Odyssey Book BloG

Hello fellow fantasy lovers. I’ve come here with one message- if you love captivating magic, immersive world- building, and dynamic and complex character writing- go read this book!!

This story will break your heart and then put it right back together again, filling in the missing pieces with jijakalu-forged ice, because every heart could use a little fortifying.

Warning- spoilers ahead.

The Magic: Elemental Power

At first, the terminology and different types of Theonites are a little difficult to untangle. But once it all clicks, it’s brilliant! It’s so cool to see all the different things Theonites can do with their abilities to manipulate light, water, air, and fire! One of the standouts is the Whispering Blade- where the Matsuda jijakalu can manipulate water down to the molecule so precisely that they can form an ice blade sharper than anything! Who even thinks of something like that? Points to M.L. Wang for the incredible creativity, this was so fun to visualize.

The World: Cold but Beautiful

The setting of Kaigen is rich and through it Wang has built a world that is so easy to get lost in. Kaigen itself is ancient and steeped in tradition, but fractured from the rest of the world by government propaganda and politics. It feels secluded but strong.

The real magic of this story however, is the characters. Let’s talk about the two amazing protagonists.

The Heart: Misaki’s Journey to Wholeness

Misaki’s journey hit me the hardest, because it was just so raw. Her introspection inspired me to look into myself a little deeper. This story singlehandedly altered my perspective on very big topics like pain, grief, regret, and heartbreak.

Misaki’s life did not unfold exactly how she had hoped it would and things didn’t go according to plan. She honored tradition rather than her own desires and paid the price in silence- stifling everything she knew herself to be. She left behind the love of her life, abandoned her military prowess, all trusting that it was the right thing to do. She became a mother realizing quickly that motherhood wasn’t something she fully desired for herself, and in the role she chose to take on, it consumed her, swallowing all other aspects of her identity.

Watching her unravel, confront herself (and physically fight her husband Takeru, who stifled her identity), and slowly begin to stitch together a new identity, combining who she wanted to be and was with the life she created was beautiful and empowering.

“Wholeness, she learned, was not the absence of pain but the ability to hold it.”

A stand out moment, and a great end scene to the novel, comes when she reunites with Robin- the love she lost long ago. She realizes that grief and love don’t vanish, they both just linger, never fully resolving. But that doesn’t mean joy is out of reach- and more importantly, she can carry both. Just because one life did not play out for her, doesn’t mean she has to miss out on the happiness in another.

“She would always love Robin, the same way she would always miss Mamoru. For everything that had changed, this hadn’t. It hurt. Gods in the Deep, it hurt, but it didn’t consume her. After so long, she had learned to carry it like a woman.”

Through her bond and loss of her son Mamoru, Misaki literally claws her way back to herself. She stands up to her husband, forcing him (and herself) to accept the ways in which she is superior and strong, and learns to accept her children for who they are, let go of regret, and open herself to loving them more fully.

The Loss: Mamoru’s Hero’s Journey

Oh, Mamoru. I know, this one hurts. He had his own journey of self actualization and introspection. Mamoru is only a child when he uncovers some pretty deep truths. He learns that his entire worldview was shaped by propaganda. But he ultimately finds purpose and direction, he will protect those he loves- regardless of how half-truths have shaped his identity. It’s some deep stuff for a 15 year old to come to uncover and come to terms with. Watching him go from an impressionable child progeny, to a young man who is beginning to stand firm in his principles, only to read his death was just awful. It felt like Mamoru’s story ended when it was just beginning in earnest. Which I guess was the point; life can be unfair and full of pain. But it can also be wonderful and full of beauty.

The Takeaway

This was a story with elemental magic, political intrigue, and epic battles. But, The Sword of Kaigen is more than that. It’s a story about what it means to live; to live with the weight of regret and loss and to find love and peace among the wreckage.

The longer I sit with this novel, the more it lingers.

A required addition to anyone’s TBR.