Synopsis
The Feng people have bark faces, carved limbs, arms of braided branches, and hair of needle threads. Bound by duty and tradition, Liu Lufeng, the eldest princess of the Feng royalty, is the next bride to the human king. The negotiation of bridewealth is the only way to stop the expansion of the humans so that the Feng can keep their lands, people, and culture intact. As the eldest, Lufeng should be the next in line to lead the people of Feng, and in the past, that made her sisters disposable. Thankful that her youngest sister, Chuiliu, is too young for a sacrificial marriage, she steps in with plans to kill the king and finally stop the marriages.
But when she starts to uncover the truth about her peoples’ origins and realises Chuiliu will never be safe from the humans, she must learn to let go of duty and tradition, choose her allies carefully, and risk the unknown in order to free her family and shape her own fate.
Review
Ai Jiang is one of the most inventive and unique voices in SFF. Her stories are thought-provoking and wildly entertaining. Her exquisite prose oozes poignancy. She somehow manages to write fiercely original concepts in an accessible way, and there’s an eerie comfort to her style. She’s carving out quite the niche, and I’m delighted to confirm that A Palace Near The Wind only intensifies her reputation as an unmissable storyteller.
I’m a huge fan of Chinese period dramas. The lush production design, patient approach to plotting, perfectly timed rug-pulls, and intense focus on character usually adds up to a really great watch. This novella has all the best aspects of a c-drama. For the vast majority of the book, I was imagining it as episodes of a new show set in a palace where political intrigue and vying for the throne is done in the shadows. Except, the thing that really sets this story apart is that the princess at the heart of it all is made of wood.
Liu Lufeng is a princess from a race of trees, forced to marry a human king to protect and preserve her people. She has all the trappings of a Pinocchio-type character, and wants to free her nation from the strings of oppression that are holding them down. The Feng people are treated more like puppets than people, and the concept acts as a fascinating take on colonialism, nationalism, and identity. It’s also a really impressive allegory for how humans treat the environment, watching how these anthropomorphic trees are commodified by the nobility.
The character-work is stunning. The way Ai Jiang has breathed life into a woman made of bark is so impressive to see. Fantasy fans will crave more world-building to explain the long history of the Feng tree-people, but this story’s not about the cool world on show. It’s about the people in it. And the laser-focus on Liu Lufeng and her family means that details about the Feng nation are carved in hints and implications rather than paragraphs of exposition. It’s refreshing and brave to see a fantasy world depicted in this way, and it helps to keep the intrigue on the characters and their journey to the palace, rather than the palace itself.
In terms of the story, the royal wedding marks a turning point for Liu Lufeng, and for the entire world. It’s brilliant to see how this bride-to-be responds to the different imperial court machinations, and to the twists and turns thrown her way. The stakes are always personal for Lufeng, and this woman made of bark grows so authentically through the story that it’s a delight to see her overcome her own prejudices and perceptions, and to witness her become so much more than what the world tries to force her to be.
There’s a compulsive quality to the book. I finished it in a single sitting, and would happily have kept going for more. The timing of each big reveal is expertly done — it really was impossible to look away. Just when you think you’ve got a handle of what’s going on behind the scenes, something will come along to reshape the picture you’re building, and it makes for a satisfying experience.
A Palace Near The Wind is very much like a tree. It’s quiet, but powerful. On the outside, it’s beautifully rendered, but it also reaches deep below the surface, and the seeds it plants will grow inside your heart.
This is c-drama-esque fantasy done right, and I cannot wait for the sequel to this unique and stylish duology.
A Palace Near The Wind will be released by Titan Books on April 8th, 2025
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