Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer (Lotus War, #1)

by Jay Kristoff

Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him. But the mission proves less impossible and more deadly than anyone expects. Soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. Alhough she can hear his thoughts, and saved his life, all she knows for certain is he'd rather see her dead than help her. Yet trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu form a surprising and powerful bond. Meanwhile, the country verges on collapse. A toxic fuel is choking the land, the machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure, and the Shogun cares for nothing but his own dominion. Authority has always made Yukiko uneasy, but her world changes when she meets Kin, a young man with secrets, and the rebel Kage cabal. She learns the horrifying extent of the Shogun's crimes, both against her country and her family.
Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu are determined to make the Shogun pay -- but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?

Reviewed by nitzan_schwarz on

4 of 5 stars

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To read this review and more, check out my blog - The Book Babe's Reads

If I were talking about this book on twitter (were I such a person), here are some of the hashtags I'd be bound to use: #Japan #Feudal #Steampunk #Dysopia #Fantasy #Griffins #War.
Do any of those sound like something you might like? Then this is probably the book for you!

Although, I'd like to warm major Japan buffs: Either don't read the book, or prepare to look of it as a new, separate reality than actual Japan, because the author has confessed to using Wikipedia for his research, and sometimes - you could really sense that. Especially when using honorifics (wrongly. A lot). I love Japan, and yes - some of the blatant mistakes kind of grated, but I loved the world. I love the Japanish feel of it, but because of the dystoia and steampunk elements, I really didn't feel I need to force "reality" on it. It's a completely new world - so I was able to enjoy it. But many people hate on this book for the same reasons - people with better understanding of Japan than the author. So enter prepared; or don't enter at all.

One of my favorite things about this book was the writing. I kept comparing it to that of [b:Ink|13423346|Ink (Paper Gods, #1)|Amanda Sun|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349382349s/13423346.jpg|18878425], a book I tried reading last month also set in Japan - there, everything felt forced, like it was trying too hard. Not here. I felt like the author had a great grasp of the world he created; describing it almost effortlessly, in a way that was easy for the reader to follow - but also immensely beautiful and sometimes poetic. He also has a talent for either starting or ending a chapter on high notes. Like, really.

But my absolute favorite thing in this book? Like, hands down favorite, makes all-the-shit-that-happens-later-worth-it-just-to-read-about-it favorite? Yukiko and Buruu.

Yukiko is our Main Character, a girl who knows both the excess of the rulers and the poverty of the mass, a girl who's both highly trained and afraid. A girl forced to move beyond her fears. Buruu is also our main character - only he's an Arashitora (a Griffin). These two were so amazing together. Their growing friendship was just the most delightful thing to read about, and Buruu was so awesome I can't even! I swear to god, if Kristoff hurts Buruu (more than he already has) I will find where he lives and force him to change what he wrote and publicly apologize for the pain he had caused me (and everyone else).

Speaking of shit happening... The casualty count is pretty high, y'all. Don't expect everyone you love to survive BECAUSE THEY DON'T AND I AM NOT OKAY, OKAY?! It's kind of nerve wrecking, to be honest. I didn't know this is what I was getting into, and I got lolled into a sense of security by the first half when things are still oka-WHAM darkness darkness darkness! My, this book got heavy! Not in a bad way, but... in a hard way? Gah, don't know how to explain myself.

Let's move to something easier - the romance! Which was... How to sum it in one word? Hmm... I guess, to keep off spoilers, I'll use the word... weak. I loved that Kristoff laughed about Insta Love through it, though. But, as I decidedly didn't ship the two involved, and my actual ship actually contains bestiality so it's kind of impossible (I can't help it. Yukiko and Buruu are so perfect together, and I'm not even sorry! If Kristoff managed to give him to ability to turn into a human at will so it could happen, I'd be overjoyed, but I sense that won't happen) I made do with another ship.

And as I've read some reviews of book two, I heard that ship sinks, so now I'm uber afraid to read it. Way to go, me! I'll get over it, I'm sure, but not before book three comes out.

To read this review and more, check out my blog - The Book Babe's Reads

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 September, 2014: Finished reading
  • 3 September, 2014: Reviewed