Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao (review)

When seventeen-year-old nobleman's daughter Lan rejects the love of the long-admiring peasant, Bao, he seeks the help of the river witch to forget her. Instead, the witch curses him: find someone to love him or spend eternity with his soul trapped inside his flute. Now, overcome with guilt and remorse, Lan vows to travel across the empire with Bao in search of a way to break the spell and thus earn his forgiveness. The journey unfolds as many such quests do, and the quarreling duo soon get caught up in impending war, find a host of likable allies, uncover secrets around Bao's birth and the witch's true intentions, and discover the truth of their hearts. This simple tale ultimately offers an enchanting combination of gripping adventure and sweet romance. Lan and Bao make for winningly imperfect soulmates, who learn and grow rather than simply fall in love, while war and family conflict create a strong foundation for the underlying quest narrative. Deeply enmeshed in Vietnamese culture and aesthetics (there's a pronunciation guide for character names), the story maintains all the hallmarks of familiar fairy tales, making this novel the perfect choice for readers who love a fairy tale fantasy but are looking to move past conventional Western fare.