lleullawgyffes's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
“Become the riddle.”
*
what a wild book. did Ree Soesbee just...hate the Dragon? because this is the most unflattering picture of any clan that these books have presented — Crab included, since at least The Crab portrays them as dedicated even if deeply misled; the incessantly bickering Dragon come off here as selfish and petty (apart from Hitomi, who spends about half the book challenging every other person she meets to duels). what the fuck was Togashi doing for literally a thousand years to leave his clan so purposeless at the one moment in their entire history when they need to be totally unified? it just doesn’t make sense in-world.
aside from that broad narrative problem (at least Junzo showed up again in this book, though! he wasn’t completely forgotten), there were some other issues, especially around pacing — there were so many time jumps, some of which skipped over, like, crucial character development (Hitomi’s return to Otosan Uchi at the end, for example). the result felt rushed, like Soesbee was so focused on racing towards the Second Day of Thunder (which, perhaps not coincidentally, is the best-written part of the book — the epilogue, chapter 20, and the prologue) that she lost sight of the fact that the rest of the book needed attention, too.
Hitomi. she’s really just. like that. I said while reading The Crab that in another setting — one that’s less grim than Rokugan — her periodic appearances to scream at Yakamo to duel her would be almost funny. but they’re played seriously, and the result is a profoundly unlikable character. on the other hand, though, there’s maybe something to be said for a character whose arc is from “profoundly unlikable” to “slightly less unlikable” — especially in a setting like this, being a chosen hero doesn’t mean she has to be a nice person. she just has to be willing and capable to do her duty to the world.
all of that aside: the epilogue. what a beginning! that’s what’s got me most torn about this book: the bits surrounding the Second Day of Thunder are some of the strongest in the whole series so far.
*
what a wild book. did Ree Soesbee just...hate the Dragon? because this is the most unflattering picture of any clan that these books have presented — Crab included, since at least The Crab portrays them as dedicated even if deeply misled; the incessantly bickering Dragon come off here as selfish and petty (apart from Hitomi, who spends about half the book challenging every other person she meets to duels). what the fuck was Togashi doing for literally a thousand years to leave his clan so purposeless at the one moment in their entire history when they need to be totally unified? it just doesn’t make sense in-world.
aside from that broad narrative problem (at least Junzo showed up again in this book, though! he wasn’t completely forgotten), there were some other issues, especially around pacing — there were so many time jumps, some of which skipped over, like, crucial character development (Hitomi’s return to Otosan Uchi at the end, for example). the result felt rushed, like Soesbee was so focused on racing towards the Second Day of Thunder (which, perhaps not coincidentally, is the best-written part of the book — the epilogue, chapter 20, and the prologue) that she lost sight of the fact that the rest of the book needed attention, too.
Hitomi. she’s really just. like that. I said while reading The Crab that in another setting — one that’s less grim than Rokugan — her periodic appearances to scream at Yakamo to duel her would be almost funny. but they’re played seriously, and the result is a profoundly unlikable character. on the other hand, though, there’s maybe something to be said for a character whose arc is from “profoundly unlikable” to “slightly less unlikable” — especially in a setting like this, being a chosen hero doesn’t mean she has to be a nice person. she just has to be willing and capable to do her duty to the world.
all of that aside: the epilogue. what a beginning! that’s what’s got me most torn about this book: the bits surrounding the Second Day of Thunder are some of the strongest in the whole series so far.
More...