Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Dawn of Yangchen

I usually don't start reading a series I know is unfinished, but I love these books so much I had to make an exception. There are a lot of loose ends for the second Yangchen book to play with and I'm excited to see how everything turns out. I'm especially interested to hear more about Yangchen's unusual connection to her past lives, which seens analogous to some kind of neurological or psychological condition. You'd think all these Avatar reincarnations would be similar enough that it would feel repetitive, but the opposite is true. Another great feature of the writing in this book and the Kyoshi books is how they manage to hold suspense and weight even though you more or less know how things turn out, based on their depictions in other Avatar works.

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fran_buesa's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark 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? No

4.25

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mandkips's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.0

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toffishay's review against another edition

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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.

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theuncannydani's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Still a nice look into the world of ATLA, it is more stale than The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi. Don't look for layered side characters or a well-rounded storyline in this third installment of the ATLA novels. So far the only promise this era has is deepening for the Kyoshi books.

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