Scan barcode
teemospren's reviews
70 reviews
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I didn't realize how sad this book was going to be getting into it. The only things I knew are that there are two perspectives, a mother and her son, and that it's a war story. What The Sword of Kaigen does uniquely is allow ample time after the fighting to reflect on the grief, helplessness, and anger caused by the destruction of war. There is one particularly bold decision in this book that proves its worth the further along you read; some find the change in pacing and tone after said decision to be too much of a shift or a drag, but for the story being told it wouldn't make any sense to rush to the ending. It's true that the book dwells on a specific struggle for a long time, I also had a point where I felt like I was ready to move on to the next development, but as soon as I thought that the book seemed to agree with me and did exactly that.
The Sword of Kaigen gives a fresh perspective on motherhood that I also very much appreciated. It allows for so much development for not only the mother, but also for her son and eventually her husband. It's a huge strength of the book but it's also a big reason I can't give it five stars. I don't mind when characters aren't likable, or when they make decisions I don't agree with as long as I can understand them, but at times I felt like characters were written into a hole just for the sake of being able to allow for development later, but not because it made sense for the character.
In the end, my complaints with this book don't amount to much when compared with everything that's done so well here. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind crying over their fantasy books, and even though I'm a young guy who knows nothing about motherhood, I would especially recommend this to any mother who feels inadequate or lost in parenthood, or any parent for that matter.
The Sword of Kaigen gives a fresh perspective on motherhood that I also very much appreciated. It allows for so much development for not only the mother, but also for her son and eventually her husband. It's a huge strength of the book but it's also a big reason I can't give it five stars. I don't mind when characters aren't likable, or when they make decisions I don't agree with as long as I can understand them, but at times I felt like characters were written into a hole just for the sake of being able to allow for development later, but not because it made sense for the character.
In the end, my complaints with this book don't amount to much when compared with everything that's done so well here. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind crying over their fantasy books, and even though I'm a young guy who knows nothing about motherhood, I would especially recommend this to any mother who feels inadequate or lost in parenthood, or any parent for that matter.
Mother of Learning: ARC 1 by Domagoj Kurmaić, nobody103
3.25
pretty much all tropes but thats why im reading it
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
4.75
A lovable thief and his gang who you almost forget you shouldn't technically be supporting at times. Sometimes like robin hood, sometimes like a common thief. Given the kids' circumstances it's difficult to blame them too much and you end up simply curious as to how they will pull off their heists. Add on top of that the internal conflict of their organization and you start to get anxiety from all of their difficulties, and you can't help but be in suspense for the resolution to both conflicts and how they'll eventually cross.
Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
An interesting take on vampires, I really enjoyed the unusual dilemmas that arose due to their peculiar power dynamics. The friendship between Joshua and Marsh along with the way the conflict came to a head in the final third of the book were easily the best parts. The dowsides were the beginning/middle dragged a bit at times but if you love steamboats you might disagree.