The title is what first snared my attention. Followed quickly by the eye-catching cover. So with my interest sufficiently piqued, I read the synopsis and all the pieces fell into place. I wanted to read about Kang Siying and her work as a priestess that can make the dead walk. I will say my initial impression was that this would be something akin to a romantasy story, focused on the developing relationship between Siying and Prince Ren. I'm happy to say this was secondary to the main plot of court intrigue and the precarious balance between two countries on the brink of war. Never judge a book by its pretty cover. Let it snare you but then stick around for the unexpected story. You won't regret it.
Deathly Fates is about Kang Siying, a priestess taught by her father to raise the dead and help guide them home. When her beloved father falls ill, Siying takes a job that leads her across the border and into Wen, where the people are displeased with the King of Sian. Her task is to find a particular dead soldier and bring him back to Sian. Except, when Siying places her talisman on him, the soldier returns to a state of living. He also turns out to be the missing prince of Sian, younger son of the King. Prince Ren is living on borrowed time though and now Siying and Ren have to find ways to gather qi, or life force, to bring Ren fully back to life. Together they begin a journey back to Sian, working to restore Prince Ren's qi by purifying evil spirits along their path. As they travel, they start to uncover the truth about the state of the country and that there may have been more to Ren's death than what is seems.
I loved Kang Siying. This is the no-nonsense, level-headed priestess of my dreams. She's cool and collected, working hard to keep her family safe and to provide everything she can for them with enough of a sardonic edge to her that had me squarely in her corner from page one. Prince Renshu, Ren, is the perfect opposite of Siying, hopeful and teasing and loyal to a fault. Together they make quite the pair, working together to save Ren's life and learning to trust each other more and more with every new obstacle that comes their way. I was rooting for them together within pages of their meeting. They are the kind of couple that make hearts sing. I loved their banter, their conflicts and their hope as they came together to be a force that could change the fate of the kingdom.
One unexpected aspect of the book was the actual work that Siying does as a priestess. I understood that she could raise the dead in order to return them to their families but the actual act of it on the page was thrilling to see. The vengeful spirits needing to be exorcised for Ren were tragic and terrifying in equal measure, and the addition of these characters and their backstories helped to fill in pieces of this world. I enjoyed the vibe of mixing romance with murderous ghosts. All in a day's work for our heroes.
The only complaint I have is with the pacing. In stories like these, a lot of the time spent on the actual act of journeying from location to location does not make it into the book. Understandable of course, as I'm sure it would make for dull reading and make the story drag if the journey is not the focus of the plot. Still, in this book it felt like the characters are here and then quickly end up there, making scene changes feel like more of a snap of your fingers type of move instead of a smoother transition. As a result, some things felt a little rushed with the development in the middle of the book. It doesn't detract too much from the story and I still loved where the characters ended up. If this is where the story leaves them for good, then I'm okay with that.
Rating on my scale: I'm going with 9 stars. The pacing just irks me a little, enough that I feel like the stars I give this should reflect that. Read this if you like romance and women who can make skeletons do their bidding. It's a surprising combination but the payoff is worth it.
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