Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - The Rise of Kyoshi

An incredible addition and expansion of the ATLA/LoK universe that I highly recommend any fan to read. The ATLA/LoK series is so beloved because they seamlessly weave together light-hearted humor, mature themes, epic, martial-art sequences, and impactful character moments, all of which were captured perfectly in TRoK.

Moreover, TRoK takes advantage of the freedom the written form offers, by going farther than the series ever did. TRoK does not shy away from explicit descriptions of physical violence and deepening political intrigue, while exploring themes of justice, corruption, and duty. Its story is also supported by a colorful cast of characters, the standout being the titular Avatar herself. Kyoshi's development from a shy, downtrodden, orphaned servant to a force of nature doling out justice is captivating. Kyoshi's bisexuality is also explored in ways the series never could, with TRoK offering a fulfilling, developed romance without the censorship of children's TV programming. I couldn't put the book down, nor did I want the adventure to end!

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sophieissapphhic's review

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adventurous medium-paced

3.5

3.5 stars

- This book expanded on the Avatar Universe so well!! This was worth the read for the worldbuilding alone.
- I liked the character relationships! They were developed well.
- Be gay, do crime.
- I disliked the inconsistent pacing. In the beginning, it dragged, and the other two thirds of the book felt all over the place pace-wise.

Content Warnings: violence, death, child death, parental abandonment, body horror (teeth horror; brief), fire & fire-related injuries, blood, grief, alcohol consumption

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talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

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fiveredhens's review

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adventurous dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

favorite quotes:

She'd taken her own gear off and was only wearing a thin cotton shift that exposed her arms and legs. Her streamlined figure belied the solidness of her muscles. Kyoshi caught herself gawking, having never seen her friend out of uniform before. It was hard for her to comprehend that the spiky bits weren't a natural part of Rangi's body.

Rangi shifted, pressing closer to Kyoshi's body, rubbing the soft bouquet of her hair against Kyoshi's lips. The startling contact felt like a transgression, the mistake of a girl exhausted and drowsy. The more noble Fire Nation families, like the one Rangi descended from, would never let just anyone touch their hair like this.
The faint, flowery scent that filled Kyoshi's lungs made her head swim and her pulse quicken. Kyoshi kept still like it was her life's calling, unwilling to make any motion that might disturb her friend's fitful slumber.
Eventually Rangi fell into a deep sleep, radiating warmth like a little glowing coal in the hearth. Kyoshi realized that comforting her throughout the night was both an honor and a torture she wouldn't have traded for anything in the world.
Kyoshi closed her eyes. She did her best to ignore the pain of her arm losing circulation and her heart falling into a pile of ribbons.

Despite how tired they were, Rangi only dozed fitfully, shivering though it was no longer cold. Watching her from a distance, Kyoshi had an answer regarding the little snips of breath she'd listened to for so long in their shared tent on the iceberg. It was how Rangi cried in her sleep. Every so often, she would burrow her face into her shoulders to wipe her tears.
With their eyes on each other, it was easy to be brave. Maybe that's the only way we get through this, Kyoshi thought. Just never look away.

"Kyoshi, I'm so sorry. I don't know how to break this to you, but... but..."
Relief came like a monsoon. She did not have to meet them. She didn't have to discover what kind of person she was when the past unearthed itself and took solid form.

Lek forgot his portion as he watched them, amazed. "I didn't think an army princess and a servant girl from a fancy mansion would take to elephant rat."
"Survival training at the academy," Rangi said, breaking a bone with her fingers to get at the marrow. "We learned to accept whatever food we could find in the wild."
"I used to eat garbage," Kyoshi said.

They're all the same, Kyoshi thought. Every single one. Whether they clothe themselves in business or brotherhood or a higher calling only they can see, it doesn't matter. They're one and the same. ...
They look at themselves like forces of nature, as inevitable ends, but they're not. Their depth is as false as the shoals at low tide. They twist the meaning of justice to absolve themselves of conscience. ...
They're humans like us, made of skin and guts and pain. They need to be reminded of that fact.

this could get a little boring and too gritty for me but it was definitely the first post-a:tla canon work that i've really enjoyed. i think it did the setting justice

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wirt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.75

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