Reviews

A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee

glunko_fink_bingus's review against another edition

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4.0

Very interesting book! There were moments where I felt meh but it still had its great moments! Definitely a book I would recommend for those who enjoy fiction with influence of Asian folklore. The book is written in 3rd person which took some adjusting to in the beginning, I prefer first person!

reatschetter's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved everything about this book, from the Japanese folklore influence to the individual characters. This is nearly perfect YA fantasy. I especially loved that we have a heroine who is finding her voice and learning that she doesn't have to bend to fit the mold. Did I mention funny? Miuko's wry little thoughts often had me giggling to myself. This is absolutely a book for all the wild and wonderful girls in your life, the ones who are a bit too loud, a bit too extra, a bit too tired of trying to make themselves small. In some ways I almost want to label this an allegory, because it WORKS as one...that's all I can say without spoiling things. I'm an 'old' woman and I still wanted to cry when I finished reading this because it feels so unapologetically fresh and freeing, a manifesto to falling in love with yourself and with the world around you.

tkuchta's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

sasaboba's review against another edition

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5.0

6 stars.

what a fantastic way to start off my halloween read for the month! fans of inuyasha can rejoice in this epic fantasy steeped in japanese mythologies, from tricksters, to demons, to gods. we follow a girl named miuko who is used to living in the patriarchy where japanese girls can't even ride a horse without being accused of indecency. she is cursed to become a demon and, on her journey to reverse the effects, she makes unlikely friends along the way. there is nonbinary and trans rep and they don't die or get traumatized, yay! the antagonist is a monster like naraku or edward cullen, except nothing he says or does is romanticized and we have a smart heroine who sees that. the misogyny was horrible, sometimes scary, but justice was always served. my only complaints are that part 2 was really slow at first and it was rough seeing miuko constantly lose, despite my enjoyment of the lore. the misogyny was belaboring to the point of exhaustion at times but it's also because it's my lived experience and i hate seeing it on-page. all in all, a thousand steps into night was full of complex worldbuilding, superb character development, and the friendships and relationships were beautiful. it’s also a master class in how to fluidly write time travel. i hope people in their demon era enjoy it as much as i did!



trigger warnings: misogyny, murder (on and off-page; there's a particularly gruesome finding of fridged women that was triggering but it lasts for less than a page and justice was served), possession, abandonment

acollectiveofbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

I love Asian mythology, especially about yokai. A Thousand Steps into Night is pretty good and reads more like middle grade to me. So it's more on the cute side with Miuko trying to reverse the curse that turns her into a demon. She meets spirits and makes friends along the way during her quest. It was an enjoyable read and I recommend listening to the audiobook. The narrator did a great job!

eliza_k's review against another edition

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5.0

Loved this!!! I always love an epic fantasy, and one that has this much magic and adventure was fantastic! The people that Miuko met, and the friends she made was fantastic (especially the friends!!!) and I just wished that it didn't end.
I read another review that compared this to Studio Ghibli movies and I totally agree!

shamimba's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

ashyraine's review against another edition

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adventurous funny

4.75

drewcula's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 really I think

mouliuable's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0