After the breathtaking conclusion of The Celestial Kingdom duology, Sue Lynn Tan invites us back to the world in her newest book, Tales of the Celestial Kingdom, to expand on unexplored moments from the series. If you have not read Daughter of the Moon Goddess or Heart of the Sun Warrior, I bid you farewell because it’s nearly impossible to review this book without revealing major spoilers.
Tales of the Celestial Kingdom is broken into three parts and features nine stories:
- Dusk: Featuring perspectives from Chang’e and Houyi that expand on the fateful events that led to their separation.
- Twilight: Stories from Liwei, Wenzhi, and Shuxiao that provide details on events that were mentioned but not explored in the duology.
- Dawn: Perspectives from Xingyin and Wenzhi following the events of Heart of the Sun Warrior.
Dusk is where Lynn Tan shares her version of the Chinese myth surrounding Chang’e the moon goddess and her ascension to immortality. The main series features the immortal realm and its many wonders, so it was refreshing to hear from Chang’e when she’s a mortal and plagued with worries over her fearless husband and the future of their family. We also get a glimpse of the famous hero, Houyi, and his role in slaying the sunbirds which play a prominent role in Heart of the Sun Warrior. I was fond of this section, and it set the scene for the troubles that plague the main series nicely.
Of all three parts, I enjoyed the Twilight section the least. Liwei and Wenzhi tell us about a random quest they each took with Xingyin which was fine but unremarkable. The series already did an amazing job painting the complicated relationship between the three characters, and these extra stories didn’t tell me anything new. They paled in comparison to living in the emotion of the moment so looking back at these instances doesn’t have the same impact. Liwei’s second story was the strongest of the entire section because it gave us a look at his inner turmoil about Wenzhi’s spirit. I did not mind this story, but I also wasn’t desperate to pull back the curtain to understand his decision to help Wenzhi. Then we have a story from Shuxiao about a battle in the final book. I had absolutely zero interest in her story, and to be honest, I have not thought about Shuxio once since finishing the series because she was an incredibly minor character.
The Dawn section dispels the magic at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior and puts the tragic lovers’ story to paper. If you want to know how the conversation continued after Xingyin meets Wenzhi in the mortal realm, you will happily find more details in this section of the book. Wenzhi’s story takes place a day after they meet, and Xingyin’s story picks up almost two decades later. I love that Lynn Tan ended the duology with a potential future for Xingyin and Wenzhi, but she didn’t guarantee us anything. It was a fitting ending, and I was satisfied thinking of the possibilities ahead for them. I still prefer the duology’s uncertain, yet hopeful future over the concrete ending shared here in Tales of the Celestial Kingdom.
Tales of the Celestial Kingdom was a collection of stories that were nice to have but exists for someone not ready to leave the world. It served to expand the world’s lore and removed all musings we had about the relationship between Xingyin, Liwei, and Wenzhi at the end of the series. Personally, The Celestial Kingdom duology is one of my most favorite book series of the past couple of years, and I didn’t have lingering questions or desires after it concluded. So, here’s my final thought: I both appreciate that Lynn Tan shared these stories with us and acknowledge that they did not add to my enjoyment or love of the series. However, there are still delightful moments to be experienced here especially if you are not ready to leave the world or are simply curious about where the characters ended up.
Rating: Tales of the Celestial Kingdom – 7.0/10
-Brandee
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.
