#Mlwang

[damagedthingss]

Takeru Matsuda

No one was making fanart for the series yet, so I decided to make one

@officialtheonite

[btass99]

My review of “The Sword of Kaigen”

Since no one warned me, I’m here for the people! DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU HAVE A FULL DAY TO YOURSELF! I MEAN IT!

(Spoilers ahead sweetie)

I started reading this book as I usually do, all happy and excited to enter a new world but then, the worst enemy of any reader came to visit- Life! And this isn't the kind of book you can read while doing your everyday activities , oh no sir, because then you'll find yourself crying your eyes out on a bus on your way to work and trust me, it is as embarrassing as it sounds.

I started the book completely blank, aside from the awesome reviews I had read. They said this book was the best they’d ever read and that it was completely underrated. As the pretentious little book reader that I am, I wanted to judge for myself. Frankly, I think "The Sword of Kaigen" is a really well-made and thoroughly thought-out story!

I saw that the author started writing this series when she was twelve, so it's no wonder she knew her characters inside and out. Each character had unique traits that made them well-developed individuals. None of them were perfect, and I often found myself frustrated with their behavior, but their imperfections made them feel more human to me, rather than just words on a page.

The world-building of the story had some issues. I noticed some plot holes and unrealistic settings that bothered me. For example, the story was set in a place that seemed like the Tokugawa Period but included electricity. This seemed contradictory as I expected the setting to be more advanced and modern. Additionally, there was a TV in the characters' home, but none of them had phones or computers, which seemed odd.

Another issue was with the whole Emperor plot. The Matsudas were the reason the Emperor could continue to rule, yet he still treated them poorly even after they were nearly wiped out. I understand that it was a way to show how the emperor didn't care about his people, but I expected at least a bit of political hypocrisy where they would be publicly thanked, ensuring the soldiers' unconditional loyalty to the government by providing them with goods and services Bluh bluh bluh.

In my opinion, the relationships are the reason this book was so good- the children, the mothers, the newly formed family. The redemption arcs and the bond between mother and child that has shattered my heart.

(I am not lying, I literally cried for an entire hour and couldn't function normally the next day).

It was then I realized that M.L. Wang was no ordinary author. She had a way of tugging at your heartstrings and manipulating them at will. I felt like a puppet in her Avatar-like story, and I don't think I'll ever recover. The grief was so intense that it was agonizing for me to continue reading and see how everyone coped after losing such an important character whom I had grown to love within 200 pages when there are characters I can't seem to like after two whole books!

I want to mention that the fight scenes were incredibly well-written and detailed. I typically skip battle scenes in books because I find it hard to imagine them, but M. L. Wang's descriptions were so vivid and thorough that I felt like I was right there fighting alongside the characters. Amazing writing.

I am genuinely curious about the future M. L. Wang envisioned her characters however, it is uncertain when we will get more books from this world she has created.

In the meantime. I will read the rest of the books she has published and will wait patiently for her inspiration to resurrect.

[again-andd-again]

4.25 stars. A fantastic book with a bit of a slow start. I highly recommend. I can't stop thinking about it.

[thenerdynarrative]

M. L. Wang, winner of SPFBO 2019, is back with an exquisitely written standalone adult fantasy story about the great golden city of Tiran, where industry is highly advanced and booming - thanks to the magic that powers it.

[thefallingdownthebookhole]

Recent Book Haul ⁣ ⁣ I have been really good the past year of trying to not buy as many books. But it’s my birthday month so I’ve been treating myself to books on my wishlists! I have been craving fantasy books so it’s no surprise that’s mainly what they are! There are still a few on their way! ⁣ ⁣ #bookhaul #bookmail #fantasybooks #birthdaymonth #bookstack #downthebookhole #bookstagram #bookpile #paranormal #tbr #bookstoread #thetruebastards #jonathanfrench #swordofkaigen #mlwang #bloodofanexile #briannaslund #cowboywolftrouble #kaitballenger https://www.instagram.com/p/CK9iXaOgxOV/?igshid=9frjk1j3pt57

[thenerdynarrative]

I can't think of this book without that famous scene between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson from A FEW GOOD MEN when Jack's character screams "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!" https://youtu.be/5eGvYCWMovQ #BookReview #Standalone #MLWang #Fantasy #Reading