A review by athenezadam
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

The Sword of Kaigen is about a trained warrior who has been living unhappily with her emotionally unavailable and sexist husband, and whose teenaged son is questioning the Empire as a threat of invasion nears their peninsula. There is high fantasy action and constant conflict throughout the novel, and the different view points help provide clarity. The character arcs are successfully executed, with insightful backstories that provide depth. Societal pressures are articulately conveyed. The heroin is dynamic, intelligent, and strong in different ways. There are some sections of prose where too much world building history is shared, but this can be easily overlooked. The Sword of Kaigen is a phenomenal read.