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A review by writingcaia
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
The only flaw in this book is shifting the story’s plot midway not that I complain, but especially leaving so many plot strings upended, particularly after finding out the author does not wish to continue the story.
This tale has everything a high fantasy lover could wish for and more. Brave self-venderes heroes, grey characters, an immense and complex world-building and magic system associated with Gods and family trees, that then mixes with the simple yet complex story of Misaki and her family living in the province known as the Sword of Kaigen, Kaigen being their empire.
In a empire of massive and false propaganda it’s hard to trust, and Misaki having schooled outside her village, learning languages and peoples, fighting, and even having joined a unique crime fighting gang with a boy she loves and is forced to relinquish for the sake of tradition, she’s unlike any of her fellows and feels like a stranger when she’s forced to marry into the strongest family ever, the Matsudas as she returns home.
But, through the worse imaginable not only will Misaki learn if she’s still the fighter she was in her youth, she’ll learn much about the man she married and the people she now belongs to.
Misaki is a heroine like none I’ve ever read before, her age (30’s), a mother of four, and with a cunning and ferocity to rival the best heroes. I can’t say she’s my favourite because she was too hard due to her upbringing and imposed circumstances, but she did grow on me.
Her son Mamoru however was such a beautiful boy, with the greatest heart and the greatest power.
I have also, learned to love his father and her husband Tekeru, even with his misogynistic beginning.
Again, this was an astonishingly brilliant story that only lacks by feeling incomplete when the book ends, even though there’s closure for Misagi, a lot of plot lines where left incomplete. I will keep hoping the author chooses to return to the Theonite world one day.
This tale has everything a high fantasy lover could wish for and more. Brave self-venderes heroes, grey characters, an immense and complex world-building and magic system associated with Gods and family trees, that then mixes with the simple yet complex story of Misaki and her family living in the province known as the Sword of Kaigen, Kaigen being their empire.
In a empire of massive and false propaganda it’s hard to trust, and Misaki having schooled outside her village, learning languages and peoples, fighting, and even having joined a unique crime fighting gang with a boy she loves and is forced to relinquish for the sake of tradition, she’s unlike any of her fellows and feels like a stranger when she’s forced to marry into the strongest family ever, the Matsudas as she returns home.
But, through the worse imaginable not only will Misaki learn if she’s still the fighter she was in her youth, she’ll learn much about the man she married and the people she now belongs to.
Misaki is a heroine like none I’ve ever read before, her age (30’s), a mother of four, and with a cunning and ferocity to rival the best heroes. I can’t say she’s my favourite because she was too hard due to her upbringing and imposed circumstances, but she did grow on me.
Her son Mamoru however was such a beautiful boy, with the greatest heart and the greatest power.
I have also, learned to love his father and her husband Tekeru, even with his misogynistic beginning.
Again, this was an astonishingly brilliant story that only lacks by feeling incomplete when the book ends, even though there’s closure for Misagi, a lot of plot lines where left incomplete. I will keep hoping the author chooses to return to the Theonite world one day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, Rape, and Suicide