bradenkwebb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
I really liked:
- the nuanced characters and their relationships
- the strange juxtaposition of cyberpunk and ancient rural spirituality
- the Korean and Japanese influences
- that Sanderson tried to focus a little bit more on the romance in this book
I didn’t like:
- how rushed the ending felt
- Hoid’s/Sanderson’s need to directly explain things, rather than illustrating them
- I think that need was due to how extreme/outlandish the plot was, which felt like a lot even for a Cosmere novel
If anyone else had written this, I probably would have rated it higher—but I had high expectations that weren’t quite met.
- the nuanced characters and their relationships
- the strange juxtaposition of cyberpunk and ancient rural spirituality
- the Korean and Japanese influences
- that Sanderson tried to focus a little bit more on the romance in this book
I didn’t like:
- how rushed the ending felt
- Hoid’s/Sanderson’s need to directly explain things, rather than illustrating them
- I think that need was due to how extreme/outlandish the plot was, which felt like a lot even for a Cosmere novel
If anyone else had written this, I probably would have rated it higher—but I had high expectations that weren’t quite met.
ktshirt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aleksito's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t usually like romance in my stories, but this one blew me away. I loved everything about this story, especially the narrative voice of Hoid. I think, prose-wise, this is Sanderson’s best work yet. Also the ending made me cry a little, which hasn’t happened since I read The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson when I was 12.
titleduntitled's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not crying.
Okay, I'll admit, maybe there were a few tears.
I'm possibly biased because he's my favorite author but he never ceases to amaze me with his writing, this book is no exception. The worlds created are vast, the characters deep and the story unlike any you will ever read.
5 stars
Okay, I'll admit, maybe there were a few tears.
I'm possibly biased because he's my favorite author but he never ceases to amaze me with his writing, this book is no exception. The worlds created are vast, the characters deep and the story unlike any you will ever read.
5 stars
rominitap_moon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.75
altlovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
"Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a place with no nightmare painters. Then the people got eaten. It’s a short story."
I thought Tress of the Emerald Sea was going to be my favorite of the secret projects, and was not prepared for the ride this book took me on. I’ll be up front in saying that I don’t obsess over the Cosmere, and in fact have read things all out of order from “The Proper” reading order. This book absolutely can stand on its own, no Cosmere background necessary, but there are small details (and probably more than I noticed since I don’t retain small things book to book all that well) if you know where to look.
This book connects two people, Yumi and Painter, from two very different backgrounds. One grows up under strict guidance, her day dictated moment to moment, with no place for frivolous thoughts or actions. Her place in the world is to be the yoki-hijo, the one chosen to speak with spirits and get their cooperation in helping the people of her world. The other also dedicates himself to his people, but his service takes the form of being a Nightmare Painter—one who banishes dark spirits that materialize in his city and feed on the bad dreams of its residents. The more dreams it eats, the stronger it gets. A plea from a spirit brings Yumi and Painter together, where they each experience the other’s life in their body and have to figure out the what and the why of things before it’s too late.
In true Sanderson fashion the “what” and the “why” do a lot of the heavy lifting in this story, and things are kept appropriately mysterious until near the end. I loved the continuing discussion about the value of art, the power of friendship (in a not overbearing way), and how two opposites can come together and make something special together. There’s also quite a bit of irreverent commentary (from our narrator telling the story, someone you’ve met before if you’ve read other Sanderson books), some very touching moments, and a romance that didn’t have me rolling my eyes. That, dear reader, is kind of a rare thing for me.
It (obviously) has strong Japanese roots in the story, which is acknowledged by Sanderson in the afterward (mild influence spoilers), so if that feel of story isn’t your thing, you might be disappointed. I, on the other hand, was engaged throughout the whole book (even Tress had small sections that felt a bit drawn out to me), to the point of waking up two hours before work so I could finish it.
Highly enjoyed this one. Super, mega, totally recommend it.
I thought Tress of the Emerald Sea was going to be my favorite of the secret projects, and was not prepared for the ride this book took me on. I’ll be up front in saying that I don’t obsess over the Cosmere, and in fact have read things all out of order from “The Proper” reading order. This book absolutely can stand on its own, no Cosmere background necessary, but there are small details (and probably more than I noticed since I don’t retain small things book to book all that well) if you know where to look.
This book connects two people, Yumi and Painter, from two very different backgrounds. One grows up under strict guidance, her day dictated moment to moment, with no place for frivolous thoughts or actions. Her place in the world is to be the yoki-hijo, the one chosen to speak with spirits and get their cooperation in helping the people of her world. The other also dedicates himself to his people, but his service takes the form of being a Nightmare Painter—one who banishes dark spirits that materialize in his city and feed on the bad dreams of its residents. The more dreams it eats, the stronger it gets. A plea from a spirit brings Yumi and Painter together, where they each experience the other’s life in their body and have to figure out the what and the why of things before it’s too late.
In true Sanderson fashion the “what” and the “why” do a lot of the heavy lifting in this story, and things are kept appropriately mysterious until near the end. I loved the continuing discussion about the value of art, the power of friendship (in a not overbearing way), and how two opposites can come together and make something special together. There’s also quite a bit of irreverent commentary (from our narrator telling the story, someone you’ve met before if you’ve read other Sanderson books), some very touching moments, and a romance that didn’t have me rolling my eyes. That, dear reader, is kind of a rare thing for me.
It (obviously) has strong Japanese roots in the story, which is acknowledged by Sanderson in the afterward (mild influence spoilers)
Spoiler
(both Final Fantasy 10 and Hikaru no Go are sampled from here, but twisted enough to be satisfyingly different)Highly enjoyed this one. Super, mega, totally recommend it.
delaneyjoy3's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
codyhenault's review against another edition
3.0
It took quite a while for me to get into. The first 10% was extremely world-building heavy and the next 40% really didn't grab me. Definitely a case of it's not you, it's me, because I'm not hugely into anime stories and this definitely felt like an anime/video game plot. So even though I didn't really bond with the story as much as I did with Tress, the last 35% of the novel was so good, I couldn't put it down. And those last few chapters were *chefs kiss*.
If I could rate the illustrations 5 stars on their own, I absolutely would. They were stunning and really added to the whole story. I definitely began to like Yumi and Painter in their art form before I liked them in the written story.
Side note, but I really love that Sanderson is getting more into romance plots and hope that he incorporates it into more stories!
If I could rate the illustrations 5 stars on their own, I absolutely would. They were stunning and really added to the whole story. I definitely began to like Yumi and Painter in their art form before I liked them in the written story.
Side note, but I really love that Sanderson is getting more into romance plots and hope that he incorporates it into more stories!
rasmussss's review against another edition
4.0
Brandon Sanderson really knows how to knit together a literary universe. He continues to build upon a set of rules he has made for his Cosmere, but uses in different creative ways, because why would people on different planets understand and use the same concepts the same. It is a very good example of science-fantasy.
His writing is fun, inviting and poetic, and you just have to keep reading to know what happens next. I need to dive into more Cosmere novels, as I feel like I won’t fully understand the possibilities without fully understanding the rules that he establishes throughout all his stories.
His writing is fun, inviting and poetic, and you just have to keep reading to know what happens next. I need to dive into more Cosmere novels, as I feel like I won’t fully understand the possibilities without fully understanding the rules that he establishes throughout all his stories.