Songs of Insurrection

Songs of Insurrection has a great deal to like. It is one part thriller spy novel with hints of a larger mystery looming in the background, one part naïve princess romance, one part coming-of-age story, and one part epic fantasy all set within a beautifully crafted world filled with the sort of detail that fans of intricate world building will love.

JC Kang has crafted a story that is fun and engaging. Whether it is the spy/mystery that we see playing out in the chapters from Tian and Jie’s perspectives or the hints of court intrigue we see from Kaiya’s perspective the pages keep turning. I particularly enjoyed the world building that Kang weaves so expertly. There is a history to this world, a richness, the hint of things happening off screen both in terms of empires and kingdoms, but also in terms of the everyday lives of people. If you’re looking for your next fantasy read in a non-western setting, you should absolutely consider Songs of Insurrection. The various magic systems are also intriguing, and I’m very interested to know more about how the magic of the world works. The idea of art of various kinds (calligraphy, music, etc) being a channel for magical energy is fascinating. Add to this that this magic appears to work by influencing the emotions of others and I’m intrigued. There are enticing mysteries here, especially when combined with the hints of martial magic mentioned several times throughout the book. I absolutely loved both Tian and Jie as I felt they were well rounded characters who weren’t super-powered.

There is one exception, at least for me, to the generally well-crafted characters in Songs of Insurrection. Kaiya, the main character in the novel, is incredibly gullible and naïve. And this naivete and gullibility does not change. At the end of the book she appears to be every bit as naïve and gullible as she was on page one. I quickly found myself wishing fewer chapters were devoted to Kaiya and more to Tian and Jie. Throughout the novel she makes poor decision after poor decision, endangering the lives and livelihoods of dozens. Yet she continues making those poor decisions. It was incredibly frustrating to me that she didn’t grow or develop concerning this obvious character flaw. It is a testament to Kang’s writing and to how engaging the other perspectives and the larger world is that I kept reading. But I’m glad I did.

Everyone has their preferences about characters. There is tremendous world building, an engaging and mystery filled story, and a ton of fun to be had here. Songs of Insurrection belongs on your TBR pile. I’m hoping that Kaiya’s gullibility is something she grows out of, very quickly, in book two. 3.7/5 stars.

5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – I liked it, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing