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Taiwan Butterfly: A Modern Gothic Tale of Eternal Love and Sorcery for Teens and Young Adults
Award Winning Book from author Amadeus Rockefeller. An ancient and powerful Tibetan grimoire called ‘The Book of the Butterfly’ that has existed secretly for thousands of years comes into the possession of a British missionary named Jonathan Woods during the Chinese Civil war. Jonathan flees to Taiwan with the ancient spell book and takes up residence in a high mountain township at the centre of the island. There he tutors a rich landowners daughter Chen Mei-Ying about language, life and sorcery. Mei-Ying enthusiastically takes to the dark arts. But when she is killed in a freak accident, her boyfriend Huang Lee-Yang approaches the sorcerer, hoping to learn the power he wields to bring her back to life.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2022
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Amadeus Rockefeller
3 books7 followersAmadeus is an Award Winning Australian-Taiwanese writer who grew up in the 80s and has a diverse background spanning film, TV and radio, the military, electrical engineering, robotics, quantum mechanics, aviation, and elementary school teaching.
Amadeus is also an inventor of several electronic devices. These include a brainwave therapy device that stimulates neural networks of the human brain to help people with depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Amadeus’s heroes include Sadako Sasaki (12-year-old Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Victim), Stephen Hawking (British Theoretical physicist), Christopher Reeve (American actor, director, and activist), and his mom. He is an advocate of The Sadako Legacy NPO for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Amadeus believes in never giving up and pursuing your dreams. In 2019, Amadeus fulfilled a lifelong dream and met with Sadako’s brother Masahiro Sasaki to clean and lay flowers on Sadako’s tomb in Fukuoka, Japan. Which is considered a great honor.
When not teaching elementary school English and electronics, Amadeus enjoys writing stories and watching fantasy, comedy and science fiction movies. On weekends he likes to go on adventures around Taiwan or Japan with his son Alexander.
Amadeus is also an inventor of several electronic devices. These include a brainwave therapy device that stimulates neural networks of the human brain to help people with depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Amadeus’s heroes include Sadako Sasaki (12-year-old Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Victim), Stephen Hawking (British Theoretical physicist), Christopher Reeve (American actor, director, and activist), and his mom. He is an advocate of The Sadako Legacy NPO for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Amadeus believes in never giving up and pursuing your dreams. In 2019, Amadeus fulfilled a lifelong dream and met with Sadako’s brother Masahiro Sasaki to clean and lay flowers on Sadako’s tomb in Fukuoka, Japan. Which is considered a great honor.
When not teaching elementary school English and electronics, Amadeus enjoys writing stories and watching fantasy, comedy and science fiction movies. On weekends he likes to go on adventures around Taiwan or Japan with his son Alexander.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2022
Taiwan Butterfly is a riveting gothic fantasy novel that begins in December 1949 in China when 35-year-old British missionary Jonathan Woods is in the middle of a battlefield and finds his mortally wounded friend, Chen Ming-Yu. On his dying breath, Ming-Yu asks Jonathan to go to safety, to his homeland Taiwan and find Ming-Yu’s daughter Chen Mei-Ying. Before he dies, he vows to Jonathan to use the enchanted butterfly book for something greater. Eventually, Jonathan gets to Taiwan, transferred, and injured. His path to Mei-Ying leads him to experience love, loss, and magic.
Taiwan Butterfly offers readers a unique fantasy world with a backstory that is well thought-out and lore that feels deep. Set during the Chinese Civil war this rousing book combines historical fiction with fascinating magical elements that keep readers intrigued throughout the narrative. I enjoyed this book because of the clear writing and mystique surrounding the elements of the storyline. This was a fun book to read because the characters are easy to follow and understand, but also because we get glimpses of the mystery throughout the story and those glimpses are so compelling. What is the secret Book of the Butterfly and which purpose does the book have?
The authors writing style is succinct and gives the narrative voice a unique quality, making this an easy book to read and makes it perfect for young adult readers. But even with this we’re still treated to gripping scenes with vivid descriptions, imaginative world building, and creative use of magic.
Taiwan Butterfly is a fast-paced teen fantasy story that cleverly combines romance, mystery and magic to create a dark magical realism story that kept calling me back every time I put the book down.
Taiwan Butterfly offers readers a unique fantasy world with a backstory that is well thought-out and lore that feels deep. Set during the Chinese Civil war this rousing book combines historical fiction with fascinating magical elements that keep readers intrigued throughout the narrative. I enjoyed this book because of the clear writing and mystique surrounding the elements of the storyline. This was a fun book to read because the characters are easy to follow and understand, but also because we get glimpses of the mystery throughout the story and those glimpses are so compelling. What is the secret Book of the Butterfly and which purpose does the book have?
The authors writing style is succinct and gives the narrative voice a unique quality, making this an easy book to read and makes it perfect for young adult readers. But even with this we’re still treated to gripping scenes with vivid descriptions, imaginative world building, and creative use of magic.
Taiwan Butterfly is a fast-paced teen fantasy story that cleverly combines romance, mystery and magic to create a dark magical realism story that kept calling me back every time I put the book down.
July 29, 2022
This book is a bit of everything–fantasy, paranormal fiction, adventure and romance. Jonathan Woods, a British missionary in China, is forced to flee to Taiwan due to the Chinese civil war. He escapes with a handbook of magic, The Book of Butterfly. He occupies himself by teaching the craft of magic to a lovely girl, Mei-Ying. Unfortunately, Mei-Ying passes away in an accident, and her boyfriend must now learn magic from Jonathan to awaken her. Will she be alive again?
The author takes the known premise of trying to bring back the dead through magic and gives it his unique spin. Everything that has to do with the magic, the spells, the actions and the philosophy behind them is portrayed meticulously. Also, even though the story is built on fantasy, the world and its behaviour are believable consistently. More than the magic, the element of love makes the story resonate. The relationship Mei-Yang and her beau share is deep and lovable. True magic exists in the power of manifestation and belief; this is the point the story attempts to make. Also, Jonathan Wood’s character as a teacher breathes life into the story by making the teacher-student interactions enjoyable. The subplot of him running away from the war also adds an element of thrill to the plot. Readers who enjoy fantasy, magic with romance will appreciate this book—definitely recommended.
The author takes the known premise of trying to bring back the dead through magic and gives it his unique spin. Everything that has to do with the magic, the spells, the actions and the philosophy behind them is portrayed meticulously. Also, even though the story is built on fantasy, the world and its behaviour are believable consistently. More than the magic, the element of love makes the story resonate. The relationship Mei-Yang and her beau share is deep and lovable. True magic exists in the power of manifestation and belief; this is the point the story attempts to make. Also, Jonathan Wood’s character as a teacher breathes life into the story by making the teacher-student interactions enjoyable. The subplot of him running away from the war also adds an element of thrill to the plot. Readers who enjoy fantasy, magic with romance will appreciate this book—definitely recommended.
July 29, 2022
This book was very satisfying. It had a little bit of everything. You name it, it had it; love, fiction, fantasy, supernatural, young adult (sort of) and so much more. The best thing about this book is neither its plot nor the characters but the way it was able to mish-mash so many genres and characters without being a mess.
The plot was very interesting and very unique. The pacing was just right and the amount of information was also just right, there were no apparent massive information dumps, which are always welcome. I love the approach and the creativity of the author.
The characters were relatable even though the book had heavy elements of fantasy, which, mind you, is a very big deal. The character development was also spot on, not too much not too less. The book had a clear aim and this is crucial since it always reminds the reader that whatever effort he/she is witnessing is for that singular goal.
I loved every part of this book, therefore I feel no hesitation in recommending it to everyone. So, go buy the book and show the author some love and support. At last, thank you to the author for creating this wonderfully entertaining piece of literature.
Thank you
Happy Reading
The plot was very interesting and very unique. The pacing was just right and the amount of information was also just right, there were no apparent massive information dumps, which are always welcome. I love the approach and the creativity of the author.
The characters were relatable even though the book had heavy elements of fantasy, which, mind you, is a very big deal. The character development was also spot on, not too much not too less. The book had a clear aim and this is crucial since it always reminds the reader that whatever effort he/she is witnessing is for that singular goal.
I loved every part of this book, therefore I feel no hesitation in recommending it to everyone. So, go buy the book and show the author some love and support. At last, thank you to the author for creating this wonderfully entertaining piece of literature.
Thank you
Happy Reading
July 21, 2022
Taiwan Butterfly by Amadeus Rockefeller is an intriguing, heartwarming, and magical love story. The highlight for me when reading this book was the beautiful descriptions of nature and the youthful, innocent, and pure love between the main characters Mei-Ying and Lee-Yang. Rockefeller has created an appealing narrative – the possibility of bringing deceased loved ones to back life.
August 11, 2022
Like many of the reviewers have said: this book truly does have a little bit of everything in it--fantasy, magic, adventure, romance. The list goes on. The author, Amadeus Rockefeller, has presented readers with an intriguing premise and has delivered it with passion.
I will say, however, that the writing feels stiff and tedious. The descriptions are great, but I think the narrative perspective is off, flat, and could have used more first or second-person narrative to help create a deeper connection with the reader.
Overall, though, the Taiwan Butterfly is a fun and enthralling read that will keep young adults who are fans of the fantasy genre engaged.
I will say, however, that the writing feels stiff and tedious. The descriptions are great, but I think the narrative perspective is off, flat, and could have used more first or second-person narrative to help create a deeper connection with the reader.
Overall, though, the Taiwan Butterfly is a fun and enthralling read that will keep young adults who are fans of the fantasy genre engaged.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews