Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dzin-šei paslaptys | 2003 | Alma Alexander | N/A |
| 2 | The Secrets of Jin-shei | 2003 | Alma Alexander | Buy |
| 3 | Embers of Heaven | 2006 | Alma Alexander | Buy |
The Secrets of Jin-shei is Alma Alexander’s best-known novel. Set in the fictional empire of Syai, loosely based on imperial China, it follows eight women from different walks of life who are connected through jin-shei, a tradition of sworn sisterhood passed down through a secret women’s language. The novel covers decades as the women’s lives intersect with court politics, war, and natural disaster.
Embers of Heaven is the sequel, set four hundred years later in the same world as Syai undergoes a violent revolution. Note that the listing also includes Dzin-sei paslaptys, which is the Lithuanian translation of The Secrets of Jin-shei, not a separate book.