Review by Lorelei
Dec 25, 2024“Better to die sharp in war than rust through a time of peace.”
For me, the last month has been all about catching up on books that I’ve missed but everyone else swears by. And that list could never be complete without The Sword of Kaigen.
First, I want to say how incredibly upset I am. Because I waited too long to read this, I didn’t realize how stunning and perfect it was, and I missed out on the chance to get the jaw-droppingly beautiful Page & Wick edition of it. Look, I try to live my life without regrets, but if I live to 100 I’ll still be salty about this. I’ve seen all of you post photos of them on your bookshelves, with those lovely edges, you lucky bastards. *shakes fist at sky*
This book was GORGEOUS, both in setting and writing. The world Wang built is so vivid you can practically feel the icy wind cutting into you while you’re reading it. It’s Japanese inspired, epic fantasy at it’s finest, and even after 600 pages I didn’t want it to end.
The only criticism I can possibly come up with is that the pacing did slow down at points, but come on. It’s 600 pages, you’ve got to have bits where you can take a breath in between all the drama, the epic elemental magic and sword battles, the emotional confrontations, the family turmoil, the tragic losses and triumphant victories.
I now understand why every booktuber I watch has gushed about this book, and I hope one day M.L. Wang returns to the Theonite world to give us another look.
“Better to die sharp in war than rust through a time of peace.”
For me, the last month has been all about catching up on books that I’ve missed but everyone else swears by. And that list could never be complete without The Sword of Kaigen.
First, I want to say how incredibly upset I am. Because I waited too long to read this, I didn’t realize how stunning and perfect it was, and I missed out on the chance to get the jaw-droppingly beautiful Page & Wick edition of it. Look, I try to live my life without regrets, but if I live to 100 I’ll still be salty about this. I’ve seen all of you post photos of them on your bookshelves, with those lovely edges, you lucky bastards. *shakes fist at sky*
This book was GORGEOUS, both in setting and writing. The world Wang built is so vivid you can practically feel the icy wind cutting into you while you’re reading it. It’s Japanese inspired, epic fantasy at it’s finest, and even after 600 pages I didn’t want it to end.
The only criticism I can possibly come up with is that the pacing did slow down at points, but come on. It’s 600 pages, you’ve got to have bits where you can take a breath in between all the drama, the epic elemental magic and sword battles, the emotional confrontations, the family turmoil, the tragic losses and triumphant victories.
I now understand why every booktuber I watch has gushed about this book, and I hope one day M.L. Wang returns to the Theonite world to give us another look.
