Brighter Than Nine out now from Storytide; 400 pages
Content Warning: Death, suicide, child abuse, parental death, fantasy violence
About the Author: “A Singaporean raised on a diet of teh tarik, classic books, and wuxia movies, June CL Tan is the critically acclaimed and UK #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Darker By Four duology and Jade Fire Gold. Her Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection books have garnered multiple starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and BCCB, and have been translated into multiple languages” (Bio from author’s website).
Find June C.L. Tan on the following platforms:
After the events of Darker by Four, the Guild has named Rui a hero, but she still harbors their secrets about the existence of Hybrid Revenants. Yiran is once again powerless, and he’s pushing away everyone who cares about him. His hunger for power pulls him towards betrayal, where he discovers a dark family secret. On top of this, Zizi is trapped in the underworld as his body deteriorates and his memories as the Fourth King return. Rui would give anything to have him back, and Zizi would do anything to protect Rui. Connected by fate, the three must create a new destiny if they want to save the world.
In my review of Darker by Four, I said that it was “the perfect contemporary fantasy.” If the first book was the perfect contemporary fantasy, then Brighter Than Nine was the perfect sequel. Contemporary fantasy has always been a favorite genre of mine, and June C.L. Tan has effortlessly woven a world of magic into a normal, modern world. With Zizi in the underworld, Tan further explored the mythology of the ten underworld kingdoms, the Nothing, and reincarnation. Tan utilized the magic and mythology to dive deeper into Zizi’s, Rui’s, and Yiran’s characters, which I loved. Every new discovery had a clear purpose and elevated the story. While the first book was about the characters building relationships with each other, this book had them look inward. All three of them had to reconcile with their inner turmoil in order to save both themselves and the realms. I love when the answer to the problem lies in the character healing inner trauma that they’ve been holding onto, because I feel like it adds more emotion and personal connection to the story. More than anything though, I enjoyed how magical this book felt. The reincarnation and red string of fate elements were beautiful ways of showcasing how their lives are all intertwined, and, in the end, it was platonic, familial, and romantic love that meant the most. If you loved Darker by Four, or just love contemporary fantasy in general, Brighter Than Nine is a must-read.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Storytide for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer
Read all posts about