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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
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
๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ป๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ถ ๐๐ถ๐ป is a charming journey into a vividly imagined world of magic and adventure. Kurara's transformation from a humble servant to a Crafter aboard the Midori skyship is a captivating tale of self-discovery and empowerment. Lin's portrayal of Kurara's journey, guided by the gruff but wise Himura, is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. The exploration of power dynamics and the moral ambiguity surrounding the shikigami adds depth to the story, prompting readers to question the nature of freedom and subjugation. While the pacing may be more subdued compared to other YA fantasy novels, the rich character development and immersive world-building make for a compelling read. I eagerly await the next installment to uncover the fate of Kurara and her fellow Crafters.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin is a Japanese-inspired fantasy featuring shikigami (think the paper dolls attacking Haku in Spirited Away), references to Tanabata, and a really interesting magic system. Itโs quite fast paced with shorter chapters and rotates between three POVs: Kurara, our main character, Himura, a Crafter, and Rei, who has plans of his own for their world.
I read this in about three days from start to finish. Itโs very easy to become engrossed in the worldbuildingโs execution and how that plays a part in the story. Kuraraโs best friend, Haru, is revealed to be a shikigami himself early on and it raises a lot of questions on what makes someone human. Kurara and Himura are both Crafters and they clash in their views of shikigami but they need each other to achieve their goals.
Another thing I really loved was how much thought went into what kind of world would have sky islands and how that would impact food, clothes, culture, etc. compared to if that same world had people who lived on the ground. The Sorabito were one of my favorite worldbuilding details besides the references to Tanabata.
I would recommend this to fans of Japanese fantasy, fans of faster-paced YA fantasy with no romance, and readers looking for a unique magic system.
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Excellent world building and magic system, great action sequences but the writing felt stilted and with a couple of exceptions (Akane!) I didn't like the characters much.
โWe are of stardust
Forged and formed from the heavens
Universe made fleshโ
Spirited Away meets Kubo and the Two Strings Ghibli-style meets steampunk fantasy YA adventure novel featuring dragons, Origami magic, Japanese mythology and folklore, and cities in the sky.
This was a beautifully imagined and intricate world with an incredibly unique paper magic system rife with intrigue and secrets and immersive battle scenes. I loved the adventure our heroine, Kurara went through to try and her get friend back. From page one she was loyal to a fault, determined, and the way she persevered through all the challenges thrown her way had me rooting for her from page one.
While the setting, the world, and magic system were fully realized there were quite a large number of characters and many of them weren't given enough screen time that I feel as if cutting down the multitude of characters introduced would've made for a much stronger novel.
Nonetheless, this was a joy to read through and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
Forged and formed from the heavens
Universe made fleshโ
Spirited Away meets Kubo and the Two Strings Ghibli-style meets steampunk fantasy YA adventure novel featuring dragons, Origami magic, Japanese mythology and folklore, and cities in the sky.
This was a beautifully imagined and intricate world with an incredibly unique paper magic system rife with intrigue and secrets and immersive battle scenes. I loved the adventure our heroine, Kurara went through to try and her get friend back. From page one she was loyal to a fault, determined, and the way she persevered through all the challenges thrown her way had me rooting for her from page one.
While the setting, the world, and magic system were fully realized there were quite a large number of characters and many of them weren't given enough screen time that I feel as if cutting down the multitude of characters introduced would've made for a much stronger novel.
Nonetheless, this was a joy to read through and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a beautiful book and right up my alley. The concept was new to me and I loved it.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I am so grateful to have been sent Rebel Skies and Rebel Fire in advance of the North American release!
I truly have no words, I felt so many different emotions going through this book. I loved how fast-paced and adventurous it was while attaching me to the characters so early on that I felt the need to finish it quickly to see where their story would go.
Kurara has no memory of her past life when all of these events start to take place and sheโs solely driven by wanting to get her friend back, the most pure form of love. Along the way, she learns that shikigami, paper spirits that are usually controlled by a master, have their own souls and are their own beings with feelings and pain that the humans blatantly ignore. Kurara recognizes this and that allows her to learn so much about herself and her own power.
I would absolutely recommend this to any fantasy lover or really any reader. I found myself in tears over the storyline especially towards the end, and I think there are truly valuable lessons to be learned through these characters. I loved getting to peek into Asian culture as well, and I cannot wait to read the sequel, Rebel Fire, later this year!
Initial Reaction: 9
Characters: 10
Setting: 8
Plot: 9
Pace: 8
Style: 7
Ending: 10
Enjoyment: 10
71 / 16 = 4.4375
Rounded Rating = 4.5