accomplished? There were some explanations offered at the end, but to me it felt rushed.
This book leans into spectacle and vibes. I am unsurprised that Huang has trained as a screenwriter because he is writing lushly visual scenes that would look great on a big screen. I just wish the content of the story had landed with the same kind of strength and skill.
But, to end on one other high note, as least for me: this book is SUPER sexy. And by that I mean there's a lot of sex in it. A) I'm a big fan of more sex in SFF, and B) especially queer sex. This won't be for everyone, but again, for me: hooray! Sometimes Too Much is just the right amount.
Oh and - the side character of Calvin in the contemporary LA storyline was hands down my favorite character in the whole book. He needs to be in my party crew. Except I probably can't keep up with him anymore. Lollllll
I had this one on a library hold forEVER because I am constitutionally unable to resist things with tags like "iconic queer romance" and "beautiful Asian men across eons". Plus have you SEEN that COVER?? Like, I'm not sure I've ever fallen so hard for a book cover before.
Upon opening it up, I did raise my eyebrow that we are starting with a quote from (electronic music artist) Zhu's Good Life. Not that I disapprove, just that I haven't seen many (any?) SFF books reference contemporary electronic music culture. And in case you're confused, I AM HERE FOR IT.
This is because I am in the .02% of book nerds who also has a past as deeply devoted electronic music fan / clubber / raver. Like, as in, going out 2-3 times a week. Part of that time was even in Los Angeles, where one of the three timelines in this book is set. And a further part of that was in queer LA, though I never went full circuit party. So I completely LOVED that Huang made one of his gay protagonists experiencing this for the first time, complete with neutral portrayal of drug use. I never expect to see this part of my life experience reflected in a book, certainly not SFF, and so that was an unexpected treasure.
However. I went into this book expecting either a star-crossed, time-crossed romance, or else a twisty, interlocking tale of intrigue across reincarnated lives...and I don't think it delivered on either, though it was closer to the latter than the former. The book intros three storylines: in contemporary (or slightly future) LA, and China in the 1700s and 4 BCE Han dynasty. There are key pairings in each: River / Joey, He Shican / Jiuliang, and Dong Xian / Emperor (Liu Xin).
Tbh, I don't think I entirely followed the plot. The story in ancient China that supposedly this all springs from should have been the strongest romance but...I didn't feel it. And then as souls transfer down through the times, I'm not sure what was trying to be accomplished? There were some explanations offered at the end, but to me it felt rushed.
This book leans into spectacle and vibes. I am unsurprised that Huang has trained as a screenwriter because he is writing lushly visual scenes that would look great on a big screen. I just wish the content of the story had landed with the same kind of strength and skill.
But, to end on one other high note, as least for me: this book is SUPER sexy. And by that I mean there's a lot of sex in it. A) I'm a big fan of more sex in SFF, and B) especially queer sex. This won't be for everyone, but again, for me: hooray! Sometimes Too Much is just the right amount.
Oh and - the side character of Calvin in the contemporary LA storyline was hands down my favorite character in the whole book. He needs to be in my party crew. Except I probably can't keep up with him anymore. Lollllll
March 20, 2024
Give me a story about soulmates who are fated to find each other in different timelines, and I know I'm going to be obsessed with it. And this was no different, I absolutely loved it.
It was very different from what I expected, and it took a long time before I was able to make sense of the story and connect all three timelines together. But the pay off was sooo good and so entirely worth it. Because of that, I think this will be really fun for me to reread as well.
I absolutely adore stories that show how queer people have always been here and always will be, and I found this story to be very touching because of that. We went so far back in time, and it was incredible to find out the earliest timeline is actually based on real people from history.
It was very different from what I expected, and it took a long time before I was able to make sense of the story and connect all three timelines together. But the pay off was sooo good and so entirely worth it. Because of that, I think this will be really fun for me to reread as well.
I absolutely adore stories that show how queer people have always been here and always will be, and I found this story to be very touching because of that. We went so far back in time, and it was incredible to find out the earliest timeline is actually based on real people from history.
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 19, 2024if i dnf every book i started this month and not actually read anything, do we all think i will reach my goal of finishing twenty books in may... serious answers only please.
dnf at 15%. it's really,,, how do i put this,,,, boring.
dnf at 15%. it's really,,, how do i put this,,,, boring.
August 29, 2024
3.5 stars
Once in a while, I love to read corny ass shit. This hit the spot 🍑
Once in a while, I love to read corny ass shit. This hit the spot 🍑
April 13, 2024
BRO THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOOOOOOD. I FEEL LIKE THIS BOOK FILLED A WHOLE THAT IVE BEEN MISSING RECENTLY. It just had everything i could possibly want out of a story like this. I just. Chefs kiss. I wish i could reread it again for the first time cuz i dont think i appreciated it enough. I need to take my time with it. Also everyone is this book was unapologetically horny on main. Would recommend 💯💯💯💯
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
June 15, 2024
Don't be alarmed by that low GR rating!
I think the low rating is from people who just read the blurb and didn't read all of the additional marketing the author has done stating that this book is HELLA FULL OF THE SEXY TIMES.
So. Much. Boinking.
I really appreciated the scope on this. The way Huang played with my expectations of the narrators. That twist took me out—okay I knew something like that was coming but for the life of me could not figure it out until it happened. The history. The research. The fairy tale retellings blending and combining. The absolute queerness of it all.
I did laugh at the unironic use of the term "throbbing member," which I have never actually read in sincere use before, but I will admit it was a welcome respite from all the times dick was referred to as "my influence." Yes, yes, you have a large and magical peeni, we get it.
Overall, lots of fun, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.
I think the low rating is from people who just read the blurb and didn't read all of the additional marketing the author has done stating that this book is HELLA FULL OF THE SEXY TIMES.
So. Much. Boinking.
I really appreciated the scope on this. The way Huang played with my expectations of the narrators. That twist took me out—okay I knew something like that was coming but for the life of me could not figure it out until it happened. The history. The research. The fairy tale retellings blending and combining. The absolute queerness of it all.
I did laugh at the unironic use of the term "throbbing member," which I have never actually read in sincere use before, but I will admit it was a welcome respite from all the times dick was referred to as "my influence." Yes, yes, you have a large and magical peeni, we get it.
Overall, lots of fun, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.
April 12, 2024
After letting impressions settle a bit, this is still 4 stars for me. It has some debut-author roughness and I think the conclusion could have been stronger, but I'm always glad to see a story that feels distinctively fresh.
Marketing and reviews are divided on whether this is romance/ romantasy or not. According to a strict genre capital-r Romance definition, I'd argue no: this is unquestionably a story about two lovers who are drawn to each other in every lifetime, but those lifetimes aren't "we live a long, peaceful life with a happily-ever-after each time". There's real love here, and some absolutely beautiful scenes full of tenderness and grand gestures, but there's also anger and betrayal. I did find myself fascinated by these characters, though, especially in the first and last timelines (I didn't dislike the middle one, per se, but it left me with more unanswered questions than the others). These men are well-drawn and messy, full of both doubt and desire in a way that lands as very real.
To get a sense of the story's tone, especially in the present day, check out this great interview with the author. I appreciated the vivid writing about imperial China, but my favorite settings were the present-day scenes of circuit parties or the Songkran water festival in Thailand. Huang has a real eye for detail and for writing a vivid queer community that is concerned with celebration rather than just navigating homophobia.
The sex scenes may be one make-or-break element of the story for some readers. Personally, I think they're great: these characters have a lot of sex, and it's a matter-of-fact part of their lives. If you're a romance reader who's bothered by the romantic leads having sex with someone other than the main partner, this book may not be for you. These men have casual/ social sex with other people-- it doesn't detract from their relationship, and for me it was a good buildup of romantic tension as they circle closer to each other throughout these timelines. Some of the language is also quite flowery, especially during the ancient imperial China timeline, where the narrator often calls his penis his "influence": for more on that historical detail, check out this review. This is another area that worked for me, in large part because it helps set these timelines apart by having these characters think in different language styles-- just be prepared for that at the start.
For me, the main issue was one of narrative structure that makes the end seem a little rushed. The course of events in the oldest timeline shape the star-crossed lovers' lives in future lifetimes, but .
Content warnings: moderate; .
//
4 stars for me. What a richly drawn, compelling book-- these characters feel real and messy. No disrespect to previous books I've loved, but it's a delight to read an m/m story by a queer Asian man instead of a white woman writing fanfic-flavored white men. There are some occasional pieces of stiff dialogue, and I think the story needed 30-50 more pages for a few elements to really breathe, but overall I enjoyed myself and am interested to see what Huang does next. RTC.
Marketing and reviews are divided on whether this is romance/ romantasy or not. According to a strict genre capital-r Romance definition, I'd argue no: this is unquestionably a story about two lovers who are drawn to each other in every lifetime, but those lifetimes aren't "we live a long, peaceful life with a happily-ever-after each time". There's real love here, and some absolutely beautiful scenes full of tenderness and grand gestures, but there's also anger and betrayal. I did find myself fascinated by these characters, though, especially in the first and last timelines (I didn't dislike the middle one, per se, but it left me with more unanswered questions than the others). These men are well-drawn and messy, full of both doubt and desire in a way that lands as very real.
To get a sense of the story's tone, especially in the present day, check out this great interview with the author. I appreciated the vivid writing about imperial China, but my favorite settings were the present-day scenes of circuit parties or the Songkran water festival in Thailand. Huang has a real eye for detail and for writing a vivid queer community that is concerned with celebration rather than just navigating homophobia.
The sex scenes may be one make-or-break element of the story for some readers. Personally, I think they're great: these characters have a lot of sex, and it's a matter-of-fact part of their lives. If you're a romance reader who's bothered by the romantic leads having sex with someone other than the main partner, this book may not be for you. These men have casual/ social sex with other people-- it doesn't detract from their relationship, and for me it was a good buildup of romantic tension as they circle closer to each other throughout these timelines. Some of the language is also quite flowery, especially during the ancient imperial China timeline, where the narrator often calls his penis his "influence": for more on that historical detail, check out this review. This is another area that worked for me, in large part because it helps set these timelines apart by having these characters think in different language styles-- just be prepared for that at the start.
For me, the main issue was one of narrative structure that makes the end seem a little rushed. The course of events in the oldest timeline shape the star-crossed lovers' lives in future lifetimes, but .
Content warnings: moderate; .
//
4 stars for me. What a richly drawn, compelling book-- these characters feel real and messy. No disrespect to previous books I've loved, but it's a delight to read an m/m story by a queer Asian man instead of a white woman writing fanfic-flavored white men. There are some occasional pieces of stiff dialogue, and I think the story needed 30-50 more pages for a few elements to really breathe, but overall I enjoyed myself and am interested to see what Huang does next. RTC.
May 3, 2024
4.5
”What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
Across seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. From the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, two lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them. As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power transcending time itself but one that might consume them both.
I saw Casey McQuiston reading this, so OBVIOUSLY, I had to read it ✋🙄 I’m kidding! This has been on my tbr for a while, ever since I first saw the cover on one of those ‘most anticipated of 2024’ posts!! And when I saw it was one of Libro’s influencer picks of the month, I RAN.
This book was nothing I expected. Somehow, I had missed that it featured two other timelines. I thought it was just going to be about a palace servant seducing his emperor, but it was so much more than that.
Often I see this described as romance, or romantasy if you will, but I disagree? While it may be marketed as such, it doesn’t strictly adhere to the genre conventions. It’s definitely ROMANTIC, but it’s not a romance? It does have elements of a love story, but it resonates more as a cautionary tale reminiscent of the folktales it pays homage to. I wasn’t invested if the characters were going to end up together, and I don’t think that’s really the point of the book.
Another thing that people mention A LOT about this book is how smutty it is and how it should be categorized as erotica. It’s something I’ve even seen the author making fun of. But that’s another take that I disagree with! Idk I kind of feel like queer books have to play different rules when it comes to smut. Any queer sexual content is considered a lot more graphic than it actually is.
While this book does have a lot of sex in it (it literally starts with three smutty scenes back-to-back), the way that sex is tied into the plot and character dynamics felt purposeful. It's not the culmination point of a love story; it's not there to be /sexy/, but it's, in a way, also weaponized, a thing that moves the plot forward.
I do think the euphemisms and metaphors that the author used were a bit much for me. I hate when authors do that. STOP calling it "my influence" and "his pink plum," and SAY WHAT YOU ACTUALLY MEAN. It's OKAY.
Despite that minor issue, this book was an experience. I never knew where it would go, and I was always invested. Highly highly recommend it! Also, publishers/authors, please let us have more queer romantasy with unhinged smut. We already have a hundred SJM/Fourth Wing carbon copies coming out every year; please let us have some!
”What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
Across seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. From the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, two lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them. As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power transcending time itself but one that might consume them both.
I saw Casey McQuiston reading this, so OBVIOUSLY, I had to read it ✋🙄 I’m kidding! This has been on my tbr for a while, ever since I first saw the cover on one of those ‘most anticipated of 2024’ posts!! And when I saw it was one of Libro’s influencer picks of the month, I RAN.
This book was nothing I expected. Somehow, I had missed that it featured two other timelines. I thought it was just going to be about a palace servant seducing his emperor, but it was so much more than that.
Often I see this described as romance, or romantasy if you will, but I disagree? While it may be marketed as such, it doesn’t strictly adhere to the genre conventions. It’s definitely ROMANTIC, but it’s not a romance? It does have elements of a love story, but it resonates more as a cautionary tale reminiscent of the folktales it pays homage to. I wasn’t invested if the characters were going to end up together, and I don’t think that’s really the point of the book.
Another thing that people mention A LOT about this book is how smutty it is and how it should be categorized as erotica. It’s something I’ve even seen the author making fun of. But that’s another take that I disagree with! Idk I kind of feel like queer books have to play different rules when it comes to smut. Any queer sexual content is considered a lot more graphic than it actually is.
While this book does have a lot of sex in it (it literally starts with three smutty scenes back-to-back), the way that sex is tied into the plot and character dynamics felt purposeful. It's not the culmination point of a love story; it's not there to be /sexy/, but it's, in a way, also weaponized, a thing that moves the plot forward.
I do think the euphemisms and metaphors that the author used were a bit much for me. I hate when authors do that. STOP calling it "my influence" and "his pink plum," and SAY WHAT YOU ACTUALLY MEAN. It's OKAY.
Despite that minor issue, this book was an experience. I never knew where it would go, and I was always invested. Highly highly recommend it! Also, publishers/authors, please let us have more queer romantasy with unhinged smut. We already have a hundred SJM/Fourth Wing carbon copies coming out every year; please let us have some!
January 20, 2024
This book opened up my mind in so many ways I didn't even come to think of. The writing and scenery was medium/quick paced, which means it's easy to get to each chapter and section. I found myself more often than not doing the "one more chapter" dance, which is always a great sign.
I'm not going to just save I loved this book.. because the thing is, I did love it, but there is so much more ingrained about how I felt towards this story. I felt, joy, love, endeared, scared, fascinated, confused, frustrated, and gutted by this book. To feel this range of emotions is a testament to the story-telling and as well that, is a big plus.
I'm not going to just save I loved this book.. because the thing is, I did love it, but there is so much more ingrained about how I felt towards this story. I felt, joy, love, endeared, scared, fascinated, confused, frustrated, and gutted by this book. To feel this range of emotions is a testament to the story-telling and as well that, is a big plus.
May 11, 2024
Everyone in this needs to go to horny jail.
March 12, 2024
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
Content notes:
This book is such an experience! Multi-timeline books are always one of my favorites because it takes careful reveals and points of contact to make them tie together, and this book definitely managed that! I spent two-thirds trying to piece together who was who across each lifetime, and I love how it stayed with a cyclic nature of reincarnation where the connections of lives keeps replaying previous roles. I’m not familiar with Chinese history, so it took me a while to realize who Dong Xian was, but when I realized this was a retelling/reimagining with the emperor who originated the cut sleeve euphemism, it was like a mind-blowing moment. This was just really good, and so intense in so many ways. I had trouble putting it down once I got pulled in, and I couldn’t wait to see how each of the lives would play out. And that ending! It feels so open while firmly finishing this story. I was utterly enthralled and can’t wait for others to have a chance to read this twisty reincarnation story.
Content notes:
This book is such an experience! Multi-timeline books are always one of my favorites because it takes careful reveals and points of contact to make them tie together, and this book definitely managed that! I spent two-thirds trying to piece together who was who across each lifetime, and I love how it stayed with a cyclic nature of reincarnation where the connections of lives keeps replaying previous roles. I’m not familiar with Chinese history, so it took me a while to realize who Dong Xian was, but when I realized this was a retelling/reimagining with the emperor who originated the cut sleeve euphemism, it was like a mind-blowing moment. This was just really good, and so intense in so many ways. I had trouble putting it down once I got pulled in, and I couldn’t wait to see how each of the lives would play out. And that ending! It feels so open while firmly finishing this story. I was utterly enthralled and can’t wait for others to have a chance to read this twisty reincarnation story.
March 18, 2024
This is an exuberantly weird book that is simultaneously confusing, hilarious, and heartfelt. It follows three men in three different times: He Shican in 1740s China; Dong Xian in 4 BCE China; and River in present day California. He Shican is an innkeeper who is approached by a 9-tailed fox; Dong Xian is an ambitious member of the court at the Imperial Court who uses his sexuality to ply information from the men around him; and River is a med student who recently came out and is spending time sowing his wild oats. It's not much of a spoiler to say that the three men are connected in some metaphysical way, as are their lovers.
The book is a real experience, especially Dong Xian's portions. He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but the way he embraces his sexual escapades combined with his willingness to be manipulated by wilier members of the court makes his third of the book something that has to be experienced.
Would I have loved a less ambiguous ending? Sure! As it stands, though, the book gave me enough hints for me to construct my own satisfying head canon for what happened and what happens next. If you're looking to read something truly different, this knocks it out of the park.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
The book is a real experience, especially Dong Xian's portions. He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but the way he embraces his sexual escapades combined with his willingness to be manipulated by wilier members of the court makes his third of the book something that has to be experienced.
Would I have loved a less ambiguous ending? Sure! As it stands, though, the book gave me enough hints for me to construct my own satisfying head canon for what happened and what happens next. If you're looking to read something truly different, this knocks it out of the park.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
April 5, 2024
DNF @160 pages
I honestly feel like this title is a victim of being mis-marketed. HC marketed as a Romantasy title, which I feel is going to set people up (like me) for going in with the wrong expectations. This is a political fantasy, with romance subplots. I think if I had known that, I would have saved this for a time in was feeling that, and not when I wanted a sweeping romantic novel with fantasy elements (as this was marketed for).
Not the books fault, I really do think this is quite nicely written, just definitely not for me.
I honestly feel like this title is a victim of being mis-marketed. HC marketed as a Romantasy title, which I feel is going to set people up (like me) for going in with the wrong expectations. This is a political fantasy, with romance subplots. I think if I had known that, I would have saved this for a time in was feeling that, and not when I wanted a sweeping romantic novel with fantasy elements (as this was marketed for).
Not the books fault, I really do think this is quite nicely written, just definitely not for me.
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