Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Keeper of Night

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker

9 reviews

aformeracceleratedreader's review

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

I have a lot of feelings about Ren and the story. As someone who is mixed race, I understand Ren to a certain point. Identity is difficult to navigate as is but when there is something as big as different cultures/races to navigate as well makes it like a billion times tougher. What irritated me so much about Ren was her selfishness and how focused she was on only being one aspect of her identity. You should never disown any aspect of yourself, all sides of your identity make you you and her adamantly denying her Reaper/white side was annoying. I've been there, told I'm not enough this or that because I'm mixed, constantly seen as other regardless of where I go, but I don't deny any sides of myself. Granted I wasn't bullied to the extent she was nor was I ever disowned by a parent so of course she harbored a lot more negative feelings towards one side of her heritage. But to constantly deny and hate on it when her brother was always there for her was annoying at best. Also didn't love how adamant Ren was that Japan was better/going to be better when it is just as bad with racism and xenophobia. Didn't love that she was more willing to take racism in hopes of being accepted there. Yes it's the motherland, and we all want to be accepted in the motherland, but at what point do we find self respect and accept they don't want us there either and find a place that will?
Also didn't really like the kind of random make out session in the middle of one of the quests. Really threw me out of the whole thing for that little bit.
I did really enjoy the world though, I'm a sucker for yokai, and I hope Ren will find what she is searching for in the next book because what she is searching for deserves much better. I will still be planning on reading the sequel just for the hope that things turn out positively and some reconciliation will be there.
I also love that this was written by a mixed race author so of course I'm biased to support. Overall liked the writing and story so I hope Ren is less agitating in the sequel.

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thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

Ren Scarborough is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, for centuries she's been reaping the souls of London.

When she loses control of her Shinigami powers while being beaten and bullied for being a 'foreigner', she decides to flee everything that she has known, accompanied by her full reaper brother.

Ren must accept an impossible task to become accepted as a Shinigami by the Japanese Goddess of Death, along the way she must find out who she is and what she wants most.

A thrilling story that takes you on Ren's journey on Earth as well as the underworld. Beautiful and strong world building sets the scene for a fast paced fantasy filled with myths and legends of death around the world.

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wackly93's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad medium-paced

3.5

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anniereads221's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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kkuesters's review

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I kept flip flopping how I felt about the story. I didn’t really care for the first 70 pages then I really liked the middle 200 pages but hated the last 100. I think what got me is that I really liked the mythology bits but I did not like Ren's actions at the end. Which would have been fine if they were justified but they just seemed very out of the blue to me. Overall, I liked it and would still recommend it but I’m hesitant about picking up the second book unless the description pulls me in.

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annegoodreads's review

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adventurous dark fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

The dark fantasy/horror/thriller is set in 1890s Britain and Japan. But the story gives insight into worldwide folklore surrounding death and the idea of Death personified. Death is one thing every single person in this world has in common. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough is a tormented girl. She’s unloved by her father and stepmother. She’s bullied for being biracial. And she’s harboring her secret magical powers. She does know the amazing true love of her stepbrother Neven. For all the torment and darkness in the story, Neven is hopeful, loving, and empathetic. Ren flees Britain to go to Japan to find her mother. Neven goes with her just because he loves her. The venture to Yokohama. They meet the Goddess of Death Izanami. To try to find her purpose and place of belonging Ren must defeat the Yokai. Neven is so nice and trusting, he doesn’t stand a chance in the underworld.

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lizzisok's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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wai's review

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this novel. My mom is half Japanese and half white and has talked about facing issues of racism/xenophobia in both America and Japan because of it, yet it's still relatively rare to see representation of that. Plus I love the mythology of this world and I want to know more - I want to know about all the different cultures versions of reapers.

I know a lot of people have mentioned not liking Ren, but personally I like that she's difficult and cold. It's interesting to see the discrepancies in what she said she was like vs her actions and reactions to things. And I've read books with male characters who were far more unlikable who we're supposed to sympathize with. But I do feel bad for Neven and think he deserves much better as well.

I'm really interested in this as a duology and am not sure where the second book would go from here. I'll definitely be picking up a copy when it comes out.

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amandalorianxo's review

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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

I love that this took on Japanese mythology in a manner I have never read before. As much as I like Greek myths, it’s wonderful to see and learn about other countries myths even if it’s through the lens of a fictional novel. This is definitely a mix of plot and character based with a vast amount of world building during the first 1/4 of the book. Ren and her brother come to life, whether you are reading and listening to the audiobook or simply just reading on your own. She is not your typical heroine, more of a grey spectrum but I definitely felt for her when it came to the raw feelings of not being good enough or wanted. I’m excited for the second book. I think my only concern is it felt slow but the pace picked up once the duo were safely in Japan.

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