My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.
BUY ON
REVIEW
Project Runaway meets Chinese mythology in this sweeping and amazing fantasy by Elizabeth Lim. I had loved her retelling of Mulan and I was very surprised when I realized that this book was coming out. Needless to say that the cover hides lots of secrets and that the world everything is set upon is a vivid, beautiful and brutal place to live, filled with magic, stories, and myths as also political schemes and forbidden romance.
Maia disguises herself as a boy in order to gain a place as the Imperial Tailor. But the contest is far more difficult and the Imperial Enchanter is not as aloof as everyone believes. As politic tension rises in the court and the tasks become even more dangerous, and backstabbing, Maia will need every help she can get.
I enjoyed this book! It has been a while since I had time to relax reading and be immersed in the plot and not just skim over until the ending. It kept me through the pages, as Maia and the enchanter (whose name I'll let you discover) traveled and fought and I wanted to continue reading!
The ending was bittersweet because there was a cliffhanger and because Maia was left with more danger to deal with than just the machinations of the Palace. I seriously can't wait for the next book!
About the author:
Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel -- for kicks, at first, then things became serious -- and she hasn't looked back since.
Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.
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