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A review by bkreadsitall
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
“Respectfully, I just want to know how you feel about your government lying to you.”
A 5 star, one of my new favorite books of all-time.
The Sword of Kaigen was an epic high fantasy with a full magic system, a diverse and well-fleshed out cast of characters, and a world worth getting lost in (that will be missed so dearly).
What M.L Wang did was made me feel everything, all at once, multiple times throughout the book. Amongst heavy themes of grief, regret, parenthood, and faith, The Sword of Kaigen’s story is shared through multiple POVs, so we learn about a family’s unique perspectives as a war looms on the horizon and plays out. Mamoru is the eldest son with the most discipline and loyalty to his family and empire, Misaki is a housewife of the Matsuda family but with a deeply rooted and violent past, and Takeru is the second eldest Matsuda patriarch with a chilling silence surrounding him and deadly skill in battle.
While we live briefly in this epic world, the heart of the story is within the character’s inner dialogues. I was talking to a friend about this and how the mountain imagery, on the surface is built strong and glorious, seemingly indestructible, but the ‘roots’ of the mountain; the fear, isolating thoughts, and immense shame are what cause cracks and tears in that foundation, hidden away until it’s too late.
I will probably go on blabbing about this book for a lifetime and update my thoughts after a reread, but all I can really say for now is that the family dynamics and sense of community moved me and I cannot wait to discover more of M.L. Wang’s work and revisit Kaigen someday.
A 5 star, one of my new favorite books of all-time.
The Sword of Kaigen was an epic high fantasy with a full magic system, a diverse and well-fleshed out cast of characters, and a world worth getting lost in (that will be missed so dearly).
What M.L Wang did was made me feel everything, all at once, multiple times throughout the book. Amongst heavy themes of grief, regret, parenthood, and faith, The Sword of Kaigen’s story is shared through multiple POVs, so we learn about a family’s unique perspectives as a war looms on the horizon and plays out. Mamoru is the eldest son with the most discipline and loyalty to his family and empire, Misaki is a housewife of the Matsuda family but with a deeply rooted and violent past, and Takeru is the second eldest Matsuda patriarch with a chilling silence surrounding him and deadly skill in battle.
While we live briefly in this epic world, the heart of the story is within the character’s inner dialogues. I was talking to a friend about this and how the mountain imagery, on the surface is built strong and glorious, seemingly indestructible, but the ‘roots’ of the mountain; the fear, isolating thoughts, and immense shame are what cause cracks and tears in that foundation, hidden away until it’s too late.
I will probably go on blabbing about this book for a lifetime and update my thoughts after a reread, but all I can really say for now is that the family dynamics and sense of community moved me and I cannot wait to discover more of M.L. Wang’s work and revisit Kaigen someday.