Name: The Sword of Kaigen
Rating: 4.701388888888889 (144 reviews)

M.L. Wang

"On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful fighters in the world, warriors capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For centuries, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their treacherous spit of land the name "The sword of Kaigen.' Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always know his purpose: to master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen's alleged age of peace, Mamoru ralizes that he might not have much time before he has to become the fighter he was bred to be. Even worse, the empire he was born to defend might stand on a fountain of lies. Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married to the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of invasion looming on the horizon, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface."

A Theonite War Story

The Sword of Kaigen

fira

Inés

, she realized. “I’m Matsuda Misaki,” she said with pride and honesty she never attached to those words before. “I’m your wife.”

The bitterness that consumed her could doom him to an eternity of fire — unless she found some way to be better.

“I spent a lot of time regretting,” she admitted. “I had a brilliant son, loving friends, and a whole family growing up all around me. And I was too wrapped up in my own regret to cherish it. I didn’t take ownership of that life until it was all slipping through my fingers and it was too late.”

Maybe that was the ‘how’ Robin had been looking for, the simple magic by which she held herself together. Love for what she had and what was gone. Love no matter the pain.

Steph

I might have found my 6-star book of the year. The Sword of Kaigen is one of those books that intimidated you because of how much lore and how thick the book is, but when you start reading it, you can't help but get sucked into the world. This book made me cry soooo much and I honestly did not expect the level of emotional trauma ML Wang delivered. The way she talks about grief, be it grieving for a lost one, a lost relationship, or your past self, is so raw and vulnerable. Misaki's character is one of the best-written characters I've ever read. We started the book with her as the timid housewife of the great swordsman. Even though we learned from her past that she's a capable fighter, she's never allowed to show her prowess. Her husband disallows her to talk about her past, orders her never to disrespect him and that her only job is to produce more kids and take care of them. It's infuriating reading about how backwards and misogynistic the men in the village are. How they reduced Misaki from a warrior into a timid housewife who doesn't even dare to talk back to her husband. Only when her son died fighting the war she snapped. And it was glorious to see how she erupted. Years and years of resentment built up within her and she just snapped. Challenged her husband into a duel, something a woman is not allowed to do, and made peace with the life that she's had in this family and this village. It feels almost cathartic reading about her releasing all of the sadness and guilt she carried with her throughout the years. And because of that, she and her husband finally realised that they needed to work together, not against each other for the better of their family and the village. I was Team Robin until that reconciliation happened and I realised that ok, people can change too if they want to. And I'm glad that both of them work it out as husband and wife. The part where she said she'll always love Robin but now she realised that her heart is big enough to love both Robin and Takeru lives in my head rent-free. It's only after so many obstacles and self-reflection that she can finally be at peace with herself and her family. Misaki's character is truly one of a kind. I also want to applaud the writer for writing such an immersive fight scene, I feel like I'm watching it on my screen instead of reading it. Her ability to create such vivid battle scenes combined with her writing skill makes it so easy for readers to follow. And she never even had to use big words to beautify the sentences. It just flows like water. No words were wasted. Chef kiss. So often when I read a fantasy book, I have to fill up some gaps in my brain because the author was vague in some aspect of the scene (*cough* ACOTAR *cough*), but not here. ML Wang says I'm going to write a battle scene and I'm going to show you every single thing that happened so you can picture it clearly in your head. What a legend. Mamoru's character is one that I sympathise with the most. He grew up in this small village where everything that he learned was from his parents and teachers until a city boy came along and disrupted all of his beliefs. I love the exchange he has with his city friend. He opened his eyes to the outside world and told him that the government is lying to everyone. Everything you see on the news is fake. And I truly think that it's so eerie to be reading this book in 2024 because it's exactly what's happening in the real world. Government propaganda is everywhere and they're controlling the media to tell you what to think and what to do. We see Mamoru going through all 5 stages of grief in the book where he first denies everything that his friend told him, then gets so angry at the traitorous remarks he punches his friend, bargains that maybe the government didn't lie when they discovered the plane, experienced sadness when he realised everything in his life is a lie when he finally realised the government is reusing footages on the tv, and finally accepts that no matter what the government do or say, he'll be a sword of kaigen because that's what he's born to do, he'll fight and defend his homeland till his last breath. I fucking cried when I realised this is the end for him. Especially that line where they say Hiro's the youngest person to master the Whispering Blade at 15, but what people don't realise is that he's the second youngest. I bawled my eyes out. He finally mastered the Whispering Blade, a technique that he spent his entire life dedicating to it. But when it happened, it was during his last breath and no one was there to witness it. All my boy wanted was to make his parents proud!!!! I was speechless. How could ML Wang do this to us? He was supposed to be the greatest swordsman. You can't just create such a likeable and relatable character only to kill him off 50% into the book???? You know what else I wish? Since ML Wang has created such an amazing world, I wish that she could continue writing stories that take place in Duna. If Brandon Sanderson can write so many books in the Cosmere universe, I'm sure ML Wang can too. Because after reading The Sword of Kaigen, I feel so empty. Like I need more materials from her. Don't get me wrong, it's the perfect standalone book, but I want to explore more of Duna. I want to know about the war that took place before the book, Robin's adventure, the Yamma's military, and how the Ranganese rose to power. If ML Wang can grant me a wish, it'd be this. To continue expanding Duna. And I'll die happy.

M. L. Wang

On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name 'The Sword of Kaigen.' Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen's alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

loisesya

Better to die sharp in war than rust through a time of peace. A mother struggling to repress her violent past, A son struggling to grasp his violent future, A father blind to the danger that threatens them all. When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name 'The Sword of Kaigen.'Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen's alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.

The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

First of all, I loveeeeed this novel. The characters were fun to learn about and great to see how they come together throughout everything. The setting was fascinating!         The direct usage of Asian names and languages + the usage of world-specific terms (i.e., the time, distance, and measurements etc.) was great to listen to. Granted, it took some time to wrap my head around, but I came around to it. I’m not sure what purpose it served, but I can guess that it may be because of historical implications of the religions in the world leading to the creation of such a different measurement-based nomenclature. Idk im just spitballing here        Hmmm I’m not sure how much I was convinced of the depth of the consequences of various actions. Like I loved that Takeru came around for reasons be, but hearing it had me recounting each fuck-ass moment he had and thinking about whether his explanation was fully justified. I guess Misaki handles that in the way that the faults lie not just in him but also her for not probing him sooner? For not seeing him as human sooner? I’m not sure. It was great to see them make up and see her thaw a frozen mountain of a heart, but I’m not fully convinced that it was enough. Maybe that’s the point.        I’d love to learn more about this world. Chul-hee and Misaki served as great ways to deliver context about the greater world. Like there’s soooo much we the reader don’t know and we can only infer. What other people are out there? There’s was what… a singular non-east Asian reference in the name of Rakesh and maybe some of Misaki’s classmates (idk).        btw Misaki is such a badass I love her. I love how human she seemed, and I love how cool she is. From interrogating people to switching languages on a dime to her characterization changing between her past and now like wow what a great character chef’s kiss.

Towards the end of the novel, I found myself dreading the end. Whether it’s because I wanted to see more of what happens next or because I feared a rushed ending, idk…         I am content with witnessing the reforging of the sword of Kaigen instead of its constant usage, for the Sword of Kaigen is not just a story of how the sword is used but how it is maintained and rebuilt. 

jntn

First of all, I loveeeeed this novel. The characters were fun to learn about and great to see how they come together throughout everything. The setting was fascinating!         The direct usage of Asian names and languages + the usage of world-specific terms (i.e., the time, distance, and measurements etc.) was great to listen to. Granted, it took some time to wrap my head around, but I came around to it. I’m not sure what purpose it served, but I can guess that it may be because of historical implications of the religions in the world leading to the creation of such a different measurement-based nomenclature. Idk im just spitballing here        Hmmm I’m not sure how much I was convinced of the depth of the consequences of various actions. Like I loved that Takeru came around for reasons be, but hearing it had me recounting each fuck-ass moment he had and thinking about whether his explanation was fully justified. I guess Misaki handles that in the way that the faults lie not just in him but also her for not probing him sooner? For not seeing him as human sooner? I’m not sure. It was great to see them make up and see her thaw a frozen mountain of a heart, but I’m not fully convinced that it was enough. Maybe that’s the point.        I’d love to learn more about this world. Chul-hee and Misaki served as great ways to deliver context about the greater world. Like there’s soooo much we the reader don’t know and we can only infer. What other people are out there? There’s was what… a singular non-east Asian reference in the name of Rakesh and maybe some of Misaki’s classmates (idk).        btw Misaki is such a badass I love her. I love how human she seemed, and I love how cool she is. From interrogating people to switching languages on a dime to her characterization changing between her past and now like wow what a great character chef’s kiss.

Towards the end of the novel, I found myself dreading the end. Whether it’s because I wanted to see more of what happens next or because I feared a rushed ending, idk…         I am content with witnessing the reforging of the sword of Kaigen instead of its constant usage, for the Sword of Kaigen is not just a story of how the sword is used but how it is maintained and rebuilt. 

I was not expecting to be as gripped by this story as I was. I literally did not want to put it down. It made me feel, and I loved Mamoru. He made the story for me, I loved his arc, but it was so sad. I was hoping he would make it out alive, rooting for him – and then when his last chapter ended saying his guts were spilled, I screamed. I knew there was no way he was going to live, but I wanted it.

Misaki was extremely negative and would go through the same cycle of thinking until near the end of the novel. It felt like her arc took a while to move. While I understand the situation she was in was not great, she did choose to pick it. So it did confuse me as the reader why she was so unwilling to accept the consequences of her life for so long. She also would say she was going to do something, and then 3–5 paragraphs later she would get flustered and confused on what her action caused despite outlining that as her specific intention. For example, when she challenged her husband to a duel and then he asked to be killed, she was distressed. She wanted to kill him. I get she wanted a fight, but in the end that's what she wanted. She does the same with Robin. She says mean things, tells him to leave and not risk his life, then when he does leave without taking her, Misaki is shocked and sad. Though I get we are trying to portray that feelings are complicated so I give some grace.

Hyori's storyline didn't seem necessary. The reader understood the death, destruction, and disgusting actions the invaders took against the village. It felt like after the attack Hyori wasn't a character anymore – but she was just an object used to illustrate the horrors of war through her rape. She didn't want to live, and she's insinuated to be starving herself since she doesn't want the child she has. After, when she kills herself, then Misaki protects the child, but then puts her in an orphanage to be a constant reminder of the attack. She doesn't actually take her in and treat her as one of the village's own, and is said to always be an outsider. What is the point of making that child part of the story if she's just going to be placed somewhere and never talked about again?

Regardless, the fight scenes were exhilarating and worth the read alone. The world was interesting, and I wish I could follow these characters further.

Ashley Denktas

I was not expecting to be as gripped by this story as I was. I literally did not want to put it down. It made me feel, and I loved Mamoru. He made the story for me, I loved his arc, but it was so sad. I was hoping he would make it out alive, rooting for him – and then when his last chapter ended saying his guts were spilled, I screamed. I knew there was no way he was going to live, but I wanted it.

I had some critiques:

Misaki was extremely negative and would go through the same cycle of thinking until near the end of the novel. It felt like her arc took a while to move. While I understand the situation she was in was not great, she did choose to pick it. So it did confuse me as the reader why she was so unwilling to accept the consequences of her life for so long. She also would say she was going to do something, and then 3–5 paragraphs later she would get flustered and confused on what her action caused despite outlining that as her specific intention. For example, when she challenged her husband to a duel and then he asked to be killed, she was distressed. She wanted to kill him. I get she wanted a fight, but in the end that's what she wanted. She does the same with Robin. She says mean things, tells him to leave and not risk his life, then when he does leave without taking her, Misaki is shocked and sad. Though I get we are trying to portray that feelings are complicated so I give some grace.

Hyori's storyline didn't seem necessary. The reader understood the death, destruction, and disgusting actions the invaders took against the village. It felt like after the attack Hyori wasn't a character anymore – but she was just an object used to illustrate the horrors of war through her rape. She didn't want to live, and she's insinuated to be starving herself since she doesn't want the child she has. After, when she kills herself, then Misaki protects the child, but then puts her in an orphanage to be a constant reminder of the attack. She doesn't actually take her in and treat her as one of the village's own, and is said to always be an outsider. What is the point of making that child part of the story if she's just going to be placed somewhere and never talked about again?

Regardless, the fight scenes were exhilarating and worth the read alone. The world was interesting, and I wish I could follow these characters further.

"Most strong things are rigid. If you are water, you can shift to fit any mold and freeze yourself strong. You can be strong in any shape. You can be anything."

 was a great read and I was moved to tears multiple times reading it, it truly had some beautiful messaging and a heart-wrenching story of guilt, grief, motherhood and duty. I read 

 not long ago and knew I needed to pick this book up ASAP. ML Wang has quickly become a must read author for me, she has a way with words that leaves me in awe and also a way of mixing an important inspection of humanity with a well told story that will hit you right in the soul. Unfortunately I couldn't quite give this five stars though, although it did come close, there were a few things that didn't quite work for me like they did in her other novel, but regardless of that this is a fantastic read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if the rollercoaster of emotions was a hard ride it was worth it. Definitely check your trigger warnings before giving this one a go, it covers some really tough subjects including all of the horrible violence that comes with war such as death, rape, propaganda etc, and also things like grief, suicide, miscarriage and misogyny.

I struggled with the pacing a bit at the beginning of the book, the first 100 or so pages didn't stuck me and I found some of the world building info-dumped too much, especially where the teacher at the academy spoke for an extended period of time about history and I felt as if I were in the lesson with Mamoru, if the student himself is experiencing boredom listening to the story then you can't really expect the reader to feel enthused about it, unfortunately. I think this book also expected us to just go with the story without ever really fully understanding the world building or the magic system as well, I would've loved to understand more about why these wars were happening and, while the story about the founding of the Falleye religion was fascinating I feel it didn't help me understand where their powers came from or what the rules around the magic were etc. The flashbacks to Misaki's time at Daybreak and when Mamoru's world started to unravel as he learned the truth of the world is when this story really started to pick up for me, and then the action really ramped up halfway through the book with some brilliantly written fight scenes. Then after the battle the momentum stalled again a bit, and I just found this pacing a bit off putting. That being said, the last half of this book was beautifully written even with the lack of action, it had some really wonderful messages about character growth, healing, grief and quiet forms of rebellion that I appreciated, but I think I was also hoping for more from it. We got some flashes of truly revolutionary ideas from Misaki, Mamoru, Chul-hee and Robin and I was waiting for this to really take off, but it never really did sadly. Instead we watch Misaki learn to accept her life as a housewife and learn how she could apply her to need protect through kindness, care and education instead of through violence was really lovely, but still it felt a little bit like a let down.

"Sirawu was just that: a shadow. It was someone else’s story, and I was just passing through it. This… you were my story… and I was so selfish, so tied to that shadow that I missed it. My son, I— I’m so sorry it took me this long to understand."

While I adored some of the character arcs in this story there were some that just didn't sit right with me. Misaki's character was powerful even in her flaws, and the way she came to understand how she had been entitled at points of her life, how she had been a coward, and also how she had made mistakes in how she treated her loved ones was wonderfully told and introspective, but for such an intelligent and strong-willed woman I did find that she bowed to those around her, especially the sexist men in her life, disappointingly easily. Speaking of sexism, and misogyny as well, this story portrayed a culture where a woman must defer entirely to her husband or father, only speak when spoken to and quietly handle all of the childcare and household work because she is too weak and dainty to do much more, especially as a noble-woman, and that was hard to read at times. >>>SPOILER

I enjoyed the part of the story where Misaki challenges Takeru to single combat because she is angry with how he has handled himself after the battle, and Takeru's story was really heartfelt and upsetting but it did feel like his character was excused far too easily for how he treated his family. <<<END SPOILER

Some of the character growth surrounding this topic felt underdeveloped unfortunately, Takeru especially became like a new man at one point and I understood how this was explained to have happened, but it didn't justify it for me and I found it hard to actually see his arc as an actual redemption which saddened me.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and truly enjoyed it for the most part. My heart was absolutely broken at times and I was so touched by certain aspects of this story, but also disappointed in a couple as well. But despite that I think this is well worth the read. I have seen some people compare it to 

 trilogy and I see the resemblence although this really isn't the same sort of story. Where Rin's story is loud, Misaki's is very quiet in comparison - they both share the themes of sacrifice, power and growth but told in very different ways, and I think in terms of rebelling against an oppressor 

 is more about the subtle ways you can defy oppression rather than the overt, angry ways Rin defies hers. This book also has some very interesting ideas around race, with the white people being less powerful and the oppressed, that might not sit very well with some readers. I think I see where Wang was coming from with this perspective, but as the world building isn't really developed well enough to understand it fully I did find it a bit jarring. But regardless of that, I definitely recommend this book and at this point I would honestly read Wang's shopping list if she published it!

"A person’s tragedy doesn’t define them or cancel all the good in their life."

Genevieve 

"Most strong things are rigid. If you are water, you can shift to fit any mold and freeze yourself strong. You can be strong in any shape. You can be anything."

4.25⭐

The Sword of Kaigen was a great read and I was moved to tears multiple times reading it, it truly had some beautiful messaging and a heart-wrenching story of guilt, grief, motherhood and duty. I read Blood Over Bright Haven not long ago and knew I needed to pick this book up ASAP. ML Wang has quickly become a must read author for me, she has a way with words that leaves me in awe and also a way of mixing an important inspection of humanity with a well told story that will hit you right in the soul. Unfortunately I couldn't quite give this five stars though, although it did come close, there were a few things that didn't quite work for me like they did in her other novel, but regardless of that this is a fantastic read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if the rollercoaster of emotions was a hard ride it was worth it. Definitely check your trigger warnings before giving this one a go, it covers some really tough subjects including all of the horrible violence that comes with war such as death, rape, propaganda etc, and also things like grief, suicide, miscarriage and misogyny.

I struggled with the pacing a bit at the beginning of the book, the first 100 or so pages didn't stuck me and I found some of the world building info-dumped too much, especially where the teacher at the academy spoke for an extended period of time about history and I felt as if I were in the lesson with Mamoru, if the student himself is experiencing boredom listening to the story then you can't really expect the reader to feel enthused about it, unfortunately. I think this book also expected us to just go with the story without ever really fully understanding the world building or the magic system as well, I would've loved to understand more about why these wars were happening and, while the story about the founding of the Falleye religion was fascinating I feel it didn't help me understand where their powers came from or what the rules around the magic were etc. The flashbacks to Misaki's time at Daybreak and when Mamoru's world started to unravel as he learned the truth of the world is when this story really started to pick up for me, and then the action really ramped up halfway through the book with some brilliantly written fight scenes. Then after the battle the momentum stalled again a bit, and I just found this pacing a bit off putting. That being said, the last half of this book was beautifully written even with the lack of action, it had some really wonderful messages about character growth, healing, grief and quiet forms of rebellion that I appreciated, but I think I was also hoping for more from it. We got some flashes of truly revolutionary ideas from Misaki, Mamoru, Chul-hee and Robin and I was waiting for this to really take off, but it never really did sadly. Instead we watch Misaki learn to accept her life as a housewife and learn how she could apply her to need protect through kindness, care and education instead of through violence was really lovely, but still it felt a little bit like a let down.

"Sirawu was just that: a shadow. It was someone else’s story, and I was just passing through it. This… you were my story… and I was so selfish, so tied to that shadow that I missed it. My son, I— I’m so sorry it took me this long to understand."

While I adored some of the character arcs in this story there were some that just didn't sit right with me. Misaki's character was powerful even in her flaws, and the way she came to understand how she had been entitled at points of her life, how she had been a coward, and also how she had made mistakes in how she treated her loved ones was wonderfully told and introspective, but for such an intelligent and strong-willed woman I did find that she bowed to those around her, especially the sexist men in her life, disappointingly easily. Speaking of sexism, and misogyny as well, this story portrayed a culture where a woman must defer entirely to her husband or father, only speak when spoken to and quietly handle all of the childcare and household work because she is too weak and dainty to do much more, especially as a noble-woman, and that was hard to read at times. >>>SPOILER
I enjoyed the part of the story where Misaki challenges Takeru to single combat because she is angry with how he has handled himself after the battle, and Takeru's story was really heartfelt and upsetting but it did feel like his character was excused far too easily for how he treated his family. <<<END SPOILER
Some of the character growth surrounding this topic felt underdeveloped unfortunately, Takeru especially became like a new man at one point and I understood how this was explained to have happened, but it didn't justify it for me and I found it hard to actually see his arc as an actual redemption which saddened me.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and truly enjoyed it for the most part. My heart was absolutely broken at times and I was so touched by certain aspects of this story, but also disappointed in a couple as well. But despite that I think this is well worth the read. I have seen some people compare it to The Poppy War trilogy and I see the resemblence although this really isn't the same sort of story. Where Rin's story is loud, Misaki's is very quiet in comparison - they both share the themes of sacrifice, power and growth but told in very different ways, and I think in terms of rebelling against an oppressor The Sword of Kaigen is more about the subtle ways you can defy oppression rather than the overt, angry ways Rin defies hers. This book also has some very interesting ideas around race, with the white people being less powerful and the oppressed, that might not sit very well with some readers. I think I see where Wang was coming from with this perspective, but as the world building isn't really developed well enough to understand it fully I did find it a bit jarring. But regardless of that, I definitely recommend this book and at this point I would honestly read Wang's shopping list if she published it!

"A person’s tragedy doesn’t define them or cancel all the good in their life."

five stars isn’t enough i need this whole book tattoed on my body

no one gets misakeru like i do. GOD THEY’RE JUST SO GREAT. i’m such a sucker for second chance romance it gives so much opportunity to make a great character development and m l wang was REMARKABLE in it. well it hurts like hell but it was amazing GOD I wish i could properly express the my whole emotions while reading this book.

hana

five stars isn’t enough i need this whole book tattoed on my body

no one gets misakeru like i do. GOD THEY’RE JUST SO GREAT. i’m such a sucker for second chance romance it gives so much opportunity to make a great character development and m l wang was REMARKABLE in it. well it hurts like hell but it was amazing GOD I wish i could properly express the my whole emotions while reading this book.

if i could give six stars i would. i love when a book leaves my heart aching, and i’m torn between being happy as one character has a really beautiful ending, while another was robbed of so much. [redacted]’s death is haunting me, this paragraph;

“For the first time in his life, he was perfectly, overwhelmingly whole.  He smiled.  A decade later, a fifteen-year-old Hiroshi would become known as the youngest swordsman ever to master the Whispering Blade. What the world would never know, was that he was the second youngest.”

if i could give six stars i would. i love when a book leaves my heart aching, and i’m torn between being happy as one character has a really beautiful ending, while another was robbed of so much. [redacted]’s death is haunting me, this paragraph;

“For the first time in his life, he was perfectly, overwhelmingly whole.  He smiled.  A decade later, a fifteen-year-old Hiroshi would become known as the youngest swordsman ever to master the Whispering Blade. What the world would never know, was that he was the second youngest.”

will truly never leave my mind. 

esse livro tem o poder de mudar como a sociedade enxerga o poder e influencia do gênero fantástico, e isso não chega nem perto de um exagero. é bonito ao mesmo tempo que é feio, é simples ao mesmo tempo que é complexo, é juvenil ao mesmo tempo que é muito maduro. esse livro te faz pensar, mas pensar com carinho e com seriedade, sobre coisas ao mesmo tempo cotidianas e muito fora da realidade da maioria das pessoas. esse livro mostra que o mundo não consegue ser comprimido a uma visão maniqueísta de certo ou errado, ao mesmo tempo que exista sim um certo e um errado, e essas visões de alguma maneira não são exclusivas. esse livro te mostra como a vida é linda, e é sofrida, e é cheia de dores e alegrias grande e pequenas. esse livro é um estudo de como o ser humano é. 

Pedro Rodarte

Was a slow storyline with many emotionally developed characters. Is fantasy, but focuses primarily on the relationships between family and friends. The story is a deep dive into dealing with guilt, cultural expectations, and repairing one’s self image and outlook on life. The sword of Kaigen was a really heart touching and maddeningly sad story with many silver linings. If you’re looking for a book that will make you feel something, I would highly recommend.

Anna

The sword of kaigen was a highly anticipated read for me and it definitely delivered on my expectations. 

It's one that stood out to me due to its unique and detailed world building. While like with any fantasy book it takes time to adjust to the terminology I think overall its worth the time invested. I loved the magic system which reminded me a lot of the series "avatar the last airbender" and as a lover of swords I adored that swordsmanship was also an important element of shirojima where the main plot occurs. 

The second point and what made me love this book the most was the character writing. It's so refreshing to see a character as strong as misaki realize her strength and confront the misogynistic nature of the traditional society she lives in. Throughout the book she realises how her connections and bonds help make her who she is and shes able to grow and look at things from a new perspective multiole times throughout the book. Her working through her relationship with Takeru really touched my heart.

I found myself really emotional throughout reading the book, perhaps it's just me but the writing was so vivid and engaging I found it so easy to connect with it. 

Despite being a prequel to a now discontinued series I think it works well as a standalone. I believe it serves as a great introduction to M.L Wang. I'm definitely interested in reading her future works

Marz 

The sword of kaigen was a highly anticipated read for me and it definitely delivered on my expectations. 

It's one that stood out to me due to its unique and detailed world building. While like with any fantasy book it takes time to adjust to the terminology I think overall its worth the time invested. I loved the magic system which reminded me a lot of the series "avatar the last airbender" and as a lover of swords I adored that swordsmanship was also an important element of shirojima where the main plot occurs. 

The second point and what made me love this book the most was the character writing. It's so refreshing to see a character as strong as misaki realize her strength and confront the misogynistic nature of the traditional society she lives in. Throughout the book she realises how her connections and bonds help make her who she is and shes able to grow and look at things from a new perspective multiole times throughout the book. Her working through her relationship with Takeru really touched my heart.

I found myself really emotional throughout reading the book, perhaps it's just me but the writing was so vivid and engaging I found it so easy to connect with it. 

Despite being a prequel to a now discontinued series I think it works well as a standalone. I believe it serves as a great introduction to M.L Wang. I'm definitely interested in reading her future works

This is one of the best books if not the best book I have read all year. I really do recommend going into this blind. M.L. Wang’s characterization is so rich and really carries this book. Everything about this was incredibly cinematic. 

Mel 

was utterly surprised by where the author took me. aside from the great action writing there was so much depth of emotions explored between different types of relationships. the beginning of the book felt a bit slow but im glad i stuck with it.

Krystal

“a warrior’s legacy is essential to his soul. to deny what happened here—to ourselves or to anyone else—is the greatest disservice we could do our dead.”

the pacing's the only thing that's keeping this book from becoming an all-time fave of mine. still had a great time bawling my eyes out nonetheless!

lerie

“a warrior’s legacy is essential to his soul. to deny what happened here—to ourselves or to anyone else—is the greatest disservice we could do our dead.”

the pacing's the only thing that's keeping this book from becoming an all-time fave of mine. still had a great time bawling my eyes out nonetheless!

This book simultaneously entertained me on a amazingly world built high fantasy adventure filled with fight scenes, highest of stakes, while also healing something in me weaving a story together with very real and basic human emotions such as regret, resentment, and duty. There is a death of a major character in this and I am glad I read spoilers of it. I don’t think that’s necessary for everyone but if you’re someone like me who likes to hedge their emotional damage bets no regrets. That being said about 60% on I was constantly tearing up and/or crying reading this and not solely for negative reasons. Again with the healing capability of this book. It hurts and heals at the same time and by the end gives you a soft place to land. Biggest book hangover after whew. 

Abigail

I think we rarely come across a fantasy series with a mother-child-father theme and I didn't know I'd love that until I read The Sword Of Kaigen. What absolutely touched me was the emotional resilience the book portrayed. Tragic. Raw. Beautiful.

Matsuda family, I can never forget you. Misaki, Mamoru and Robin were my favourite characters. I can't get over the way they were written. So beautifully that you'd be hooked from the beginning, except that the chapter one was a little bit hard to get into.

The way motherhood and identity crisis revolved an important plot point has my whole heart. It's not often that this is touched on in a fantasy book and Wang absolutely rocked it.

Misaki was a woman, a daughter, a wife, a daughter-in-law, a mother and a warrior in all. Truly one of my favourite characters.

sani

An emotional masterpiece.

"What are you?"

"I'm Matsuda Misaki. I'm your wife.”

I think we rarely come across a fantasy series with a mother-child-father theme and I didn't know I'd love that until I read The Sword Of Kaigen. What absolutely touched me was the emotional resilience the book portrayed. Tragic. Raw. Beautiful.

Matsuda family, I can never forget you. Misaki, Mamoru and Robin were my favourite characters. I can't get over the way they were written. So beautifully that you'd be hooked from the beginning, except that the chapter one was a little bit hard to get into.

The way motherhood and identity crisis revolved an important plot point has my whole heart. It's not often that this is touched on in a fantasy book and Wang absolutely rocked it.

Misaki was a woman, a daughter, a wife, a daughter-in-law, a mother and a warrior in all. Truly one of my favourite characters.

anya

Isabella 

one of the best fantasy books i have ever read. it is an emotionally compelling book, and the world building, character development, and magic system were amazing! i am torn between giving this 4 or 5 stars because the pacing was kind of weird (could have been better if this wasn't a standalone). the ending also was... i liked it but... if you know you know. overall, i enjoyed reading this and for a long book, i couldn't find myself to put it down.

Yaffa

Man, i did not expect it to be THAT good. And it's a self-published one no less.

I started reading, expecting a light YA Fantasy, and instead got hit in the face with a full-on shakespearean tragedy.

Honestly in all its aspects this is an absolutely amazing book. Very well paced, filled with insanely good lines and fights scenes, and some of the best depictions of raw emotion i've read so far. This book will drag you down with grief before launching you skyward with hope.

This book was perfect.  The way it expressed grief, rage and family dynamics- I was crying and will be thinking about for years.  

Jenny Engel

nina 

4.75 stars 

(view spoiler)[ “What the world would never know, was that he was the second youngest.” !!!!! (hide spoiler)]

kiko

This broke me in every way possible, but it built me back up in ways I never thought was possible. Also, I love women (Misaki).

Joseph Jumao-as

read this book in two days, and stayed up late at night to finish it; i love this book so much and i enjoyed reading it !! intriguing magic system, characters written with depth, and can i just say that

chapter 20 wrecked my soul in more ways than one. mamoru's death was something i did not expect but in the back of my mind was otherwise, and it was a tearful journey to finish that chapter. the chapters onwards were emotional all throughout, and the duel between misaki and takeru are just. wonderful and human and left me in awe at the end :")) 

zar 

read this book in two days, and stayed up late at night to finish it; i love this book so much and i enjoyed reading it !! intriguing magic system, characters written with depth, and can i just say that chapter 20 wrecked my soul in more ways than one. mamoru's death was something i did not expect but in the back of my mind was otherwise, and it was a tearful journey to finish that chapter. the chapters onwards were emotional all throughout, and the duel between misaki and takeru are just. wonderful and human and left me in awe at the end :")) 

The Sword of Kaigen A Theonite War Story

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