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4.38 AVERAGE
4.38 AVERAGE
4.5
This significantly exceeded my expectations, and I thought it was a fantastic book. Beneath the relatively simpler prose was a fantastic plot, characters I empathized with, and even a surprisingly touching romance.
I felt so bad for Kyoshi throughout this book, like please someone give her a break. The whole thing - from the parental abandonment to her friends/parental figure being killed in front of her to betrayal to making the decision to murder someone (who admittedly probably deserved it) - could have been misery porn but was balanced enough by moments of joy and Kyoshi's steadfast determination [for revenge mostly] that it didn't feel too oppressive. And Kyoshi, while occasionally making questionable decisions, does try to do the right thing and not take advantage of anyone with her powers, so it's easy to root for her.
I thought the author did a really get job at getting into her head (and the heads of most of the POV characters for that matter) and understanding why they did the things they did and what drove them to that, particularly with Jianzhu who could otherwise be a stock 'hard man making hard decisions' type. I somewhat question his willingness to throw Yun away so quickly - I feel like there must have been some better way to definitively prove who the Avatar was - but I do get the desperation after so many years of effort.
Speaking of which, I thought the concept of the wrong person getting 'found' as the Avatar fascinating, and that plot was explored well, though cut off a bit short as Yun never really had to deal with the new reality. Although apparently that might come back because his return was one of the cruelest cliffhangers I've read and I immediately want to find out what happens next.
The band of outlaws was great, the dust-walking (and other elemental 'walking' through the air) was great, Kyoshi's development was great, and the book went a lot deeper into the politics and oppression in the Earth Kingdom, especially of the poor, than I expected, which I enjoyed.
I also loved Kyoshi and Rangi's slowly-developed relationship; it was really sweet and I thought they balanced each other out well even if Rangi disagreed with Kyoshi's methods (e.g. joining with a group of bandits, getting revenge above all else, etc.). At least they were able to communicate with each other and trust each other! Hopefully her mom is okay after Jianzhu fucking poisoned all his enemies (and her mom and himself). Another thing I'm super curious of - if Jianzhu was in fact a force for stability against the bandits and people wanting to break apart the Earth Kingdom, I wonder what will happen now that he's dead.
Anyways, I thought it was a great book overall and can't wait to finish the duology.
This significantly exceeded my expectations, and I thought it was a fantastic book. Beneath the relatively simpler prose was a fantastic plot, characters I empathized with, and even a surprisingly touching romance.
I felt so bad for Kyoshi throughout this book, like please someone give her a break. The whole thing - from the parental abandonment to her friends/parental figure being killed in front of her to betrayal to making the decision to murder someone (who admittedly probably deserved it) - could have been misery porn but was balanced enough by moments of joy and Kyoshi's steadfast determination [for revenge mostly] that it didn't feel too oppressive. And Kyoshi, while occasionally making questionable decisions, does try to do the right thing and not take advantage of anyone with her powers, so it's easy to root for her.
I thought the author did a really get job at getting into her head (and the heads of most of the POV characters for that matter) and understanding why they did the things they did and what drove them to that, particularly with Jianzhu who could otherwise be a stock 'hard man making hard decisions' type. I somewhat question his willingness to throw Yun away so quickly - I feel like there must have been some better way to definitively prove who the Avatar was - but I do get the desperation after so many years of effort.
Speaking of which, I thought the concept of the wrong person getting 'found' as the Avatar fascinating, and that plot was explored well, though cut off a bit short as Yun never really had to deal with the new reality. Although apparently that might come back because his return was one of the cruelest cliffhangers I've read and I immediately want to find out what happens next.
The band of outlaws was great, the dust-walking (and other elemental 'walking' through the air) was great, Kyoshi's development was great, and the book went a lot deeper into the politics and oppression in the Earth Kingdom, especially of the poor, than I expected, which I enjoyed.
I also loved Kyoshi and Rangi's slowly-developed relationship; it was really sweet and I thought they balanced each other out well even if Rangi disagreed with Kyoshi's methods (e.g. joining with a group of bandits, getting revenge above all else, etc.). At least they were able to communicate with each other and trust each other! Hopefully her mom is okay after Jianzhu fucking poisoned all his enemies (and her mom and himself). Another thing I'm super curious of - if Jianzhu was in fact a force for stability against the bandits and people wanting to break apart the Earth Kingdom, I wonder what will happen now that he's dead.
Anyways, I thought it was a great book overall and can't wait to finish the duology.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
felt very within the world.. was hooked and flew through it. characters and storylines easy to fall in love with
This book was a much needed breath of revitalising fresh air in a mini reading slump. I loved kyoshi when she was nothing but a few lines and a semi- spirit. To have a novel explore her background as it pertained to grief and growth only bolstered this love. F.C Yee is a genius who wrote an honest and incredibly engaging book that didn’t shy away from anything be it romance, humour, or grief. The crafting of the story was masterful and touching. My only qualm is that it took me so long to read it after it first came out.
I think the mark of any good media is ultimately the impact on the person that receives it. This book, the characters, the entire avatar universe… has the utmost impact on me.
I think the mark of any good media is ultimately the impact on the person that receives it. This book, the characters, the entire avatar universe… has the utmost impact on me.
adventurous
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
adventurous
emotional
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
adventurous
dark
funny
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
fast-paced
I never knew I wanted to have more books and lore set in this universe after reading this book. The life of Kyoshi is a lot different than that of Roku, Aang and or Korra. We learn how she became the avatar, how she met her friends, mentors and enemies. You’ll learn about her struggles as the avatar, her connection to previous avatars and her mission in life. This story was never talked about or explained in the tv show version of Avatar: The Last Airbender. This book was a blast to read and I can’t wait to read the rest of this book series.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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