kitvaria_sarene's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Traitor's Hope by Virgina McClain is not just a worthy sequel to Blade's Edge, but in my eyes even an improvement!
We get to return to the same world, but some months after the end of book one, and the world is not suddenly all rosy and nice. The fight for the rights of girls / women with power is still ongoing, as a rather big force is trying to go back to traditional views, while our main characters try to save babies as well as whole villages from destruction.
My favourite bit is the many strong female characters, which doesn't mean they are all skilled fighters, but have their own strengths and agencies. We have that fighter figure, but struggling with PTSD. But we also have an incredibly skilled healer, and an ex assassin who needs to find out who she wants to be from now on. I love the way the story handles feminism, and fighting for a world that doesn't dismiss or even kill off women, but it still feels more hopeful and a culture moving forward more than focussing on what's been.
There's a dash of romance in here, and as someone who usually avoids romance, this one I was fine with. There's a lot of angst and going back and forth on being worthy of love, but it fits perfectly well with PTSD and a horrendous past. It felt like a natural part of the character and her growth, so for me it didn't stand out from her overall struggles.
I especially enjoyed the very respectful and thoughtful way the relationship started to bloom, and how there was understanding and acceptance instead of pressuring. I really need more healthy relationships in my books, no matter if romantic or friendships!
This is a good conclusion to the series, not happy go lucky, but also not bleak or hopeless. For me it struck a good balance of resolving main issues, but leaving other bits open, as you never know what the future holds.
We get to return to the same world, but some months after the end of book one, and the world is not suddenly all rosy and nice. The fight for the rights of girls / women with power is still ongoing, as a rather big force is trying to go back to traditional views, while our main characters try to save babies as well as whole villages from destruction.
My favourite bit is the many strong female characters, which doesn't mean they are all skilled fighters, but have their own strengths and agencies. We have that fighter figure, but struggling with PTSD. But we also have an incredibly skilled healer, and an ex assassin who needs to find out who she wants to be from now on. I love the way the story handles feminism, and fighting for a world that doesn't dismiss or even kill off women, but it still feels more hopeful and a culture moving forward more than focussing on what's been.
There's a dash of romance in here, and as someone who usually avoids romance, this one I was fine with. There's a lot of angst and going back and forth on being worthy of love, but it fits perfectly well with PTSD and a horrendous past. It felt like a natural part of the character and her growth, so for me it didn't stand out from her overall struggles.
I especially enjoyed the very respectful and thoughtful way the relationship started to bloom, and how there was understanding and acceptance instead of pressuring. I really need more healthy relationships in my books, no matter if romantic or friendships!
This is a good conclusion to the series, not happy go lucky, but also not bleak or hopeless. For me it struck a good balance of resolving main issues, but leaving other bits open, as you never know what the future holds.
endlessmidnight's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this was indeed the most surprising since it is not only just a sequel but also somehow seemed a rather different yet heavily inspired Japanese fantasy.
Although there are no Samurais, and that the system is a little confusing since it was not really explained to me while I had to make some guesses here and there.
However the characters were rather okay, although they blended in at times and I found the plot a tad aimless. It’s like I don’t really know what is happening but the book neither really tried to bridge the gap as to what happened in the previous book.
So I found myself quite lost hut rather liking the narrating characters and the writing felt do incredibly real and even easy to read. Which is really easy for me to read and even understand.
So, overall I really liked the way it is written and the unique kind of fantasy, it takes some aspects and turns it into something new. But I believe that the execution could be better as I found myself quite confused overall.
Although there are no Samurais, and that the system is a little confusing since it was not really explained to me while I had to make some guesses here and there.
However the characters were rather okay, although they blended in at times and I found the plot a tad aimless. It’s like I don’t really know what is happening but the book neither really tried to bridge the gap as to what happened in the previous book.
So I found myself quite lost hut rather liking the narrating characters and the writing felt do incredibly real and even easy to read. Which is really easy for me to read and even understand.
So, overall I really liked the way it is written and the unique kind of fantasy, it takes some aspects and turns it into something new. But I believe that the execution could be better as I found myself quite confused overall.
jenabrownwrites's review against another edition
5.0
First, I loved the first book. LOVED! The world building! The characters! The magic! I loved it all! I even loved the darkness that the world presented. Traitor’s Hope kept the same pacing and tone from Blade’s Edge and leveled up!
We still get narration from Taka and Mishi, both grown and traumatized in their own ways from the war fought. Instead of hearing from Tsuko this time, we get the perspective of Kusuko instead.
Assassin turned ally, Kusoko was one of the most interesting characters in the book. Her story of how she came to be a hishi assassin highlights the cruelty and brutality of the crumbled regime. But we get so much more than a heartbreaking story from Kusoko. We get an interesting look at the psychology of lifelong abuse and brainwashing. The depth we get from her is quite astounding, and made her not just an integral part of the story, but really brought to life what the New Council was fighting against.
The themes in this book are no less severe than in Blade’s Edge. We are still in the aftermath of war, with factions attempting to start a new one. The island of Gensokai is no less violent than before, and it still holds on to it’s negative views on anyone other than male Kisoshi. The war may be over, but the old regime is not going to be easily reformed.
“The illusion of power can make men blind to many things.”
And there is a lot to love in this sequel! First, I adore that even though this is the second in a series, and the story is obviously building on the first book, the story isn’t reliant on the first book. You could easily read this on its own, and while the experience won’t be quite as deep or rich, it would be enjoyable still. The second thing is that we get a glimpse of what a society looks like after a war. Often in a series, we get the ending of the series at the end of the conflict. So we don’t get to explore what the next steps in that rebuilding of society looks like. Here we do, and folks, it isn’t as easy as we would hope.
“I hadn’t considered that there would be men evil enough to keep harming innocents even once they knew the truth of their own actions.”
As the society is dismantled and rebuilt, we also get more information about the elemental magic kiso. Learning more about how the elements work, and even how they can combine both within an individual and with Kisoshi working together was fantasy at it’s best! I wish we could have gotten a bit more with my favorite Dragon and Tree Kami, but I get it, rebuilding a society isn’t about training, so we didn’t see quite as much of them.
And talk about plots! Plots with plots, schemes within schemes! The brilliance of the title is that you go in suspecting someone of being treacherous. What you don’t expect is how many people that could possibly be! I gave up trying to figure out who was going to betray who, because the double crosses on the double crosses became impossible to guess. I really liked that each character presented, both old and new, were as vividly complex as before. And this complexity made predicting treachery nearly impossible. But it isn’t simply treachery between characters. McClain shows us the danger in betraying our true selves.
In keeping with the first book and taking an unflinching look at tough themes, this book dives deep into exploring PTSD. The emotional wreckage that violence leaves is real. And even if you’ve been training for war, the reality of it is often very traumatic. I loved that McClain really let us see how deep these wounds can be in a character. How patience and time and understanding can help heal those wounds.
“She was very afraid of what lay beneath the visions that haunted her dreams, both waking and sleeping.”
Finally, we get to see a budding same sex romance. It’s fantastic to see an author seamlessly introduce the budding sexuality of her characters and include diversity in that development. The romances are slow, and sweet, written more from the emotional development rather than focusing on the physical. That was refreshing and added to the emotional growth of each character.
This is a world I am deeply in love with. I love the characters, and want to know what happens next. I love how McClain isn’t afraid to explore some really intense topics, and she does them justice. Whether it’s revisiting old characters, or getting to know new ones, the dialogue and personalities are such joy to read! This is a series that I will be continuing as long as she writes them!
Thank you Rockstar Book Tours for the opportunity to participate on this tour; as well as the chance to read and review these books! They are phenomenal!
Hop on over to my blog for chance to win a signed copy of both books!!!!! www.jenabrownwrites.com/blog
We still get narration from Taka and Mishi, both grown and traumatized in their own ways from the war fought. Instead of hearing from Tsuko this time, we get the perspective of Kusuko instead.
Assassin turned ally, Kusoko was one of the most interesting characters in the book. Her story of how she came to be a hishi assassin highlights the cruelty and brutality of the crumbled regime. But we get so much more than a heartbreaking story from Kusoko. We get an interesting look at the psychology of lifelong abuse and brainwashing. The depth we get from her is quite astounding, and made her not just an integral part of the story, but really brought to life what the New Council was fighting against.
The themes in this book are no less severe than in Blade’s Edge. We are still in the aftermath of war, with factions attempting to start a new one. The island of Gensokai is no less violent than before, and it still holds on to it’s negative views on anyone other than male Kisoshi. The war may be over, but the old regime is not going to be easily reformed.
“The illusion of power can make men blind to many things.”
And there is a lot to love in this sequel! First, I adore that even though this is the second in a series, and the story is obviously building on the first book, the story isn’t reliant on the first book. You could easily read this on its own, and while the experience won’t be quite as deep or rich, it would be enjoyable still. The second thing is that we get a glimpse of what a society looks like after a war. Often in a series, we get the ending of the series at the end of the conflict. So we don’t get to explore what the next steps in that rebuilding of society looks like. Here we do, and folks, it isn’t as easy as we would hope.
“I hadn’t considered that there would be men evil enough to keep harming innocents even once they knew the truth of their own actions.”
As the society is dismantled and rebuilt, we also get more information about the elemental magic kiso. Learning more about how the elements work, and even how they can combine both within an individual and with Kisoshi working together was fantasy at it’s best! I wish we could have gotten a bit more with my favorite Dragon and Tree Kami, but I get it, rebuilding a society isn’t about training, so we didn’t see quite as much of them.
And talk about plots! Plots with plots, schemes within schemes! The brilliance of the title is that you go in suspecting someone of being treacherous. What you don’t expect is how many people that could possibly be! I gave up trying to figure out who was going to betray who, because the double crosses on the double crosses became impossible to guess. I really liked that each character presented, both old and new, were as vividly complex as before. And this complexity made predicting treachery nearly impossible. But it isn’t simply treachery between characters. McClain shows us the danger in betraying our true selves.
In keeping with the first book and taking an unflinching look at tough themes, this book dives deep into exploring PTSD. The emotional wreckage that violence leaves is real. And even if you’ve been training for war, the reality of it is often very traumatic. I loved that McClain really let us see how deep these wounds can be in a character. How patience and time and understanding can help heal those wounds.
“She was very afraid of what lay beneath the visions that haunted her dreams, both waking and sleeping.”
Finally, we get to see a budding same sex romance. It’s fantastic to see an author seamlessly introduce the budding sexuality of her characters and include diversity in that development. The romances are slow, and sweet, written more from the emotional development rather than focusing on the physical. That was refreshing and added to the emotional growth of each character.
This is a world I am deeply in love with. I love the characters, and want to know what happens next. I love how McClain isn’t afraid to explore some really intense topics, and she does them justice. Whether it’s revisiting old characters, or getting to know new ones, the dialogue and personalities are such joy to read! This is a series that I will be continuing as long as she writes them!
Thank you Rockstar Book Tours for the opportunity to participate on this tour; as well as the chance to read and review these books! They are phenomenal!
Hop on over to my blog for chance to win a signed copy of both books!!!!! www.jenabrownwrites.com/blog
marshmallowpudding's review
4.0
YES! YES! YES! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.
Things Iliked loved about the book
• Alternate POVs. We get to know about every character's thoughts and learn more about them. It's really enjoyable to read the story in multiple perspectives.
• The romance:
Mitsu and Mishi are so sweet together. Mitsu, after learning about Mishi's flaws, continues loving and supporting her. #ship!!!!
Kusuko and Taka!! Taka came out in this book and I love her even more :D Kusuko + Taka = perfect together!
• No grammatical/spelling errors! I'm can't stand it when people write "your" when they are supposed to write "you're". Same goes for "their" and "their".
• The action! The fighting scenes are all very detailed and I really enjoyed reading them. I also loved reading about the characters using their magical powers to defeat the enemy.
• The badassness of it all. Mishi's a warrior, Kusuko's an assassin and Taka's a healer. Together, they're invincible. Although they don't really trust one another, they are always willing to make sacrifices and help each other <3
• The happy ending. I love happy endings. Everything turns out to bealright not so messed up in the end, and I feel so happy for the characters!
Things I disliked about the book
• (I mentioned this in my review of Blade's Edge) The similarity of the characters' names - Mishi, Mitsu and we were also introduced to a little boy called Mizu. It. Was. So. Freaking. Confusing!!! My brain nearly exploded when I was trying to figure it out.
Overall thoughts
I would recommend this to fans of adventure, romance and diverse books! (Also oh my gosh when is the next book coming out? I can't wait to read it!)
Things I
• Alternate POVs. We get to know about every character's thoughts and learn more about them. It's really enjoyable to read the story in multiple perspectives.
• The romance:
Mitsu and Mishi are so sweet together. Mitsu, after learning about Mishi's flaws, continues loving and supporting her. #ship!!!!
Kusuko and Taka!! Taka came out in this book and I love her even more :D Kusuko + Taka = perfect together!
• No grammatical/spelling errors! I'm can't stand it when people write "your" when they are supposed to write "you're". Same goes for "their" and "their".
• The action! The fighting scenes are all very detailed and I really enjoyed reading them. I also loved reading about the characters using their magical powers to defeat the enemy.
• The badassness of it all. Mishi's a warrior, Kusuko's an assassin and Taka's a healer. Together, they're invincible. Although they don't really trust one another, they are always willing to make sacrifices and help each other <3
• The happy ending. I love happy endings. Everything turns out to be
Things I disliked about the book
• (I mentioned this in my review of Blade's Edge) The similarity of the characters' names - Mishi, Mitsu and we were also introduced to a little boy called Mizu. It. Was. So. Freaking. Confusing!!! My brain nearly exploded when I was trying to figure it out.
Overall thoughts
I would recommend this to fans of adventure, romance and diverse books! (Also oh my gosh when is the next book coming out? I can't wait to read it!)
kerrygibbons's review
4.0
Another excellent novel from Virginia McClain.
Although I sometimes struggled with some of the names being so similar (fun fact: most people don’t read the entirety of proper nouns but rather parse the length, first couple letters and maybe last couple letters - the general shape of it - when they read), this was an excellent follow-up to Blade’s Edge. I liked where the story went. The new characters were great additions but I liked that we continued to focus on key characters from the first book instead of getting overly entangled in the needs of characters we didn’t already have a relationship with.
My only other criticism here is that the glossary is a bit anemic. There are plenty of words (eg “hifu”) that aren’t in the glossary but are used frequently throughout the book. I know the author is fluent in Japanese so these might not be very noticeable to her but I’d like to see this expanded OR contracted. Either the glossary should include EVERYTHING (things any anime/manga fan would know, too, like “ne?”) OR it should almost not be there, trusting the reader to pick up meanings from contextual clues or else look them up. I’m inclined to make the glossary bulkier rather than slimmer, but I find the current state of the glossary a bit perplexing.
But yes, this is a book I would absolutely recommend.
It’s striking to me that, with the exception of manga and anime, I have not encountered a great deal of science fiction or fantasy focusing on Asian cultural touchstones. It seems that this should be prevalent! A sub-genre! Especially for East Asian-obsessed young adults!
Although I sometimes struggled with some of the names being so similar (fun fact: most people don’t read the entirety of proper nouns but rather parse the length, first couple letters and maybe last couple letters - the general shape of it - when they read), this was an excellent follow-up to Blade’s Edge. I liked where the story went. The new characters were great additions but I liked that we continued to focus on key characters from the first book instead of getting overly entangled in the needs of characters we didn’t already have a relationship with.
My only other criticism here is that the glossary is a bit anemic. There are plenty of words (eg “hifu”) that aren’t in the glossary but are used frequently throughout the book. I know the author is fluent in Japanese so these might not be very noticeable to her but I’d like to see this expanded OR contracted. Either the glossary should include EVERYTHING (things any anime/manga fan would know, too, like “ne?”) OR it should almost not be there, trusting the reader to pick up meanings from contextual clues or else look them up. I’m inclined to make the glossary bulkier rather than slimmer, but I find the current state of the glossary a bit perplexing.
But yes, this is a book I would absolutely recommend.
It’s striking to me that, with the exception of manga and anime, I have not encountered a great deal of science fiction or fantasy focusing on Asian cultural touchstones. It seems that this should be prevalent! A sub-genre! Especially for East Asian-obsessed young adults!
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