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modernhobbitvibes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
This book was recommended to me by at least two different people, and I can see why! The only Brandon Sanderson I've read before this is the Skyward series and Mistborn, but you don't have to have read other Sanderson to jump into this book. I think there are some connections to other books, but the story works if you don't pick up on those.
I listened to this, so I'm definitely going to have to pick up a physical copy just to look at the art. From the world building to the characterization to the narration, I don't think there was anything about this I didn't love. The little comments throughout from the narrators were great. The audiobook narrators also do an excellent job bringing the story to life!
Listening to Sanderson explain why this might be his favorite book he's written and the reasoning behind it also just adds to the book, in my opinion. If you like manga, this is very heavily manga inspired, and though I'm still just getting into the manga scene, even I could see that influence on the story. And it's so enjoyable!
I have Tress of the Emerald Sea also on hold, so this has made me excited to listen to that!
I listened to this, so I'm definitely going to have to pick up a physical copy just to look at the art. From the world building to the characterization to the narration, I don't think there was anything about this I didn't love. The little comments throughout from the narrators were great. The audiobook narrators also do an excellent job bringing the story to life!
Listening to Sanderson explain why this might be his favorite book he's written and the reasoning behind it also just adds to the book, in my opinion. If you like manga, this is very heavily manga inspired, and though I'm still just getting into the manga scene, even I could see that influence on the story. And it's so enjoyable!
I have Tress of the Emerald Sea also on hold, so this has made me excited to listen to that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
readandfindout's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Stye/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 4.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, and Death
Minor: Violence
luckykosmos's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
I did love where this ended and the conclusion of the individual arcs, but compared to the other Sandos I've read, the plots meandered a bit more and had a slightly harder time meshing together. Still a fun read that showed a different kind of storytelling from him!
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement and Violence
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
kirstym25's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Violence
oldladysadie's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The first 1/3 to 1/2 took a little bit to get going for me, and it felt predictable- I thought I was catching all of the twists early.
I did not catch all of the twists early. Or any of them, really. The back half of this book was incredibly fun, and the Sanderlanche was tense and inspiring in a way I just LOVED. I would love to get my hands on a physical copy to better appreciate the art (my old kindle just wasn’t cutting it there).
I did not catch all of the twists early. Or any of them, really. The back half of this book was incredibly fun, and the Sanderlanche was tense and inspiring in a way I just LOVED. I would love to get my hands on a physical copy to better appreciate the art (my old kindle just wasn’t cutting it there).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Classism
kylieqrada's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
bergha1998's review against another edition
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
3.75
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.”
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.”
“Because art is, and always has been, about what it does to us. To the one shaping it and the one experiencing it.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
emeryboyd's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This has been by far my favorite of the secret book series. The relationship between Painter and Yumi is so fun to follow along with. I immediately texted my best friend to encourage her to move it up on her TBR when I finished.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Blood