We had the chance to chat with Zhao herself about how it feels to close the door on Ana’s story, the messages she hopes fans will take away from the Blood Heir series, and what’s next for her as a writer. A final installment that is as much about questions of corruption, philosophy, and sacrifice as it is bloody battles, Crimson Reign is a remarkably surprising conclusion to a story that consistently made unexpected choices, from expanding its world to include multiple lead characters and perspectives. She ends it as a woman in charge of her own destiny, having risked her life to secure a better future for the people she once considered it her right to rule.

Set in a world where people known as a vaguely magical subgroup known as Affinites have the ability to control various elements of the physical and natural world, Ana begins the story as an exiled princess demonized for her power to control human blood. An action-packed tale full of angsty romance and richly drawn supporting characters who’ve come to matter just as much to the story as Ana herself does, this is a final installment that sticks the landing, with more than a few intriguing twists (and bittersweet moments) along the way. Now, almost three years after Blood Heir’s release, Crimson Reign, the final novel in Zhao’s trilogy has hit shelves and, for those who are curious, it’s pretty great, providing a meaningful ending to the story of Crown Princess Anastacya Mikhailov even as it wrestles with larger thematic questions of belonging and leadership. But if the only reason you’ve heard of Zhao as an author, or of Blood Heir specifically, is due to this particular controversy, its role in the much larger industry debate about representation in teen fiction or the supposed perils of cancel culture, it might be time to reevaluate your stance on this series.

Amelie Wen Zhao’s Blood Heir trilogy waves before its first chapter was ever released, thanks to a storm of pre-release criticism and vitriolic Twitter feuding that eventually caused the publication of the first book in the young adult series to be delayed by several months back in 2019.

Blood heir amelie wen zhao