Book Review: The Sword of Kaigen by M.L.Wang
Japanese water-benders, Family and duty, Female heroine, Standalone fantasy...
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Published in: 2018
Genre: Fantasy, Adult, Asian Literature
Page count: 651
Who should read it?
Fantasy lovers who enjoy atmospheric and rich worldbuilding
Readers who enjoy Asian-inspired settings: the novel draws on Japanese and Chinese cultures
Fans of multi-faceted female protagonists
Those who skip series and read standalone novels
What I enjoyed:
Emotional depth of the characters: by the end of the novel, you will have a vivid image of the compelling characters in the book and their likely reactions to a flooded house, stolen phone, delicious food etc..
M L Wang is a master action writer, her action descriptions are teeming with detail without veering on lengthy
Specific scenes between characters are extremely cathartic, namely a dawn scene between a mother and son, and the book’s climax, a fight scene between husband and wife
What didn’t work for me:
It took me about a tenth of the novel to empathize with the honorbound characters of the book. The sense of duty and honor are quite major themes and for some Western readers like me, it is at times bogging
The novel edges close to trauma-porn after a certain event in mid-novel
As much as the emotional depth of characters was a strength, at times I wished the author skipped internal prose and conveyed the inner workings of characters via letters, dialogue or atmospheric descriptions
Review
M.L. Wang's "The Sword of Kaigen" is a standalone fantasy novel set in the world of Theonite, which was previously explored in her Young Adult series. This epic tale unfolds in a world where elemental bending is honed through the mixing of powerful bloodlines. The narrative follows the Matsuda family, a lineage reminiscent of samurai, bound by oath to defend their island and empire from neighboring threats. Their mastery over water, particularly through the creation of an ice blade capable of slicing through even the strongest steel, sets them apart.
Misaki, the matriarch of the Matsuda family and mother of four exceptionally gifted boys, is the true heart of this story. From her origins as a fierce teenage vigilante to her role as a devoted stay-at-home mother, Misaki's character undergoes profound development. Despite the domestic responsibilities and her stoic husband, hints of her past prowess linger, hinted at by the buried blade beneath her home, a metaphorical Chekov's gun waiting to be unleashed.
Without any spoilers, the narrative takes unexpected turns and delivers impactful losses. The following rebuilding of the town and the rekindling of relationships are portrayed adeptly. However while the devastation is depicted through physical descriptions, action and internal monologues, at times it veers into trauma porn. In my opinion, when it comes to desolation and loss, less is more.
I’ve peeked into M.L.Wang’s other work, namely the Theonite series, and her penmanship has improved over the course of her books. I have immense respect for self-published authors who have reached commercial success, and I cannot wait to read her upcoming books!
Favorite Quotes
“‘I guess I always had a childish concept of a clean fight.’ Robin crossed his arms. ‘To me, a ‘clean fight’ is one that leaves the world cleaner than it was, not bloodier.’”
“‘They’re like leaves…’ Mamoru said. A flurry of yellow leaves, buffeted by breeze, never quite touching the ground. ‘Well, they’ve come in the wrong season. Autumn dies in the teeth of winter.’ UncleTakashi nodded to his brother. ‘Let’s put some red in all that yellow.’”
“‘We could salt the area?’ Setsuko suggested. ‘Right.’ Misaki sometimes forgot that the lower classes considered salt a catch-all antidote to the supernaturally sinister. On a peasant’s budget, that was far more doable than sending for an exorcist monk every time a ghost came calling.”
“Misaki wondered why trying to find emotion on that man’s face felt like trying to grab the thread of a spider web, like trying to remember a dream…”
“‘Let’s be older when we meet again,’ Misaki said. ‘What?’ ‘Not just in years. Let’s be better, and wiser, and brighter next time.’”