Reviews
'In elegant, graceful prose, Ann Sei Lin whisks us off on a tale of eerie magic and high adventure, in which friendships are undying and nothing is as it seems. Featuring a vivid mythology, spectacular battles, and an endlessly surprising heroine, Rebel Skies is as intricate, beautiful and startling as one of the paper spirits Kurara brings to life.' Jonathan Stroud
'A vividly imagined fantasy with an enticing Studio Ghibli feel for 12+ readers.' Guardian
'A magical debut that reads like a Ghibli film, brimming with imagination, action and heart. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so immersed in a fantasy world.' Natasha Ngan
'An intricately constructed ode to papercraft and Japanese culture. I fell in love with this world of airships, cumulous whales and floating cities. Pure magic.' Lauren James
'With its grand floating cities, fearsome shikigami beasts and a heroine who can manipulate paper with her mind, Ann Sei Lin has created a truly unique world that delights on every page.' Joseph Elliott
'An extraordinary world... The descriptions are vivid, the action scenes breath-taking, the twists perfectly executed, with a cast of characters I’d follow to any flying city!' Annabel Steadman
'Already one of my favourite fantasy worlds of all time.' Morgan Owen, Author of The Girl with No Soul
'A wonderful fantasy, full of surprising twists and epic adventure. The paper-based magic system feels so fresh & original and the characters are ones you’ll be rooting for from the first page. I LOVED this.' author of Fireborn
'Rebel Skies cemented itself as one of my favourite fantasy worlds just about ever!' Reader Review
'Ann Sei Lin joins the ranks of authors like Ursula Le Guin and Isaac Asimov in showing us that speculative fiction can make us reflect upon our selves and our own world whilst involving us intensely in imagined ones. And, crucially, do this at the same time as providing the most intensely compelling of reading experiences. This novel is remarkable, by any standards, and as a debut is, I can only say again, breathtaking.' magicfictionsincepotter.blogspot.com
'A whip-smart magical adventure that touches on the idea of what it means to be human. It’s full of wonder and is populated by amazing characters. Just fantastic.'
'A rich and evocative adventure set in a world inspired by Asian mythology. Vivid and exciting' WRD
'This immersive adventure novel is set in a fascinating fantasy world, with a great mix of nuanced characters. The plotting and the character twists and turns will keep the reader hooked just as much as the action scenes.' BookTrust
'I can’t deny that ‘Rebel Skies’ has all that you want from a manga or anime, and it is worth to be animated or filmed. […] Recommended read especially if you are a fan of fantasy reads, manga and anime.' Instagram
'this was such a creative and beautifully written book that I would recommend you to read this book as the premise is amazing and brings you along for quite the adventure.' instagram
'There are twists after twists that keep you reading and that 400+ pages long feels short even when the books end. it's an emotional rollercoaster ride because these characters, especially Kurara and Himura (#ship) are so perfect together.' instagram
'Fans of teen Asian-inspired adventure fantasies, Rebel Skies is a must read!! -' snowwhitehatesapples blog
'Ann’s writing has a special, immersive quality – if you pay close attention to every page including the transitional chapters in between the action, every landscape, person, or animal has been crafted with detail' Instagram
'[...] this is an awesomely executed mishmash of Howl's Moving Castle plus Mortal Engines, with the flying ships and sky castles. Throw in some hoodoovoodoo like Kubo and The Two Strings* with all the origami magic. The adventure starts from the get go and you are thrown into such mesmerising imagery and worldbuilding. It is chapter after chapter of sublime battles and origami creatures. Plus unexpected twists and betrayals. And an ending that literally is left somewhere in the middle of an attack. A great build up to questions left unanswered, leaving the suspense for the future two instalments of this enthralling debut trilogy.' Instagram
'when startlingly fresh ideas are combined with the quality of writing found in Ann Sei Lin’s Rebel Skies, it makes for a very special book. […] It all adds up to my favourite high fantasy of the year.' Magic Fiction Since Potter
'Featured in Pen & Inc Autumn/Winter 2022 listings, highlighting the best in diversity and inclusion in children's books.' Pen & Inc
'Rebel Skies is an enchanting young adult debut, set in a world with floating cities, flying ships and incredible paper spirits. The story definitely gives off Studio Ghibli vibes and has tones of Mortal Engines and His Dark Materials, with sentient magical creatures made of paper, sky dwellers, suspenseful fights, heartbreak, and sweet scenes of friendship and loyalty. It doesn’t shy away from important themes such as those of oppression and discrimination in a deeply divided society. This book is a fast-paced page-turner- I loved it and am already looking forward to the next in the series!' Just Imagine