Oh my! This vol was so good!!!! This series, just like Inuyasha, is so dear to my heart! In this volume, both charming, mysteStar Rating: —>4.5 Stars
Oh my! This vol was so good!!!! This series, just like Inuyasha, is so dear to my heart! In this volume, both charming, mysterious, new characters, and beloved old ones, to my pleasant surprise, show up! It was definitely ALL ACTION! Loved it. ...more
Great intro for beginners! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the tales I’ve come to know through a new voice, though I am anything bStar Rating: —>4 Stars
Great intro for beginners! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the tales I’ve come to know through a new voice, though I am anything but a beginner on the subject… but I think it is a perfect start for anyone interested in Japanese mythology/ myths/ folklore! The writer’s voice was straightforward, but also boasted the fantastical nature of Japanese Myth through his storytelling. I’d say it was a mix of dry/ vivid prose. Again, anyone interested in Japanese mythology… this is a good place to start! There may be better, but this is still a good book in its own right! ...more
Star Rating: —>5[ beautiful, brilliant, brutal ]Stars
Well Holy mother of the Old Gods! I did NOT see THAT coming... ATALL! This installment is BRUTStar Rating: —>5[ beautiful, brilliant, brutal ]Stars
Well Holy mother of the Old Gods! I did NOT see THAT coming... ATALL! This installment is BRUTAL! I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say who i'm absolutely enraged by... but oh my GODDDDD so ready; let me at 'em! Lol. Just overall one of the absolute BEST installments of the series. It truly feels completely atmospheric in the same way reading a well written high fantasy NOVEL does. It is not lacking in absolutely any way... the author & artist have created a BRILLIANT world through exceptional world building & character development, complex plots, many intertwining intriguing sub plots, etc; it really has it all.
The main storyline is so beautifully monstrous & at this point in the story, through this installment, I am truly amazed. The depth and complexity of this story seem unreal for a graphic novel. I may be repeating myself but this series just deserves the praise!
I cannot recommend this enough to those of you who enjoy complex dark fantasy & graphic novels!...more
•RE-READ 08/23/22 in prep for A Venom Dark & Sweet !
Wow. This book definitely lives up to its cover!!! A competition? Mystery hStar Rating: —>5 Stars
•RE-READ 08/23/22 in prep for A Venom Dark & Sweet !
Wow. This book definitely lives up to its cover!!! A competition? Mystery hot love interest??? THAT TWIST !!! And SUCH a strong female MC! I L O V E D this!!! ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL CHINESE MYTHOLOGY BASED READ!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher—Fewel & Friends/ Macmillan, & Judy I. Lin for the e-arc!!!!
I loved this so so so soooo MUCH! I adore Mulan & I LOVEDDDDDD this twisted tale! I am not very much interested in any of theStar Rating: —>4.5 Stars
I loved this so so so soooo MUCH! I adore Mulan & I LOVEDDDDDD this twisted tale! I am not very much interested in any of the other books in the twisted tales series (except the Herc retelling Go The Distance which O M L it was SODAMNGOOD! I really have a thing for mythology ...more
First of all, this is a translated work, originally written in Japanese, and seriously everyone, and anyone, of all ages… couldStar Rating: —>5 Stars
First of all, this is a translated work, originally written in Japanese, and seriously everyone, and anyone, of all ages… could use to read this fascinating story! There's phenomenal world building, but ultimately it is a VERY, VERY Character based story; I love these characters with all of my heart! Also interesting fact— They made an anime based upon this story! When I remember what its called I will update this.
ANYWAY…
My heart is BROKEN! I am trying to keep the tears in, but it totally isn’t working. The ending was not what I expected, and it may be sad, but in ways, so happy as well. The sadness is the one dominating my heart, at the moment. Can you cry both sad & happy tears at the same time?
My God. What a masterpiece ! Following the events of The Beast Player (link at very bottom), this picks up 20 years after a fateful battle that changed everything. I believe it takes place about 10 (give or take) years after the ending of the first book. It is a beautiful, fantastical tale... filled also with the darkness of war (in so many different ways) & what comes with that.
This novel is very much about a struggle with morality vs reality, in a time of war, that arises in Elin, now a grown woman. An ultimatum most dire is thrust upon her— risk death of, possibly, the entire human race as she knows it, or live up to her reputation as The Beast Player, the only one who can tame & ride a royal beast safely (beautiful Leelan & other Royal beasts that she has now bred, and with the help of her son & her husband, is teaching others to handle Royal Beasts at a school where she once attended !), let alone safely into a WAR, where their fighting instincts will be positively deadly.
Elin comes to realize that she MUST sacrifice her principles, and do things she hates herself for including using the Royal Beasts she has dedicated her life to, & the Toda she dedicated her early childhood to caring for with her mother (who was killed by those very creatures), as all too willing, due to their nature, pawns in the human war if the need should arise (and boy... just you wait!)—because these regal Beasts deserve to thrive on their own, not be involved with humans in this way, and certainly not be pitted against one another by humans. I explain both of these creatures below, but they are both types of massive beasts, reminiscent of something out of a Miyazaki film, or Japanese folklore/mythology!
Elin knows how very wrong it is to use these creatures in this way, & that fact torments her to her core. She knows how very wrong things could go, for a long list of reasons, for everyone,if things were to go awry…which is most probable as these beasts are natural enemies in the wild, but she does what she must.
Elin is haunted both by thoughts of both action AND inaction... both etched in mass destruction, bloodshed, & death. Even she, herself, could be in danger... because just how much can you trust a wild beast, "tamed," or not, in a bloody battle? But... these are risks that one must take when action is forced upon you by your Kingdom's ruler, with war looming ever closer. It is in this sense, that this is quite a cautionary tale as well.
But it is not all dark, despite the underlying plot, and the writing always makes this story feel so very bright and full of light, and so very full of heart. I laughed, I smiled, I cried, I hung on to everyword. The bond between Elin & Leelan is absolutely extraordinary. Scenes with the two of them together warmed my heart & left me so very happy.
This is a YA fantasy worthy of so much attention !
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