Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin
I picked up Jeannie Lin’s, Butterfly Swords, on a whim. After reading academic articles for months while finishing graduate school, I was really just looking for a palate cleanser. Having not read the back cover, I didn’t realize that it was historical romance—romance is not usually my genre of choice. But, by the time I was a few pages in, Lin’s confident and silky prose had already lured me in. Now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve ever read a proper romance novel before, let alone a historical romance. Regardless, this book has set a high bar for any historical romances that come across my path in the future.
Jeannie Lin’s historical romance, Butterfly Swords, centers on Ai Li, a young princess who is arranged to be married to a neighboring warlord. As she journeys to meet her husband to be for the first time, she uncovers an unforgivable betrayal which causes her to flee the caravan that is escorting her to the warlord. Set during the Tang Dynasty, readers follow along as Ai Li forges a dangerous path back to her home in order to alert her father of who her betrothed really is. On her return trip home, she is saved from danger by a barbarian mercenary named Ryam who reluctantly agrees to help to guide her on her journey. Ai Li and Ryam, both being somewhat rigid and steadfast individuals, learn to become more vulnerable with one another, they protect each other, and learn that they are strengthened with the other by their side.
Character Analysis
Ai Li is brave, clever, loyal and determined. Not to mention that she is, well, a princess. Some of the things I enjoyed most about this story have to do Ai Li’s character. She has a strong sense of self, she is disciplined, and she can be both serious and deeply passionate at the same time. I appreciated the sense of honesty that exudes from Ai Li. She is a refined young woman, while at the same time, her emotions, decisions, and reactions to things resemble the inner world of your average young woman. This combination of refinement and emotional depth make her aspirational for me, in the ways that she is steady and relatable, and for the ways that she is reactive and desiring.
A Travel Narrative About Growth
While the training montages are limited, the story is really driven by its travel narrative which, in its own sort of way, still progresses like a training montage. Ai Li and Ryam train both their combat skills, their powers of perception, and their emotional intelligence throughout their journey. I noted earlier that I really haven’t read romance novels, and I actually didn’t realize it was a “romance” novel until about two chapters in, once I realized that the story was primarily focused on the development of Ai Li and Ryam’s relationship.
This realization did little to diminish my enjoyment of the book. In fact, it actually enhanced my experience. As a reader, you can discern a lot about a character based on their actions and inner thoughts when they are beginning to fall for someone. They both show an immense amount of loyalty, respect for the others personal autonomy, and acknowledge their desires with open eyes, even if reluctantly at first. Seeing through both Ai Li and Ryam’s perspective in these moments of vulnerability—getting the chance to peer into their minds and understand the motivations behind their actions—was intimate, playful, and profoundly human.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed this book because it allowed me to explore historical themes that are distance from my own experiences, but also for the emotional elements and growing paints that are fundamentally human. Butterfly Swords explores occurrences that many of us have experienced at some point or another. Whether it is breaking a promise to your family and the painful anticipation of their disappointment; falling for someone you know you shouldn’t; or making sacrifices in order to live in a way that deviates from how others expect you to live. Whether it is jealousy, longing, failure, a desire for adventure or freedom. This book tells a very human story about emotions, responsibility, and discovering ourselves through action and experience.
