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mysteriesofmar's review against another edition
5.0
HOLY. SMOKES. ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME!!
with a somewhat slow start given a large amount of world-building and character establishment to be done, the start of this book can be a little difficult, but once elin is flung from her mother's arms into the wind, you will be hooked!
reminiscent of books by elizabeth lim and the daughter of the moon goddess by sue lynn tan, this book sees the main character, elin, over a long period of time as she tries to find her place in the world and protect what she loves most. as the daughter of an ahlyo, elin has a special affinity for the beasts that the country uses for protection, but does not agree with the way that they are supposed to be raised. in creating in alternative to raise these beasts, she discovers the secrets behind the country's history amidst political unrest.
i was absolutely blown away by how masterfully this book was written. while the focus is on elin and her journey in learning how to properly raise beasts, there is an incredible and beautiful amount of world-building that perfectly intertwines with the story. i appreciate that there was no info-dumping, and a lot of the relevant details were revealed at appropriate times that coincided well with where elin was in her journey. the writing/translation was absolutely gorgeous in describing the beasts and the way elin saw the world differently than others. i could honestly keep going because the more i think about this book, the more i can say that i liked!!
i highly recommend picking up the beast player, and i'm super excited to get my hands on the sequel!!
with a somewhat slow start given a large amount of world-building and character establishment to be done, the start of this book can be a little difficult, but once elin is flung from her mother's arms into the wind, you will be hooked!
reminiscent of books by elizabeth lim and the daughter of the moon goddess by sue lynn tan, this book sees the main character, elin, over a long period of time as she tries to find her place in the world and protect what she loves most. as the daughter of an ahlyo, elin has a special affinity for the beasts that the country uses for protection, but does not agree with the way that they are supposed to be raised. in creating in alternative to raise these beasts, she discovers the secrets behind the country's history amidst political unrest.
i was absolutely blown away by how masterfully this book was written. while the focus is on elin and her journey in learning how to properly raise beasts, there is an incredible and beautiful amount of world-building that perfectly intertwines with the story. i appreciate that there was no info-dumping, and a lot of the relevant details were revealed at appropriate times that coincided well with where elin was in her journey. the writing/translation was absolutely gorgeous in describing the beasts and the way elin saw the world differently than others. i could honestly keep going because the more i think about this book, the more i can say that i liked!!
i highly recommend picking up the beast player, and i'm super excited to get my hands on the sequel!!
jujudepamplemousse's review against another edition
5.0
The Beast Player is a masterpiece. It is a young adult fantasy novel unlike any I have read before. In addition to political power, it explores unusual themes such as animal care, animal rights and compassion. The narrative is atmospheric. The pace, neither slow nor fast, serves the narrative perfectly. I felt like I was learning and, in some ways, maturing at the same pace as the main character, Elin.
The editor description doesn’t do The Beast Player justice. It goes deeper than « a sweeping fantasy about a girl with the special power to communicate with magical beast - and about the warring kingdom only she can save ». It is an ode to nature.
The beast player is marketed as young adult which seems a bit narrowing. The story definitely works for young adult. But, in a different way, adult would enjoy it too. Many parts of the story give rise to subtil questioning. Questions about teaching and learning, human nature and animals rights, love and fear, etc., to which the reader is left to draw his own conclusions.
A beautiful discovery worthy of a lot more attention.
The editor description doesn’t do The Beast Player justice. It goes deeper than « a sweeping fantasy about a girl with the special power to communicate with magical beast - and about the warring kingdom only she can save ». It is an ode to nature.
The beast player is marketed as young adult which seems a bit narrowing. The story definitely works for young adult. But, in a different way, adult would enjoy it too. Many parts of the story give rise to subtil questioning. Questions about teaching and learning, human nature and animals rights, love and fear, etc., to which the reader is left to draw his own conclusions.
A beautiful discovery worthy of a lot more attention.
kerj's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
aritrigupta's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars.
This book is so beautiful- the landscape, the language, the setting - I loved it.
The simple flow of the story, coupled with the amazing plot line of the relationship between men and beasts was such a joy to read. Elin, as the central character, is a strong lead - the story revolves around her and her ability to communicate with the "Royal Beasts", and her journey from a child to thoughtful and intelligent woman. Although a lot of characters did not have much to contribute to the story, however, in totality, all those elements wove a beautiful tale about Elin.
I loved the lore behind the story, and though I am not comfortable with how abruptly the book ended, I still cannot overlook the fact, that it was truly one of the better YA books I have read in quite some time.
A definite recommendation to YA fans!
This book is so beautiful- the landscape, the language, the setting - I loved it.
The simple flow of the story, coupled with the amazing plot line of the relationship between men and beasts was such a joy to read. Elin, as the central character, is a strong lead - the story revolves around her and her ability to communicate with the "Royal Beasts", and her journey from a child to thoughtful and intelligent woman. Although a lot of characters did not have much to contribute to the story, however, in totality, all those elements wove a beautiful tale about Elin.
I loved the lore behind the story, and though I am not comfortable with how abruptly the book ended, I still cannot overlook the fact, that it was truly one of the better YA books I have read in quite some time.
A definite recommendation to YA fans!
wm94's review against another edition
5.0
Full of moments both gentle and brutal, The Beast Player is a book that deconstructs itself in such a way that moves beyond a simple answer of pure beauty or futility to reveal a deeper truth about nature. Nature can be both stunning and cruel. Nature can be both tender and fierce. It can be sweet as honey, but sting you like a bee. It can nuzzle your hand, but bite you the next second. Nature is both love and fear, and it is this complexity that makes it such the incredible force that it is.
true14216's review against another edition
2.0
I just didn’t really like this book. I probably wouldn’t have finished it, if I wasn’t reading it for school.
corgisandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Its different from anything i have read before which really capured my imagination. The story was vibrant and made you invested in the main character and the royal beasts. Getting to know the lore, politics, and meaning behind why the beasts are so special what makes the main character so special made it hard to put this book down. It's beautifully written and the author does well tieing everything together.
lizbit44's review against another edition
Hard to follow, slow plot. I didn’t connect with it.
adalton's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5