Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

My favorite of any Brandon Sanderson book I've ever read! I think, more than his other books, you can feel his playfulness in this story, his love of art and the philosophy of art, and just the joy of relaxing into the telling of a story he finds fun and intriguing for its own sake. The story certainly picks up momentum as it goes, but I was grateful for the peaceful aspects of it.

I'm a fan of the anime Your Name and loved the similar themes here. Also, having just finished a rewatch of my favorite K-Drama, the period piece The King's Affection, helped me imagine certain parts with more clarity and appreciation.

Anyway, I just loved this story, and was immensely impressed with the worldbuilding and the way he managed to incorporate it into his cosmere. I'm trying to figure out if I can recommend it to people who haven't read any Stormlight books.

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kylieqrada's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

Lord this took me altogether too long to read. A really enjoyable story in a way different genre for Sanderson. Loved the narrative voice.

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bergha1998's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

What an interesting and fun book. The plot twists at the end were crazy, but they totally made sense when looking back aka A+ plot twists. I really liked Painter’s plot line, so often people aren’t the typical “hero” archetype and him finding his own way there was inspiring. Yumi was such a fun mixture of contradictions. Rule following to a fault, but such a temper 😂 I adored them both. Hoid and Design were so much fun too.

Duo POV, Romance Subplot, Focus on Character Development

“Art is about feelings and emotion. It’s about letting them escape, so they can be shared. It’s about capturing a truth about yourself. Like you’re ripping a hole in your chest and exposing yourself.”

“I always felt like I was standing on the other side of a large glass window. I could see the world passing beyond it, could even pretend I was part of it. But the barrier was still there. Separating me from everyone else.”

“Then you get into the real world, and find that it’s hard to be creative like that every moment. You realize they didn’t teach you important things, like how to work when you don’t feel passion, or when the whims of creativity aren’t striking you. What then?”

“You cannot let yourself be happy, part of her warned. Because happiness is far, far too dangerous.”

“Art is about intent, Yumi. A rainbow isn’t art, beautiful though it might be. Art is about creation. Human creation.”

“You do need to learn to separate the story—-and what it has done to you—from the individual who prompted it. Art—and all stories are art, even the ones about real people—is about what it does to you.”

“The true hero is the one in your mind, the representation of an ideal that makes you a better person. The individual who inspired it, well, they’re like the book on the table or the art on the wall. A vessel. A syringe full of transformational aspiration. Don’t force people to live up to your dreams of who they might be.”

“Because art is, and always has been, about what it does to us. To the one shaping it and the one experiencing it.”

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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious

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

4.75

Writing: 4.75⭐️/5

I’m fairly convinced Sanderson can write anything with ease and beauty. A blend of science fiction and fantasy, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is extraordinarily well-written. A bit of the world-building is slightly jarring or unexpected, but I loved every other moment of the novel. Sanderson writes romance – slow burn and all – very well, drawing me in with every turned page.

Characters: 5⭐️/5

Yumi’s dedication, Painter’s self-hatred: both feel wonderfully well-written and full of characters with backstories, desires, and motives. I love the completeness of their characters. I also appreciate that Painter’s backstory made perfect sense. His tragic tale of how he lost his friends was not overindulged or dramatic, nor was it unbelievable. In fact, it was one of the most believable betrayals I’d read in a book recently.

Plot: 4.75⭐️/5

A fabulous plot bolstered by a fabulous romance story. The world in which Sanderson imagines is stunning. The romance story, slowly growing in intensity and clarity, is such a treasure to unravel.

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