The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng is the third and final book in the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy by K.S. Villoso. This is an Adult grimdark fantasy novel series with a Filipino-inspired world.
Book 1 is titled The Wolf of Oren-Yaro. In case you haven't read it yet, you can check out my review here, add it on Goodreads, or purchase it on Amazon.
Back in 2019, I joined Caffeine Tours for their The Wolf of Oren-Yaro blog tour, and I was so, so excited to join them a second time for the series finale! Thank you so much to Shealea of Caffeine Tours and Orbit Books for providing me with a free copy of this ARC as part of my participation for this tour. All thoughts here are my own.
Click here for an intro to the blog tour and for a list of trigger warnings.
What is The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng about?
The stunning finale to the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy where the queen of a divided land must unite her people against the enemies who threaten to tear her country apart. K. S. Villoso is a “powerful new voice in fantasy.” (Kameron Hurley)
Queen Talyien is finally home, but dangers she never imagined await her in the shadowed halls of her father’s castle.
War is on the horizon. Her son has been stolen from her, her warlords despise her, and across the sea, a cursed prince threatens her nation with invasion in order to win her hand.
Worse yet, her father’s ancient secrets are dangerous enough to bring Jin Sayeng to ruin. Dark magic tears rifts in the sky, preparing to rain down madness, chaos, and the possibility of setting her nation aflame.
Bearing the brunt of the past and uncertain about her future, Talyien will need to decide between fleeing her shadows or embracing them before the whole world becomes an inferno
[Add it on Goodreads | Purchase on Amazon | Book Depository]
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What did I think?
A full 5 stars.
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The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng has cemented The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen as one of my favorite Adult fantasy series of all time.
I don’t even know where to begin. If you want to see my live (spoiler-free) reactions, you can click here to check out the highlights on my Instagram profile. But an actual review?
We need a moment.
More than anything, I am astounded by the complexity that Villoso has weaved into this book. I came in wanting answers to my plot questions (will my fave characters be okay? Will they survive? How will they defeat the villain?) but I came away with so much more. This finale was an endless parade of heartbreak, philosophy, and gut-punching revelations.
Everything reaches a tipping point in this novel. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng is about facing the mistakes of history and forcing change, no matter how it makes you bleed, so you can march onto a brighter future. It says that we have had enough of complicity, enough of greed and mediocrity, enough of running away from our problems. Am I being strangely philosophical? Well, that’s the point. Villoso no longer hides how her story is both entertainment and an apt metaphor for our world, or perhaps more accurately, the Philippines.
But even without all of that, it’s still an amazing fantasy finale.
First, the plot. This one combines the usual action-packed war and dragons with court fantasy politics and endless scheming. If you want to be shocked by plot twists, then you won’t be disappointed. I legitimately did not know what would happen next… and I loved it. All I knew was that my heart hurt for Tali, and I wanted her to finally succeed. Or more aptly, find some happiness.
The character development is also off the charts. I don’t understand how I came from hating Rayyel with the intensity of thinking “I will cut his d*ck off” in Book 1 and now… being fond of him. Tali is further humanized in this one, because you finally understand how helpless she is despite her position as queen. You see how much she cares. She loves her country, her people, her father, her family. She loves Rayyel and Khine and every other ally with her. But what does a woman with so much love in her heart do when the world does not love her back?
Queen Tali is definitely one of the most iconic female protagonists to come out of Adult fantasy.
If you came in looking for more romance, you won’t be disappointed either. Villoso knows how to FEED HER FANS!! And while Tali has bigger problems than who she falls for, she manages to find brief respite and hope in the midst of everything. I really appreciate the romance in this one; it adds to the weight of the situation, and makes you hurt for both of them. Everyone needs love, even the Bitch Queen.
Especially the Bitch Queen.
Because I swear, reading this book will make you want to reach into the pages and give Tali a warm hug. And a break. She goes through a lot in this book, but it never seems to be sadism for the sake of it. Rather, it’s because she’s one player in a much larger game, and there are never any easy answers.
If you prefer your characters’ morality on the dark gray or gray side, then this is the series for you. But as usual, Villoso subverts it all by making you understand why people act the way they do. Nobody is ever truly black or white, and you can love or hate someone in equal measure.
Well, with the exception of one character, but Villoso explained them so well I can’t even fault her:
Monsters [...] aren’t born. They’re made.
Made. Enabled. Encouraged.
Everyone’s actions have consequences. I was shocked at how deep the chain reaction went… as some of the plans that come to a head in this finale actually took years to plan and execute. You can’t trust anyone, as loyalties shift back and forth to reveal double or even triple agents. I was so stressed while reading this book, I swear.
But you know what? It was all worth it. This is one of the best books I have read so far this 2021.
I can’t wait for you to pick it up too.
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The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng characters as drinks!
There's nothing better than a good book paired with a warm drink. I thought this was a good way to inject some humor into what is sometimes such a bleak series. Plus, you might discover an Asian beverage you've never heard of before.
TALI - KAPENG BARAKO
Kapeng Barako is aromatic, dark, and a local favorite brewed coffee that is traditionally served black. It’s a patriotic Filipino drink that is very symbolic of an older age when a lot of imported beans weren’t available. Even the word barako, meaning a male bull, is very masculine, to match its taste. Tali is a strong, stab-first-ask-questions-later type of heroine, but she’s also desperate for her elder and very traditional father’s approval. I thought that was appropriate.
Furthermore, just like Tali, Barako offers a really strong caffeine kick. It’ll wake you up like a punch to the face. The bitterness can be eased by brown sugar or honey, but you can’t put too much or else you’ll destroy its flavor. Tali would also love it, as the beans are grown locally in Batangas and purchasing them would mean supporting native farmers.
KHINE - MATCHA LATTE
Khine, our fan favorite, comes with another popular drink: the matcha latte. Khine isn’t a native Oren-Yaro, and matcha isn’t native to the Philippines, but both are well-loved and have served local drinkers well. The original matcha powder comes from green tea leaves and thus has a subtly bitter flavor, but it isn’t overwhelming.
Green tea is usually served hot, but the matcha latte is served cold and more suitable for our warm climate. Just like our favorite con artist, matcha is ever-flexible and able to adapt to all tastes and situations.
RAYYEL - SALABAT
Salabat, or ginger tea, is a common Filipino herbal tea to fight off sore throats, flu, or the common cold. Don’t let the pretty yellow color or drops of honey fool you though. Salabat can be intensely bitter and hard to swallow, like all medicines are. Very fitting for our scholar with a *cough cough* abrasive personality. But Rayyel means well, even if he’s bad at showing it. In the finale, Rayyel tries to soothe old wounds and past mistakes, just as a strong mug of salabat does.
YUEBEK - DETOX TEA
And finally, Yuebek. Arguably the least popular character in the fandom, I think he's the perfect fit for detox tea because he's full of shi—
Oops. Teehee.
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About the Author
K.S. Villoso was born in a dank hospital on an afternoon in Albay, Philippines, and things have generally been okay since then. After spending most of her childhood in a slum area in Taguig (where she dodged death-defying traffic, ate questionable food, and fell into open-pit sewers more often than one ought to), she and her family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where they spent the better part of two decades trying to chase the North American Dream. She is now living amidst the forest and mountains with her family, children, and dogs in Anmore, BC.
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Tour Schedule
Check out other bloggers' reviews and features about the novel here!May 3
Beneath A Thousand Skies
Phrases & Pages
Utopia State of Mind
May 4
Anxious Nachos
Bookathon
May 5
Camillea Reads
thisbellereadstoo
May 6
mac n’ books
Papertea & Bookflowers
May 7
morena monologues
The Last Reader
May 9
Trihoes Live Show
May 10
In Between Book Pages
These Vicious Delights
Your Tita Kate
May 11
a cup of mouie
Gerald the Bookworm
Inkhaven
May 12
Accio! Blog
jonna and her wails
Pages in Waves
May 13
bookdragonism
Musings of a Cynical Potato
The Paper Reels
Rarevenclaw
May 14
Afire Pages
herbookishside
Trishupaper
Yna the Mood Reader
