publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
date of publication: September 18, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 322
source: Netgalley
From 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.
As with most books that come with much hype, people seem to either love or hate Stormdancer. I knew that my personal tastes in books made for a high likelihood that I would be of the former group, but you just never know. I should trust my intuition more often, however, as I thoroughly enjoyed Stormdancer for many different reasons. I've seen the lauds and the complaints, but I have some of my own perspective that best explains why I had such a great time reading this book. I just hope I can fully capture my thoughts in this review space.
Stormdancer is comprised of a cast of characters that I found to be utterly fantastic. From Yukiko, the determined girl with a bitter past to Buruu, the grumpy, wise-cracking griffin (known as thunder tigers in the book), it is impossible to not be absorbed into the tale. Each character has their own distinct personality, voice, and motive, all of which serve to fully form them within the reader's mind. There is enough humor, emotion, and passion to keep a reader fully entertained. These characters are more than capable of taking you along on their journeys.
When it comes to the way in which Stormdancer is written, there seems to be much difference of opinion between readers. I can't speak for others, but I can share my observations and what I came away from the book with. The way in which the story is laid down and the characters speak may be a bit difficult to grasp, at first, but I did notice that soon a certain rhythm began to emerge that made a lot of sense due to the type of story being told. The way in which Yukiko and Buruu communicate is fascinating and I had a nice little pondering session to myself wondering whether Buruu actually understood the words being said by those around him or whether the two were speaking their own language, as it were. I know what I think, but in the end, it is up to you to decide. The setting is so completely vivid that I could easily picture every inch of this desolate country in my mind. The descriptions given for the damage done to the land is conveyed very, very well. It is difficult not to be affected by such a thought.
To sum it up, Stormdancer is one of those books that, when you put it down, makes you say, "Whoa." I won't tell you how many surprises Jay Kristoff has embedded in Stormdancer, nor will I tell you at what part of the books these surprises occur. Suffice it to say that I absolutely didn't see it coming, which is always so much fun. If I'm not able to guess what will happen by the half-way point, I'm a very happy reader. If you want a book full of action, awesome characters, writing that is almost lyrical in its narration, and one bad-ass griffin, then you definitely NEED this book. Go. Pick up Stormdancer. You know you wanna.
Buy Stormdancer at the Following Locations:
Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
Yes, I do want to. And the whole "love it or hate it" response that this book has gotten just makes me want to read it more! Really interesting review. Thanks.
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