Book Recap: Stormdancer Jay Kristoff (ARC)

Cover Inspection:
PERFECT!
It fits the story well!

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):

A DYING LAND

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST

The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:

The story is set in feudal Japan. In this dystopian story, rivers and waters are poisoned. The sky is red. The world is dying (or dead).

MAIN CHARACTERS:

The main character is Yukiko. She is strong, independent and courageous. She's merely sixteen, but she's mature beyond her years. Oh yeah... she has the ability to read the minds of creatures and she can speak to them without actually speaking.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:

The shogun wants a thunder tiger. Basically, this story is about Yukiko's quest to find that mythical (and extinct!) creature called the arashitora. She eventually finds one, and develops a beautiful and touching relationship with the creature.

LOVE:

The writing is just exquisite - richly-detailed, flowery and poetic. It' elegant and classy. Its actually the first thing I noticed upon reading this book. This book is quite heavy on the details. In fact, it can be said that it is overwhelming. That amount would normally confuse me, but the author was able to spread them evenly, such that the reader will not feel bombarded or overwhelmed. Moreover, there are no words for the action scenes in this book. I believe that those were able to balance the massive amount of details in the book. (It was only the first chapter, and already, there was a fight scene!) It's so easy to get lost in those scenes. Another thing I adored about this book are those Japanese myths and legends that peppered the story. There were mythological creatures, such as a dragon and a phoenix. The author was also able to incorporate messages regarding the environment. With this, I can say that amidst books that rode on the popularity of paranormal romances with nothing but fluff, Stormdancer shines with its deep reflections about what we are doing to our world.

NO LOVE:

I will be honest, it takes patience to read Stormdancer. It's actually a bit hard to get into the book. There were a lot of things to know and understand for one to completely understand the story and its meaning. Also, there were times when I just couldn't catch up with the Japanese terms used in the book, only to find out that there is actually a glossary at the back of the book! Plus, I am not into steampunk. Not my favorite. So, I didn't like all those talk about engines and smoke and goggles.

FAVORITE CHARACTERS:

I would have to say Buruu and Yukiko. The bond between the two touched my heart. At first they can only communicate without words. Later on, they can transmit emotions without even speaking about them. I have so much love for this aspect of the story, and you would have to read it to know what I mean.

FAVORITE LINE:

The world was so big. How could one girl make a difference?

MUSINGS:

Like I said earlier, it takes patience to read Stormdancer. It's filled tiny, tiny details, so it's not the kind of book that you can speed read through. You must give yourself time to adjust to it. It's the kind of book where you must allow yourself to absorb the story and the events. It's hard to categorize this kind of book in simplistic terms, like good and bad. But one thing's for sure, reading Stormdancer is an experience. It took my breath away.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:

Jay Kristoff

SIMILAR READS:

One of a kind!

CONTENT REVIEW:

Classified as an adult book.