as always this man does not disappoint. Its incredible how he comes up with ideas that are so… unpredictable -i mean you’re reading along thinking you know where the story is going and suddenly its all on its head!
this one is definitely my favorite of the kickstarter books so far. I loved the others but this one is just really good. Thank you Brandon Sanderson! Excellent! ( )

A+ (One of my favorites).

A boy and a girl from different worlds get their souls entwined. Who'd have thought Sanderson would write a romance novel and absolutely knock it out of the park? I mean, it's also fantasy and adventure, but the core of the story is romance, and it had me in tears.

Most creatives by this stage in their careers are content to repeat themselves and ride on their reputations. You've got a hit series or four, you're at the top of your field, why rock the boat? But Sanderson keeps developing and correcting and Having Fun. He just keeps getting better. And he started out as one of the best.

(Jun. 2024) ( )

Honestly just excellent. While I havent enjoyed Sanderson’s new works for a bit, mostly because stormlight keeps failing to keep my attention, I thought this was really great, and honestly very surprising. The story was Imaginative without being Whimsical - Fantastical without being Unbelievable. And unlike many good ideas, it didn’t overstay its welcome.

I cant say I agreed with all the stylistic choices in the book, including the narrator’s perspective and the frequency with which it breaks the fourth wall, but by the end those were minor, and understandable, quibbles with a book that takes you on a totally unexpected journey for a few hundred pages. Highly recommended. ( )

109000

So, I finished this book in essentially 2 days. While that was partially thanks to finally having a solid extended period of reading time while journeying halfway down the length of the UK by rail, it was also because Yumi and the Nightmare Painter was truly quite enthralling, and almost resulted in me missing my train stop.

While I don't think this book is particularly groundbreaking in any particular respect, I feel like I was drawn in by every element, from the vivid and creative worlds and the characterisation of Yumi and Painter, to the coalescing plot and the themes that brought it to its climax. What was especially powerful to me was Sanderson's use of perspective in the storytelling, which felt grounded while at the same time showing how meaningful it can be to see things from another's eyes. This is really a book of contrasts, and the way that Sanderson was able to balance opposing worlds, seemingly incompatible attitudes, different cultures, and changes in tone from levity and seriousness, was quite masterful. Add to this the very strong emotional payoffs in the final quarter and some of Sanderson's best prose, and it's really hard to ask for much more.

Admittedly it wasn't all perfect - there is an explanatory info dump towards the end of the book which I didn't feel was completely necessary and interrupted the flow of the story somewhat, and it's certainly arguable if the conclusion would have been more impactful without the final scene for Yumi and Painter, but ultimately I don't think these detracted from my enjoyment of the book. I believe Sanderson has said this was his personal favourite of his Secret Projects, and I'm so far in agreement. Highly recommended for any fantasy, anime or character-driven fans - definitely in my top tier of Sanderson books. ( )