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beckahh_i's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I am so glad I finally picked this up! M.L. Wang's writing is incredible, and I would happily read more in this world (after I recover from all the emotional trauma of the SoK...). I knew this was going to be a brutal book, but I don't think I could have really predicted how brutal it would be. The journey these characters go on both personally and as a group is written so well. Reading this with a book club made me stop and think about what the characters were going through more than I would have if I was reading it by myself, and it was so interesting to see the similarities to both my own life/experiences, and to the world and political climate around me. The trauma the characters go through and the subsequent healing and growth was written in a way that didn't seemed forced or hurried, but felt very realistic and true to the characters nature. Overall would definitely recommend if you're prepared for some trauma and pain 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Child death, War, Death, Gore, Grief, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
fairynanook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
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
3.75
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book. I'll go into more specifics of what I did and didn't like below, but that will have spoilers. If you like the fantasy genre in general, I do think you should give the book a read.
What I liked: The book is well written. The world building is fantastic. The genre is not one I am super familiar with, but I did not feel confused while reading it. I liked the diversity and complexity of the characters, even the ones I didn't really "like".[This book is from the POV of a woman living in a very traditional society...one where she isn't allowed to question her husband or men, isn't allowed to do some of the things she greatly enjoyed doing, is in an unloving arranged marriage, is only valued for the male children she gives birth to, etc. Wang writes about it in a complex, respectful way that I believe is meant to help readers understand it in some ways. It was challenging to read it, but again, still something I appreciated. ]
What I didn't like: The pacing of this novel struggled quite a bit, especially at the beginning. I stuck with it because I knew this going in.[Plot wise, I really, really didn't like the way the author killed off a main character. We open the book with Momoru and his POV. We spend a good part of the first half of the book with him. Then he just dies and we're expected to spend the rest of the book with his mom and one chapter with his dad. It didn't work for me. Child death and main character death is always going to be a hard sell for me and Wang 100% didn't sell me on the necessity of it. I almost DNFd the book because of this choice. And I would never pick up a book knowing the author made this sort of choice...killing off the voice of a main POV character mid-book. It was incredibly jarring as a reader. If he needed to die, then the book should not have been written from his brain. Likewise, it felt like Wang was trying to sell to people who are not from the tradition, the idea that the extreme patriarchal ideals of the society of our main character, are not actually oppressive to women. But I don't think she achieved it. I felt oppressed for half the book, on behalf of the main character, as she watched tragedy after tragedy befall her without having a voice. Yes, she got one in the end, but I still just had trouble with it. And then the whole plot with Robin at the end felt forced and weird. ]
Overall, I think this is a very worthwhile and at times, challenging read despite some of my issues with it.
What I liked: The book is well written. The world building is fantastic. The genre is not one I am super familiar with, but I did not feel confused while reading it. I liked the diversity and complexity of the characters, even the ones I didn't really "like".
What I didn't like: The pacing of this novel struggled quite a bit, especially at the beginning. I stuck with it because I knew this going in.
Overall, I think this is a very worthwhile and at times, challenging read despite some of my issues with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Misogyny, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Grief, Gore, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Body horror
Moderate: Homophobia
kitsune42's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book emotionally wrecked me. The only reason it isn't 5-stars is that the last 15% of the book was clearly setting up follow-up books that will not be written. If the book was edited to remove those unanswered questions the ending would be so much more satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
aplpaca's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Sexual assault
rnbhargava's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Honestly this is a fantastic book. The characters, the discussion it creates with the reader about the nature of propaganda, politics and warfare. The characters are full of complex motivations, doubts, traumas, triumphs and tragedies. Mamoru is such a good kid, all of Misaki’s kids are. Misaki is so multidimensional. Takeru really puts you through a hate/love dynamic and you even come to sympathize with him at points. The supporting characters are even immensely layered through how they handle the highs and lows of their lives before and amidst the narrative of this novel. “Sword of Kaigen” is quite the appropriate title for this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Medical content, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Xenophobia, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, War, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Confinement, Gaslighting, Genocide, Medical trauma, Bullying, Child death, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Rape, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Blood, Sexism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
There is a rape, there is lots of discussion and depiction of propaganda and brutal warfare, also child death and parental death in several contexts. There are also special abilities that could be used in a variety of violent and benevolent manners.lesliehirgelt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Miscarriage, Rape, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicide, Child death, Genocide, War, Death, Racism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia
hibsdontlie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.75
successful marriage counseling is when your wife nearly cuts your head off and you say thank you.
+ overall, it was a good book to lose yourself into.
+ i really liked our main cast of characters. tears were definitely shed because of them and it was so easy to hurt with them. they were well-written and they felt whole, even as they continued to develop throughout the book.
+ i could not put it down between around 35-60%
- i was not a huge fan of the world building.if kwang chul-hee plays video games in his freetime... technology must be available and accessible? so why is the superior ranganese army fighting with cheap swords and not guns? or did i miss something? 😭
- i haaaaaaaated the use of real-life languages in this book. took me all the way out of the fantasy. at worst, it made me cringe. you want me to believe they're kaigenese why are they speaking real life japanese??? orthe soldier with the braid talking about you cut my hair in mandarin(?) . i came here to escape i want my money back >:(
+ the author herself acknowledges that the world building has its problems. it's such a shame otherwise this definitely would have made a great first book in a series, hence the rating because it's not a 4 but it's not a 3 either ☹
- the writing for the most part was smooth but there were definitely moments where i remember reading something and feeling like okay that was kind of redundant. the last third especially was tedious to read. there were parts where i felt like i kept reading and reading but wasn't getting anywhere 🗿
i'm not proofreading this. send.
+ overall, it was a good book to lose yourself into.
+ i really liked our main cast of characters. tears were definitely shed because of them and it was so easy to hurt with them. they were well-written and they felt whole, even as they continued to develop throughout the book.
+ i could not put it down between around 35-60%
- i was not a huge fan of the world building.
- i haaaaaaaated the use of real-life languages in this book. took me all the way out of the fantasy. at worst, it made me cringe. you want me to believe they're kaigenese why are they speaking real life japanese??? or
+ the author herself acknowledges that the world building has its problems. it's such a shame otherwise this definitely would have made a great first book in a series, hence the rating because it's not a 4 but it's not a 3 either ☹
- the writing for the most part was smooth but there were definitely moments where i remember reading something and feeling like okay that was kind of redundant. the last third especially was tedious to read. there were parts where i felt like i kept reading and reading but wasn't getting anywhere 🗿
i'm not proofreading this. send.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
jennagrant's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Miscarriage, War, Sexism, Suicide, and Rape
crisabel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
4.75
Beautiful storytelling focusing on a family through strife both within their world and within their family itself. I loved the character development that the main characters experience throughout the story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, and War
chrisb913's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
After hearing so many reviews raving about this book, I was hesitant to pick it up. I had heard so many times that this book was very traumatic and emotionally heartbreaking. Everything I had heard about this book did not do it justice. I don't think it's possible to review this book and capture the emotional turmoil the reader goes through. But for all the emotional devastation, M.L. Wang seems to found a way to piece you back together through the trauma and sadness for these characters. My only complaint about this book is there is no sequel as of yet because I need more of this world, of these characters, of this story. I just need more. This has probably been the worst case of emotional damage I have received from a book, and I am incredibly grateful I was able to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Classism, Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Miscarriage, Grief, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, and Sexual assault