Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

Easily my favorite of the four Secret Sanderson Novels, and one of the most unique stories I've read from Brandon Sanderson (which is saying a lot). I honestly was left guessing the entire novel and while I might have come close to figuring it out, I was still way off once it was revealed. The relationships between the characters was so much fun and they were so sweet, I thoroughly loved reading this.

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myenchantedarchives's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was quite a departure from Brandon Sanderson's usual style (romance not being his typical genre), but I think he did it beautifully! Yumi and Painter were characters I ended up really enjoying, especially their interactions with each other.

It took a few chapters for me to get fully immersed, but once I was hooked, there was no turning back!

The world-building, as always with Sanderson, was superb. While this novel was a bit lower stakes compared to other Cosmere works, the last quarter was particularly engaging and action-packed.

The ending left me torn - a part of me wished for a happily ever after, while another part felt a different conclusion would be more fitting. Either way, I think I would have felt conflicted, but that's not a negative aspect!

Familiarity with Sanderson's other works is beneficial as you may catch some fun references, but it's not essential to appreciate this standalone novel.

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Well, that was an unexpectedly lovely mind-twister of a science-fantasy-romance!
✔️ unlikely hero
✔️ opposites attract
✔️ hidden depths and strength
✔️ hilarious fourth-wall-breaking narrator situation
✔️ philosophies of art and romance
✔️ themes of forgiveness, purpose, self-determination, human connection
✔️ unique magic and resolution
✔️ gorgeous art
✔️ excellent audiobook

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asahome's review against another edition

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4.25

Two people trade lives as they sleep leading to an understanding of their own world as well as each other's worlds.

I found the narrator's bits highly distracting. In many ways, it threw me out of the story and I couldn't justify the interactions.

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sandwiiche's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.75

i happened to stumble across it in the library and just couldn't resist trying out one of brando sando's books. i never expected this one to be the first one tho, considering i own the entire mistborn trilogy (i'll get to it, i promise 🫢)

anyway, this was utterly charming! i loved the story and the characters so much. they were relatable and heartfelt, and their struggles felt realistic. i adored the vividness of the world and all of the colour imagery -- it really helped me visualise and imagine the world in my head.

another good thing about this book is that it's a standalone -- so u don't need to be familiar w/ the cosmere to understand what's happening! yea, there were a few references that i didn't understand, but it didn't impede my understanding of the narrative. i highly recommend this book if u enjoy
• character driven story with a fun storyline
• a very slow burn romance
• cool magic systems
• pretty obvious themes, but written in a very realistic and relatable way (ESPECIALLY as an artist)

this will certainly be a story i'll be returning to in the future (💸), and i am so excited to read the rest of sanderson's books

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