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A review by leebraries
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
i’d previously read m.l. wang’s ‘sword of kaigen,’ which quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. i went into this book with high expectations, and my god, were they met.
blood over bright haven is yet another display of m.l. wang’s masterful worldbuilding and writing skill. the magic system is complex, intricate, and wholly unique. its main character was unrelenting and unapologetic. it speaks on colonization in a way that i found a little on the nose, but still hard-hitting. it handles its twists exceptionally, and shows the depth of the political underbelly that permeates many a real narrative. so mang good things, so little bad.
still, i think going into this expecting another ‘sword of kaigen’ kind of ruined the reading experience for me. while reading, i couldn’t help but think there was something “missing.” i couldn’t pinpoint what, but i could feel it. this is a more personal feeling though, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this was a fast-paced, thought-provoking, extremely compelling read that’s cemented m.l. wang as a pioneer in the next generation of great fantasy writers. highly recommend.
blood over bright haven is yet another display of m.l. wang’s masterful worldbuilding and writing skill. the magic system is complex, intricate, and wholly unique. its main character was unrelenting and unapologetic. it speaks on colonization in a way that i found a little on the nose, but still hard-hitting. it handles its twists exceptionally, and shows the depth of the political underbelly that permeates many a real narrative. so mang good things, so little bad.
still, i think going into this expecting another ‘sword of kaigen’ kind of ruined the reading experience for me. while reading, i couldn’t help but think there was something “missing.” i couldn’t pinpoint what, but i could feel it. this is a more personal feeling though, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this was a fast-paced, thought-provoking, extremely compelling read that’s cemented m.l. wang as a pioneer in the next generation of great fantasy writers. highly recommend.