If there’s one genre THP can never get tired of, it’s YA fantasy! So today, we’re reviewing Sher Lee’s newest novel, Legend of the White Snake.
Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee retells the Chinese legend of the same name, only it’s now an even more swoon-worthy, queer romance between two teenagers: a stubborn prince named Xian and a snake spirit named Zhen.
We literally finished reading Legend of the White Snake in one sitting, and it may just be one of our favorite fantasies this year. So here are three things we love about it!
Book Overview: Legend Of The White Snake
Content Warnings: death, attempted murder, violence, corporal punishment and blood, torture, poisoning, corpses, hunting
Summary: When Prince Xian was a boy, a white snake bit his mother and condemned her to a slow, painful death. The only known cure is an elusive spirit pearl—or an antidote created from the rare white snake itself. Desperate and determined, Xian travels to the city of Changle, where an oracle predicted he would find and capture a white snake.
Seven years ago, Zhen, a white snake in the West Lake, consumed a coveted spirit pearl, which gave him special powers—including the ability to change into human form.
In Changle, Xian encounters an enigmatic but beautiful stable boy named Zhen. The two are immediately drawn to each other, but Zhen soon realizes that he is the white snake Xian is hunting. As their feelings grow deeper, will the truth about Zhen’s identity tear them apart?
Elements Of Chinese Culture
In case you didn’t know, the Legend of the White Snake, also known as Madame White Snake, is one of China’s Four Great Folktales. It has been adapted into several movies, TV shows, and other media. And this retelling by Sher Lee gender-bends the female snake spirit from the original into a young man. We love the nods to Chinese culture, beliefs, and traditions throughout this novel. Recurring themes include the concept of yin and yang, filial piety, divine prophecies, proper temple etiquette, and so many others!
The Pacing
We really loved the pacing of Sher Lee’s Legend of the White Snake because the story flows so smoothly. We were so glad that Xian’s identity as the prince did not become a misunderstanding at the beginning. Xian and Zhen also took their time developing their relationship rather than rushing into the instant attraction. We laughed then cried when their romance takes a turn once the truth became known. It was truly such a happy medium, and we couldn’t ask for more.
They Fight For Their Love
One of the main things from Legend of the White Snake that we’ll keep in our hearts is that we need to work harder than any fate or destiny. Xian tells Zhen that destiny is for people who don’t fight for what they really want in life. (And we took that personally!) Xian and Zhen’s distant past complicates their blissful present. They fall into incredibly difficult positions because of duty. But they both sacrifice everything to be together in the end, even if it took a little longer than expected.
Sher Lee’s Legend of the White Snake blesses us with a well-paced, queer retelling of a famous Chinese folktale, and we thoroughly enjoyed this tale from start to finish.
Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee will be available October 15th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think about Sher Lee’s new novel, Legend of the White Snake? Have you already added it to your fall TBR? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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