Readers that picked up the first book in The Book of Tea duology, A Magic Steeped in Poison, have been given the best of gifts in that the wait was not long for the sequel to be published. In a little over six months after the publication of the first book, readers were able to get their hands on Judy I. Lin's A Venom Dark and Sweet, a conclusion to the monumental adventure one girl must make to save not only herself and her family, but also the world.
The Situation: The competition that was supposed to find the kingdom's greatest master in the magical art of tea-making has not ended as expected. The Banished Prince has returned to take his place on the throne, and Ning now finds herself on the run, along with her newly-healed sister, the princess, and the princess's bodyguard. Their task is to find those that will join them in battle against the General, the man that has now returned to Jia to claim the throne; Chancellor Zhou, the man who is helping him; and the General's adopted son, Kang. Ning tries her best to remember that Kang is the enemy, a boy she once trusted that only ended up betraying her. But she often thinks of the moments before that, the moments when she was excited to see him and knew nothing of his place in the General's plan.
The Problem: It is clear that the General is willing to do what it takes to secure his power over the kingdom, even if that means exacting cruel punishments against those that are not believed to be completely loyal. He has also declared Ning as a wanted criminal, and wants her to be hunted down and returned for her punishment. As Ning accompanies the princess on the mission to find allies as well as any information that will help in returning the princess to the throne, she is continually met with frustrations while still trying to protect her sister, whom she was able to heal at a great cost to herself. The General's claim to the throne is not the only obstacle she must face as an evil more powerful than any human has awoken, determined to claim not only the kingdom, but the entire world.
Genre, Themes, History: This is the second and last book in the young adult fantasy duology, The Book of Tea. While the first book focused on the competition, and on introducing Ning and the art of tea-making, as well as the magic behind it, this second book explores more of the conflict between Princess Zhen's family and the General's, as well as the deep-rooted evil that seems to haunt the kingdom. Mostly told from Ning's first-person perspective, there are also chapters that focus on Kang and what he is seeing from his place as the General's son. Both characters move outside of the palace, allowing the reader to explore parts of the kingdom that are far outside of the palace walls, as well as meet more of its citizens.
My Verdict: With this second book, Lin continues her trend of incredible world-building, especially now that the narrative follows both Ning and Kang all over the kingdom. The world is filled with so much detail, and again, like with the first book, it is never too much or difficult to follow. It simply makes every scene fully realized and in full color. And the choice to now move beyond the palace is a smart one, as it helps fill out the rest of this world the characters live in, while keeping it anchored to the places we are familiar with due to the initial conflict that is still unresolved. There is tea-making, and magic, and fighting, and deep history, and something that I appreciate, a very real sense of wanting so much to give up, but knowing that you cannot, even though everything is so hard, and seemingly impossible. If you are looking for a couple of fantasy books that will lead you on a brilliant and magical adventure, The Book of Tea duology is for you.
Favorite Moment: The entire scene with the Hermit is pretty great, but I especially love when she conjures a bridge of birds for her and Ning to walk on.
Favorite Character: Ning manages to come into her own in this book, and even sheds some of her naivete when it comes to other people and their motives. She is braver than she thinks she is, and though she is often frustrated by her own helplessness (who isn't?), she pushes past it and does what she can.
Recommended Reading: I will once again recommend Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series, but also her recent novel, A Thousand Steps into Night.
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