Book Review: Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

Title: Song of the Six Realms
Author: Judy I. Lin
Pages: 400
Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:

Xue, a talented young musician, has no past and probably no future. Orphaned at a young age, her kindly poet uncle took her in and arranged for an apprenticeship at one of the most esteemed entertainment houses in the kingdom. She doesn’t remember much from before entering the House of Flowing Water, and when her uncle is suddenly killed in a bandit attack, she is devastated to lose her last connection to a life outside of her indenture contract.

With no family and no patron, Xue is facing the possibility of a lifetime of servitude playing the qin for nobles that praise her talent with one breath and sneer at her lowly social status with the next. Then one night she is unexpectedly called to the garden to put on a private performance for the enigmatic Duke Meng. The young man is strangely kind and awkward for nobility, and surprises Xue further with an irresistible offer: serve as a musician in residence at his manor for one year, and he’ll set her free of her indenture.

But the Duke’s motives become increasingly more suspect when he and Xue barely survive an attack by a nightmarish monster, and when he whisks her away to his estate, she discovers he’s not just some country noble: He’s the Duke of Dreams, one of the divine rulers of the Celestial Realm. There she learns the Six Realms are on the brink of disaster, and incursions by demonic beasts are growing more frequent.

The Duke needs Xue’s help to unlock memories from her past that could hold the answers to how to stop the impending war… but first Xue will need to survive being the target of every monster and deity in the Six Realms.

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I was really looking forward to reading this book after reading and loving the author’s other series The Book of Tea. Lin’s writing is so immersive, and like The Book of Tea series, I was immediately transported into this unique magical world where the main character has incredible musical abilities and catches the attention of a mysterious Lord. This man offers Xue a way out of her contract if she agrees to spend one year at his home as his musical performer. Xue, determined to regain her status in society, agrees and quickly realizes that everything is not as it seems.

Lush and magical and steeped in Chinese mythology, the story also has some Beauty and the Beast and Gothic vibes with a mysterious MMC, the grumpy/sunshine dynamics, the dark and ominous setting, and the magic. It’s a richly developed and fascinating world, and the author’s use of imagery is fantastic. I love her writing style and how it brings the story to life.

The characters are intriguing, too, especially Xue and Duke Meng. An orphan who recently lost her only other family, Xue has a tragic story backstory, and her present is spent indebted to another. She has every reason to be bitter and angry, but Xue never gives up hope for a better future. She grows and changes so much, and her journey from quiet and insecure to strong and more self-assured is great. And the duke is so mysterious and moody and broody, which I always love in a MMC. Their slow-building romance is also lovely, and it’s a bright spot in the lives of two people who go through some very dark situations. They have a lot of chemistry and an interesting connection that brings them even closer.

With the mystery of her uncle’s murder yet to be solved, a war looming, an enigmatic benefactor with more than his fair share of secrets, and demons, beasts, celestials, and secondary characters whose intentions aren’t always clear, there’s a lot of intrigue, action, and suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and though it’s a standalone, I could easily see this (and really want it to be!) expanded into a series. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I will not fail you again.

There is much to ponder with this brief existence, difficult to find those who can comprehend such thoughts, but in writing these words… they echo in the mountains to you.

Judy Lin was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada when she was eight years old. She grew up with her nose in a book and loved to escape to imaginary worlds. She now divides her time between working as an occupational therapist and creating imaginary worlds of her own. She lives on the Canadian prairies with her husband and daughter.

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