Julie C. Dao is a Vietnamese-American fantasy author. She is best known for her debut novel, ''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'', an East Asian-inspired retelling of the
Evil Queen
The Evil Queen, also called the Wicked Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; similar stories exist worldwide. Other versions of the Queen appear in subsequent ...
legend from
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
, and its sequel ''Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix''.
Early life and education
Dao was born and grew up in upstate New York, the oldest child of Vietnamese immigrants. She studied pre-med biology in college, but decided not to go into the field.
Career
In 2016, Dao received a three-book deal from
Philomel Books
Philomel Books is a children's literature imprint of Penguin Books USA. The imprint was founded by Ann Beneduce, who was succeeded as publisher by Patricia Lee Gauch.
Philomel publishes the series of children's books '' The Ranger's Apprentice' ...
, an imprint of
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a British publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers The Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the following year.
''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'', the first novel in the ''Rise of the Empress'' duology, was published in 2017. The young adult (YA) dark fairy tale retelling of ''
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
'' explores the perspective of the Evil Queen and her dark path to the throne. The book received two starred reviews from ''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...
'', which called the book a "fascinating examination of destiny, responsibility, and how choices shape a person", and ''
Booklist
''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...
'', which named ''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'' in its lists of Top 10 Diverse Fiction for Older and Middle Readers and Top 10 First Novels for Youth. Rebecca Kuss, writing for ''
Booklist
''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...
'', described Xifeng as an
antiheroine
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform action ...
whose "relentless pursuit of power is a welcome contrast to princesses of the past". The
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
recognized the book as one of its 2017 Best Books for Teens, and it was named a Junior Library Guild Selection.
''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'' has been optioned for television by NBC Universal.
In 2018, Dao published the companion novel to ''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'', titled ''Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix''. The second book in the ''Rise of the Empress'' duology continues the story from the perspective of an exiled princess determined to take back her rightful throne. The book received the honor of Junior Library Guild Selection and garnered a starred review from School Library Journal, which wrote that "the importance of storytelling and of family, biological and chosen, will resonate deeply with readers." Booklist called the characters "complex and intriguing; villains are admirably drawn so the reader sees their path," and Eric Smith of '' Paste'' also praised Dao's "beautiful writing and imaginative storytelling."
In 2019, Dao published her third novel, ''Song of the Crimson Flower'', set in the same world as the ''Rise of the Empress'' duology, about a nobleman's daughter who must make amends to the would-be lover she cruelly rejected by freeing him of a witch's curse. The book was named a 2019 Junior Guild Library Selection, as well as one of Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year. Of the novel, Publishers Weekly said "Dao’s latest fuses beats of Cyrano de Bergerac with elements from her ''Rise of the Empress'' duology to create an East Asian–influenced tale of love, greed, politics, addiction, and found family," while School Library Journal predicted that "this will appeal to lovers of fairy-tale retellings and new fantasy worlds."
In October 2020, Dao will publish ''Broken Wish'', the first in a quartet in which each book will be written by a different YA author and published by Disney Hyperion. The series will explore an intricate curse that ties characters together across time and continent. Dao's novel centers on Elva, a young woman in the village of Hanau, who hides her powers and visions from the world. Yet, when she accidentally witnesses a horrifying vision of the future, she decides she must do everything she can to prevent it.
Bibliography
Rise of the Empress Duology
* ''Forest of a Thousand Lanterns'' (Philomel Books, 2017)
* ''Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix'' (Philomel Books, 2018)
Standalone
* ''Song of the Crimson Flower'' (Philomel Books, 2019)
* ''Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena'' (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2022) ISBN 9780374388751