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larrenrae's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
isapie's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
goodbooksgreatgoats's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC of The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck!
While twin sisters Kai and Kishi do everything together, they could not be more different. Kishi is the "golden child" to Kai's "trouble-maker." As the only children in a pearl diving family, the sisters are honored to continue their family's tradition of pearl diving and selling pearls to noble houses in the Heiwadai Empire. When Kishi and Kai enter into a pearl diving contest, Kishi is killed by the legendary Ghost Whale and Kai goes on a quest to bring her sister back from the dead. Kai's amazing journey leads her to the gods who she bargains with to steal a magical pearl in order to win back Kishi's soul.
I really loved this book. The family dynamics between the sisters and their parents, and the complicated love that Kai has for Kishi was what gave this book so much heart. I appreciated the journey of self discovery that Kai goes on as well. Learning that she doesn't have to be perfect and to accept herself as a wonderful, talented, and unique person in her own right.
The interactions with the gods and the journey gave this book a beautiful and mystic feel and I loved the imagery throughout the book. I was often able to picture myself in the scenes. I did have a little trouble deciding the right age audience for this book as the material is quite heavy, but the writing felt accessible to younger readers. I also had some trouble with the pacing of the book, but it starts to become steadier as you go along.
Would highly recommend this book to other readers, especially young girls/women!
While twin sisters Kai and Kishi do everything together, they could not be more different. Kishi is the "golden child" to Kai's "trouble-maker." As the only children in a pearl diving family, the sisters are honored to continue their family's tradition of pearl diving and selling pearls to noble houses in the Heiwadai Empire. When Kishi and Kai enter into a pearl diving contest, Kishi is killed by the legendary Ghost Whale and Kai goes on a quest to bring her sister back from the dead. Kai's amazing journey leads her to the gods who she bargains with to steal a magical pearl in order to win back Kishi's soul.
I really loved this book. The family dynamics between the sisters and their parents, and the complicated love that Kai has for Kishi was what gave this book so much heart. I appreciated the journey of self discovery that Kai goes on as well. Learning that she doesn't have to be perfect and to accept herself as a wonderful, talented, and unique person in her own right.
The interactions with the gods and the journey gave this book a beautiful and mystic feel and I loved the imagery throughout the book. I was often able to picture myself in the scenes. I did have a little trouble deciding the right age audience for this book as the material is quite heavy, but the writing felt accessible to younger readers. I also had some trouble with the pacing of the book, but it starts to become steadier as you go along.
Would highly recommend this book to other readers, especially young girls/women!
crookedmagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
jnishi's review against another edition
4.0
This book was wonderful. I am so happy that I am finally beginning to see my Japanese culture (I’m 1/2 Japanese) portrayed in children’s literature. I loved the mythology and the characterization. I loved seeing how Kai grew as a person to the point that the Kai at the end doesn’t reflect who she was at the beginning at all. There are some deeply bittersweet moments that gutted me. That ending! Oh that ending! I understand why it had to be that way because magic always has consequences but it kind of broke my heart because of how much Kai changed. I love how strong Kai was as a character. She knew herself and you don’t always see that in MG lit. There’s the sweetest inclusion of that butterfly in the stomach first love/ crush feeling and the wee bit of romance was well balanced with the action and adventure. Now there is some mentions of suicide at the beginning of the story that caused some readers to rate this book lower. But keep in mind Medieval Japan was very much a Shame-Honour culture and in those days this wouldn’t be as crazy a thought as it rightly is now in our modern culture. So for Kai who feels such shame and regret for the death of her sister, taking into consideration the cultural context of the period, her reaction isn’t as shocking as we would find it today. Honestly a solid adventurous read.
nickel_books's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Kai and her twin Kishi are doing the dangerous work of diving for pearls when Kishi is taken by a ghost whale! Steeped in Japanese myths and legends, 'The Pearl Hunter' is a beautiful and adventurous tale of sisterly love and self discovery - finding out what you're capable of when everything is on the line.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Child death
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
schnathalie02's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
asahome's review against another edition
3.25
TL;DR A girl takes on the myths of her aunt’s story as she comes to terms with the relationship changes with her sister.
It kind of felt like it should be part of a series instead of a standalone.
It kind of felt like it should be part of a series instead of a standalone.
libscote's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really enjoyed reading about Kai, the twin who feels like she isn't quite as good as her sister. The journey she goes on to save her and the growth she shows in the story is quite good. I especially like how she learns to do archery and thinks her way through her problems. I feel like the ending leaves it open for a sequel, and I would be interested to know where her story goes.
vibetrumpet's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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