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azalya01's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Although this book was slow to hook me at first, I really came to like this story about Yangchen. I thought the mystery and stakes of this Avatar's mission were so interesting. This was a side of the Air Nomad Avatar that I never expected to see. If you like the Kyoshi stories or are just an ATLA fan in general, I think you will be drawn in by the story and endeared to its characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Classism, and War
Minor: Stalking
ekari's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
lots to say.
first of all, prior to reading this book, i had read some reviews acknowledging yangchen's lack of presence in her own book, and i wasn't able to empathize with these sentiments until i read it for myself. it turns out that she does not, in fact, feel like the main character in her own story. this is the dawn of *yangchen*, not the dawn of kavik. kavik, as much as i liked him, took up the majority of the story's viewpoint, which i didn't appreciate. now, im a sucker for switching perspectives in storytelling, but shouldn't avatar yangchen's perspective be the dominant one, seeing as this is *her* life story? this certainly didn't make this book a bad book, but i do desperately wish there was more of her to witness, because the world that existed during her era was truly phenomenal. the worldbuilding in this book was so rich, well-thought out, and nuanced that it answered many questions ATLA had left a mystery. but that's the thing: TDOY focused so much on building the world around the characters that it forgot to build on raw emotions and reader-to-character connections.
despite that, despite yangchen's lack of "main-character-ness," i still, predictably, admired her as a character and an avatar. yangchen's remarkable gift of accessing her past lives' memories paves a gateway to unique struggles and possibilities for the young avatar. she's far too young to be handling the responsibilities she is faced within the book, but far too accomplished by this age to back down. that's what i love about her. she understands the greater picture of her role as "the bridge between spirits and humans," and is willing to pursue sacrifices for the sake of the greater good. yangchen is an avatar first before she is an air nomad, a friend, or a sister.
this is the primary difference between aang and yangchen as air nomad-born avatars. aang is joyous and a pacifist at heart, and still has that child-like flare to his character. drastically, yangchen is deceptive, manipulative, and controlling, and understands that, sometimes, hurt must come before healing. all the things aang is not willing to do, yangchen pursues. (to further elaborate on this distinction, TDOY explores many more mature themes than was allowed in ATLA. it was still just as politically involved, but less apprehensive about displaying darker nuances.)
to clarify, yangchen is not evil. she is empathetic, selfless, and altruistic, but when faced with drastic means, she has the will to resort to drastic measures. (her very words to aang being "this isn't about you, this is about the world.") she understands that being the avatar is about sacrifices. it's about giving up your own morals and spiritual needs to devote yourself to maintaining the balance of the world. in the end, she is only a young teen forced to fulfill her fate as a sacred bringer of peace, a burden she never asked to inherit.
for yangchen, her destiny is both a blessing and a curse.
first of all, prior to reading this book, i had read some reviews acknowledging yangchen's lack of presence in her own book, and i wasn't able to empathize with these sentiments until i read it for myself. it turns out that she does not, in fact, feel like the main character in her own story. this is the dawn of *yangchen*, not the dawn of kavik. kavik, as much as i liked him, took up the majority of the story's viewpoint, which i didn't appreciate. now, im a sucker for switching perspectives in storytelling, but shouldn't avatar yangchen's perspective be the dominant one, seeing as this is *her* life story? this certainly didn't make this book a bad book, but i do desperately wish there was more of her to witness, because the world that existed during her era was truly phenomenal. the worldbuilding in this book was so rich, well-thought out, and nuanced that it answered many questions ATLA had left a mystery. but that's the thing: TDOY focused so much on building the world around the characters that it forgot to build on raw emotions and reader-to-character connections.
despite that, despite yangchen's lack of "main-character-ness," i still, predictably, admired her as a character and an avatar. yangchen's remarkable gift of accessing her past lives' memories paves a gateway to unique struggles and possibilities for the young avatar. she's far too young to be handling the responsibilities she is faced within the book, but far too accomplished by this age to back down. that's what i love about her. she understands the greater picture of her role as "the bridge between spirits and humans," and is willing to pursue sacrifices for the sake of the greater good. yangchen is an avatar first before she is an air nomad, a friend, or a sister.
this is the primary difference between aang and yangchen as air nomad-born avatars. aang is joyous and a pacifist at heart, and still has that child-like flare to his character. drastically, yangchen is deceptive, manipulative, and controlling, and understands that, sometimes, hurt must come before healing. all the things aang is not willing to do, yangchen pursues. (to further elaborate on this distinction, TDOY explores many more mature themes than was allowed in ATLA. it was still just as politically involved, but less apprehensive about displaying darker nuances.)
to clarify, yangchen is not evil. she is empathetic, selfless, and altruistic, but when faced with drastic means, she has the will to resort to drastic measures. (her very words to aang being "this isn't about you, this is about the world.") she understands that being the avatar is about sacrifices. it's about giving up your own morals and spiritual needs to devote yourself to maintaining the balance of the world. in the end, she is only a young teen forced to fulfill her fate as a sacred bringer of peace, a burden she never asked to inherit.
for yangchen, her destiny is both a blessing and a curse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Murder
toffishay's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I was sadly disappointed by this book! I loved the first two books in the Chronicles of the Avatar series, so I went in to this with high expectations. <SPOILER> There is way too much Kavik in this book, like it starts with him and so much of the drama and the action is tied to him, that I think you could easily forget that this is Yangchen's story. I really wanted to see more of her. They reference her battle with Old Iron and I know that this battle is already an established piece of ATLA lore, so I maybe get why they didn't tell that story, but I would have liked to see it lol! I think what I ultimately enjoyed about this story is what I enjoy about the world of ATLA, the struggle of a young Avatar trying to come into their own and fighting against the bonds of a world that wants to shape them to their own needs. That story has just been told better and in a more flushed out way by the other Avatar's who we have gotten to know...<END SPOILER> The writing is still well-done and I did not feel lost in the story, although at times, I felt that my hand was being held a bit too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Murder, War, Violence, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Torture, Blood, Deportation, and Vomit
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