Reviews - The Sword of Kaigen

10.2k reviews for:

The Sword of Kaigen

M.L. Wang

4.51 AVERAGE

vic_toriuh's review against another edition

5.0

FINALLY - a book made me cry. I thought I was broken but, instead - this book broke ME.

lilanathania's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad 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

brewdy_reader's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

For those who don’t know, Sword of Kaigen was an indie smash hit. As just one metric of the book’s success, it now has both Wraithmarked and Page & Wick special editions that are highly sought after.
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Because of how much I loved Blood Over Bright Haven, I knew I was going to love this one too...
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I ended up having complicated feelings on Kaigen. I’ll say by the time I ended the book, I marveled at how characters’ arcs came together at the end, it was genius.
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I loved the Asian inspired world and some of the parallels to the historical wars of the East Pacific. The whispering blade sword technique and ice dragons achieved through states of nirvana. So many epic fight scenes involving swords, fans, + cyclones, and mind and blood magic.
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The journey was painful. I am one that doesn’t mind a harsh and unforgiving regime. But this patriarchy under the guise of glory and honor, especially the brainwashed women trapped within it — oof.
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And then there was the trauma. ~10 chapters in a row that were all death at the sword. Not just adults but children, massacre style. I can’t say it was fun. 😓 I had to put the book down for over two weeks before I could mentally come back and finish.

tldr; Am I glad I read it? Yes, it was riveting. Will I be rereading it? No, too much trauma for me.

Content Warnings

aoffringa's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I felt like the book was so slow almost for the entirety but it was laying the stage for what was to come, I suppose. Real in depth character and world building. The end chapters were tense, good, sad, and somewhat up lifting. Overall good message and well written.

karlipagemaster's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense 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

This book is Perfection. 6 stars.

powell96's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

Heart wrenching, emotional and powerful.
The first 2/3 gripped me in a way that a book hasn’t in quite a while, and

Mamoru’s death hit me harder than any character death has in years

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The character development and changes in the last 3rd were well done, and still heartfelt in a way that surprised me! But it seemed to be a bit dragged out. Perhaps if there was a sequel it would have felt more natural. Nevertheless an excellent read!!