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avidreadr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Knocked off .5 stars because some loose ends were left at the end of the book.
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Miscarriage, Suicide, and War
Moderate: Child abuse and Rape
readwithbeth_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, and War
Moderate: Miscarriage and Rape
therestisstillunwritten16's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
thenoboshow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lucajgrainger's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cyrus_nguyen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Death, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, and Suicide
aksmith92's review against another edition
- 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
The Setup: Mamoru is a Matsuda. Meaning he was born into a line of people resembling gods. Matsudas possess a unique magic form called jijaka, someone able to control water. Well, those in Kaigen can all be jijakalu, but Matsudas have the unique ability to take their control of water even further and take water molecules to make something called a Whispering Blade, a sword of ice that can cut through literally anything. Matsuda boys and men are trained early as warriors, serving the Kaigen empire wholeheartedly and rigidly. They live and train on the Kusanagi Peninsula, known as the Sword of Kaigen, and are the first to defend the Empire's enemies. Mamoru is fourteen, in school, and is one of the best warriors of his age. Thankfully, "warrior" is more of a title than anything; Kaigen and the rest of Danu, the world everyone lives in, have maintained peaceful relations, and there hasn't been a war since the Keleba, the only war that occurred in Danu's history. Mamoru is going to school, hanging out with his friends, trying not to fall asleep in history class, and, of course, training. He is determined to master the Whispering Blade and be the youngest to do so. Therefore, much of his time is spent mastering his jiya and trying to prove to his father that he is focused and talented.
In tandem, Misaki, Mamoru's mother, is battling fifteen years of, for lack of better words, boredom and anger. Misaki was also a warrior, as she spent her teenage years at a school in Carytha, another country in Danu, mastering her jiya and another magic: Blood Needle, the ability to control a small amount of the blood inside their victim's body and freezes it in the shape of a needle. This jijaka technique is specific to the Tsusano family, Misaki's bloodline before she married a Matsuda. She spent time at this school mastering her sword skills and even partnered with a crew of kids her age to fight crime. However, Misaki is from Ishihama, a town in Kaigen, meaning that she knew that her main role in life would be to marry into a powerful bloodline and bear his children, specifically sons. She made the incredibly challenging choice once she was of age to stay back on Kaigen and marry Takeru Matsuda. But life is not easy, and she struggles without a sword on her hip.
The narrative delves into the emotional journeys of both Mamoru and Misaki, revealing Mamoru's battles with new revelations about his assumptions and preconceptions of the Kaigen empire, and Misaki's life as a housewife and a mother, with glimpses of her past at school. The story then weaves in Duna unrest, suggesting that peace may soon become a distant memory.
What made this six stars? I'm having a hard time explaining what made this a phenomenal book. It was NOT a good time, I can tell you that! I cried MULTIPLE times in this book, which generally does not happen to me and hasn't happened since The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah. M.L. Wang is clearly a powerful and amazingly talented writer - her prose isn't fluffy; it's straight to the point and makes you feel like you are living at the Sword of Kaigen with the small community. I would not suggest picking this up if you want atmospheric or whimsical writing. Wang is literal yet still poignant and dives into challenging topics like misogyny, classism, and war. It was beautiful, yet sharp and harsh, and I loved it so much.
So, I generally prioritize character layers and development over everything else. Do not get me wrong, the plot and world-building must be there! However, there is something so beautiful about connecting with characters, regardless of whether they are the protagonists, antagonists, or morally gray folks. This book did that so well. Mamoru and Misaki are beautifully written characters with many layers, conflicts, and flaws. The other characters, specifically Setsuko, Takashi, Hyori, Chul-Hee, and Robin, were also fantastically written. Additionally, I could write multiple paragraphs about Takeru Matsuda - Mamoru's father and Misaki's husband - what a character! Everyone was their own character, and I love nothing more than relating to many characters and seeing them go on their journeys.
Now, technically, Wang's 100-page (or so) action scene was unbelievable. Actually, unbelievable. I've never read an action scene like this one before. I was immersed, captivated, and absolutely DEVASTATED during it. I honestly couldn't put my book down. This gruesome portrayal of battle was incredibly done, even though it was hard to read.
Lastly, this was such a well-done magic system, world, and plot. It takes a slightly different approach to war, combining some politics, war potential, and the aftermath of battle.
While this book was incredible, please know you will be angry. Kaigen was awfully sexist and misogynistic - it was a patriarchal society where women had to watch what they said to their husbands, let alone fight in battle. It can be challenging to read, but it made you appreciate Misaki and her wonderful friends even more. The balance Misaki portrayed as a mother and a warrior was unique, and her relationship with her husband, Takeru, was incredibly layered. However, unlike other fantasy novels with a main female protagonist, this one doesn't have the nice, neat power ending we're used to, and it may frustrate you. As someone who cares deeply about feminism, this should have angered me, but Wang portrayed all of this in an incredibly realistic way and therefore didn't make the story seem to go into a 180 abruptly.
I have no criticism. At all. You may and I get that, but I don't. What an incredible ride - Wang will be an auto-buy author for me. I've read Blood Over Bright Haven, which I LOVED, and I can't wait to see what else Wang comes out with. I am so thankful for this novel, yet now it is time for a fluffy and light book where I shed no tears.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing
Please, please, please take some of these triggers seriously. M.L. Wang does a phenomenal job with action scenes, but they involve lots of detail about injuries and death, including for literal children. Please take care.sodoeseveryoneelse's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Child death and Suicide
breezie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Yes, Misaki was trained as a fighter when she was in high school, but the fact that she was trained as a fighter doesn't really matter because the country she lives in is extremely sexist (which you can tell by the sexist, misogynistic comments on every. single. page.), and so is the family that had sent her across the world to train in an elite military school. What was the point if you were going to force her into gender roles afterward anyway? Because she needed to be protected? Didn't you send her away so she could protect herself? Makes no sense.
The sexism grated my nerves to the point where it almost overshadowed everything else in the book. Especially since there wasn't any reason for it. "That's just how things are done here" I guess, but for what purpose? Absolutely nothing changed in Takayubi except for the renewal of the dojo and Takeru's attitude. And Takeru doing a total 180 so fast just because he was confronted with being a coward (which he already knew he was, by the way, and had admitted it several times) just seemed so out of place. Not out of place because it was unrealistic (which it wasn't), but it was out of place because it seemed as if it was only written in to make Misaki not hate her husband anymore and to give her more "character development." Because how is every response he gives to her "I don't know" and "I was afraid"?
Misaki's "character development" also seemed odd to me because how can someone repeatedly think about how they don't love their children and how they never wanted to be a mother or a wife and how much she hates where she is and hates her husband and resents her father for forcing her to go through with the marriage, but then randomly change her mind and love all her children so much to do the things she did? It seemed forced and the rest of her character development seemed strong-armed into the story just to further along everything else.
Also - Chapter 31? Unnecessary. Not a single thing about that last chapter was needed and I slogged through it. I don't care about Robin, and it seemed like it was an extended, boring catch-up type of Epilogue, which I guess would be fine if you actually cared about Koli and Elleen and whoever else Misaki knew in school, but I didn't care. We didn't see them enough for me to care, and I didn't connect with their characters at all. I actually laughed at Robin for his Batman-esque point of view.
I also did not appreciate the stance that the characters took about miscarriages. As if the sexism wasn't bad enough, miscarriages are the mother's fault? And Misaki fully believed her hatred for the life growing inside her was what hid terminated the pregnancy? GTFOH with that, we don't need anymore victim-blaming in the world, imaginary fantasy world or not.
The fight scenes were extremely detailed, though, often going on for pages at a time, and they kept my interest more than anything else in the book. And honestly, I think those fight scenes were the redeeming factor that kept this from being a 2 star read. Because not everything needed to be all wrapped up in a nice bow like it was, especially the "war" aspect of the novel. I have no idea how I would go about expressing my feelings on that whole "war" because I'm at such a loss for words. In the bad way, mind you.
I've seen so many people talk about how much they loved this, and I can see why they would. It just isn't for me, and maybe that had something to do with my expectations not being met or maybe I just wasn't understanding a deeper meaning behind everything, but regardless of the reason, I am really disappointed that I didn't like this book better. I was hoping I would since it sounds like something I'd normally love but I struggled so bad with this. By the end I felt as if I'd read about children being eviscerated just because. That's how unsatisfied this book left me.
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, and War
bethsfranklin's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, and War