chrstnlvly 's review for:

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

5.0

adventurous emotional reflective sad 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

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 …a person’s tragedy doesn’t define them or cancel all the good in their life. 

Wow! This book has one of the greatest character arcs I've ever read. It's so much more than a story about a war mixed with martial arts. I was surprised by how emotional it made me and how much it left me wanting more. 

This book is about survival, motherhood, family, regrets, choices, bravery, responsibility, emotions, communication, and love. 

Wholeness, she had learned, was not the absence of pain but the ability to hold it. 

The writing in this book is beautiful. M.L. Wang has a talent for writing wonderful battle scenes, with vivid descriptions and lush world-building. Additionally, Wang is able to evoke deep-seated emotions in the reader. 

My only "complaint" is that while I knew Takeru's transformation spanned a couple of months, it felt quick to me as a reader because it was only shown over a few pages. I wouldn't mind reading an extra 10 pages to ensure a smoother transition for Takeru, from being the character we hated most to someone we can tolerate (and possibly respect).

Despite this small issue, I give this book 5 stars. I read it on my Kindle, but I plan to order a physical copy as well. If you haven't read The Sword of Kaigen yet, what are you waiting for? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Gaslighting