When Wei Wuxian is resurrected sixteen years after his death, he teams up with an old friend, Lan Wanji, to solve a series of crimes with links to their past.
Since I read this series back-to-back over the span of weeks, I intend to write a non-spoiler review for the series rather than a review of each book. This series and these characters brought me so much joy. Wei Wuxian was a charismatic and intelligent leading man with tons of witty rejoinders. His sense of justice was admirable, and yet it alienated him from many of the factions of the cultivation world. Taciturn and tranquil Lan Wanji was the perfect foil to Wie Wuxian’s flamboyant style. The two of them together, along with their motley crew, made for such a fun and memorable journey.
At the heart of this story is a romance between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wanji, and each book built their romance with heartwarming and squee worthy moments. I will admit to going back to re-read certain sections over and over again as they were so romantic and touching. It contained several romantic tropes: enemies to lovers, unrequited love, workplace relationship, and forced proximity. Some of these I tend to enjoy more than others, but I enjoyed all of them in this series. The spice level also ratcheted up with each installment, with some excellent sex scenes in the last two books.
While the romance may be the heart of the story, it also features a strong narrative focused on found families and brotherhood. Much of the story is gripping for the simple fact it pits friends against friends more often than it does friends against foes. These conflicts make for a compelling and gripping storyline when you understand the motivation for characters even as you disagree with their actions. The atmosphere, tone, and worldbuilding created a fascinating world. I also really loved that the last novel included several short stories. It was wonderful seeing how the characters were doing in the future.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read if you like: ❤️ Slow-burn romance | 😱 Ghosts and zombies | 👨👨👦 Found Family
Find it: Amazon | Goodreads
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