Review by sephiefoxx - The Sword of Kaigen

sephiefoxx 's review for:

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

5.0

adventurous dark emotional 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

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

I think that I am owed some sort of compensation for reading both this and Blood Over Bright Haven this year. The sheer emotional damage of this book, I was openly weeping on multiple occasions!

This was a truly spectacular, heart wrenching, and beautifully written book. I am deeply pained that there aren’t a million novels in this world, the world building, depth of the magic system, and politics is outstanding. The characters are complex and deep. I can easily say that these were some of the best written characters I have found within a standalone fantasy, likely fantasy as a whole. The development is truly masterful, when I say I did a full 180 on a particular character - I mean it.

Then you have the action. A large portion of this book exists in a space that manages to be insanely tense, whilst also maintaining interest and phenomenal pacing. There are long stretches of this book that encapsulate battle, and not once does it drag or lose its impact.

There are so many things in this book that come together to create a masterful whole. There are scenes that will stick with me, some for the sheer amount of emotional impact and others as some of my favourite chapters of all time. There are so many stunning quotes I want to share, but cant because of spoilers, and I truly believe that this is a must read for any lover of high fantasy or war fantasy.

And while I have a few minor gripes, I cannot deny that this book is a masterpiece. An emotional, meaningful, intense masterpiece about motherhood, family, war, regret, propaganda, honour, strength, and what it is you fight for. Misaki might just be one of the best characters I've ever had the privilege to read.

Damn, M.L. Wang - you can't keep doing this to me!

Content Warnings