Review: Of Truth and Treason

Of Truth and Treason by Jaiden Phillips is the next ARC I received from the Twist of Tales series from Beyond the Bookery. A gender-bent retelling of "Mulan" is definitely a challenge to pull off because Mulan's gender identity is at the heart of the story. The author found a way around this by making the main character try to hide the fact that his father was wrongfully deemed a traitor. This is a good workaround, but it does change the essence of the original story. The book takes place in an Asian-coded world where everyone follows Western-coded beliefs, which might not be the most culturally sensitive way to handle this particular myth.

Still mourning the loss of his father, Tallan decides to take his family's place in the war to try to learn the truth about what he died for. Since his father was branded a traitor, Tallan is forced to hide his clan identity and lay low from the other soldiers as he navigates the mystery of his father's death. Along the way, he encounters Nyah, a girl from an enemy clan who tells him that there's more to this war than the people have been led to believe. With her help, he uncovers political secrets and learns the real reason his father put his life on the line for his people.

The characters in this book were relatable. I liked that the dual protagonists presented both sides of the conflict. Tallan struggled to be respected among the other soldiers, while Nyah saw beyond his status as her enemy and welcomed him with open arms to learn the truth. The pet tigers were also a fun touch, adding a bit of whimsy to an otherwise serious war story. The book excels the most at political intrigue, forming a conflict between two factions and following through on the deceit that led to it.

The cultural mishmash of the book might turn a few heads. This is a Christian story based on a Chinese myth that takes place in an Asian-coded world that even includes a glossary of cultural terms. Chinese beliefs are very different from Western ones, and the culture clash might be difficult for some readers to accept at face value. Although this book takes place in a fantasy world, it is one that is very similar to our own, and I found that I had to suspend my disbelief a few times to accept that the characters would think and behave in certain ways.

Overall, Of Truth and Treason is a creative entry in the Twist of Tales series, taking a story that focuses on gender identity and shifting it to political intrigue. The Asian-coded world had some lovely imagery, but the focus on Western beliefs made the world difficult to accept at times. Both protagonists were grounded and likable with just a hint of romance between them.