Weekly Book Recs 28-2025: Chinese Mythology

WEEKLY BOOK RECS: 6 book reviews and suggestions every week

This week’s recs are pulling from one of the richest wells in world mythology: stories inspired by Chinese legends, gods, ghosts, and folk tales. Some of these are retellings, others are completely new stories built with old bones. But every single one is rooted in myth and magic that goes way deeper than dragons and immortals.

Whether you’re looking for epic fantasy, quiet ghost stories, or something with a more modern voice, these Chinese mythology books bring it. Each one carries its own take on fate, family, honor, or chaos. And yeah, there are some gods involved. Of course there are.

1. “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea” by Axie Oh

⭐ 4.4/5

Tropes/Genre: Retelling, sacrifice, underworld, gods and spirits

Description: Every year, a girl is thrown into the sea to become the Sea God’s bride and calm the storms. Mina sacrifices herself to save her brother’s beloved and finds herself in the Spirit Realm, where gods are fading and secrets are everywhere.

Review: This is a Studio Ghibli-type vibe in book form. Lush setting, gentle magic, and a heroine who’s brave without being over-the-top. It’s based on Korean myth, but the Spirit Realm and divine politics are rooted in East Asian cosmology as a whole. Beautiful writing, clean structure, solid pick.

2. “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” by Sue Lynn Tan

⭐ 4.6/5

Tropes/Genre: Epic fantasy, immortality, slow-burn romance, quest narrative

Description: Xingyin grows up on the moon, hidden from the Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother, the Moon Goddess. When her identity is discovered, she escapes and sets off on a journey through the immortal realm to save her mother and rewrite her fate.

Review: This book goes full high fantasy with Chinese myth as the foundation. Think flying palaces, bow-and-sword duels, and slow-burn tension with a prince who might just ruin your life. It’s sweeping, detailed, and genuinely emotional. If you like drama with your magic, go for it.

3. “The Ghost Bride” by Yangsze Choo

⭐ 4.2/5

Tropes/Genre: Historical fantasy, ghosts, arranged marriage, afterlife

Description: In colonial Malaysia, Li Lan is offered the chance to become a ghost bride — marrying the dead son of a wealthy family. When she starts to see spirits and visit the afterlife, she uncovers a much bigger mystery behind the offer.

Review: A mix of Chinese spiritual traditions and gothic ghost story. It’s eerie but not horror, romantic but not steamy, and more about unraveling the world of the dead than any love triangle. Good if you like a historical setting with strong mythological influence and an atmosphere that creeps in slowly.

4. “The Poppy War” by R.F. Kuang

⭐ 4.5/5

Tropes/Genre: Grimdark fantasy, military school, gods and war

Description: Rin aces a test to escape poverty and ends up at the Empire’s top military school. But once war hits, she taps into something much older — the power of a god who demands blood, rage, and sacrifice.

Review: This isn’t a light read. It’s violent, intense, and deeply influenced by Chinese military history and shamanistic myth. But it’s also one of the most original takes on divine power I’ve read. If you want mythology that burns instead of glows, this is the one.

5. “A Magic Steeped in Poison” by Judy I. Lin

⭐ 4.3/5

Tropes/Genre: Magical tea making, court politics, competition

Description: Ning accidentally poisoned her mother and sister by brewing the wrong tea. Now, she enters a competition to become the court’s royal shennong-shi — a master of magic-infused tea — in hopes of saving her sister with the cure.

Review: This one blends court intrigue with a soft magic system pulled from Chinese herbal medicine and lore. There’s a bit of romance, a lot of family focus, and the tea magic is unique without being gimmicky. Light enough for a summer read, but with real stakes.

6. “She Who Became the Sun” by Shelley Parker-Chan

⭐ 4.4/5

Tropes/Genre: Gender disguise, rise to power, epic retelling

Description: In a famine-struck village, a girl takes her brother’s identity after his death and joins a monastery. Her drive for greatness leads her to war, rebellion, and eventually a shot at becoming emperor.

Review: Inspired by the rise of the Ming dynasty and infused with mythic ambition. It’s heavy on military and political themes but deeply character-focused. The writing is bold, the world grounded, and the mythic arc is powerful. Less magic, more destiny. Still hits hard.

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