The Twelve Kingdoms, Volume 1: Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono
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Book Reviews of The Twelve Kingdoms, Volume 1: Sea of Shadow
Book Review: A great read for young girls
Summary: 4 Stars
In the spirit of girl-power induced books and stories like Sailor Moon and Xena, you have the first of twelve books caled The Twelve Kingdoms. This tells the tale of Yoko, a red-haired schoolgirl outcast in modern day Japan with a traditionalist overbearing father and a mother who easily caves into him. That is until she is whisked away to a fantastical world similar to medieval China, a la Fushigi Yuugi.
It is here Yoko must fight evil using a Japanese sword specifically fitted to her. It is obvious from the uneven and often slow pacing of the story that this is to be the first in a long epic but it is still worth reading. The writing is well done and the creatures are interesting. I look forward to reading more.
Characters: A Yoko is a great role model for young girls struggling to fit in.
Plot: B The pacing is uneven but stil enjoyable.
Readability: A This is a translated version of a Japanese novel but it still rings true to its roots.
In short: B+ Buy it for a young girl who loves anime and warrior women or get it from your local library, but its still a good read.
Book Review: A fun read...
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed the anime series and since it's based on novels instead of manga I figured I'd read them. The book takes you deep into the world of the twelve kingdoms, and also into the mind of the heroine, Yoko, who is dealing with her own faults while trying to survive in an unfamiliar and hostile world. The author's descriptions give a vivid account of what it's like to be Yoko by mentioning "other senses" type of details, by which I mean senses other than sight. We hear about sounds, smells, and most importantly how things feel. The story is rich and complicated, but not so much that one can't put things together. I enjoyed this book, and anyone who is a fan of anime or manga would probably like it as well.Book Review: great book, can't wait for more...
Summary: 4 Stars
I was finding it difficult to find a bookstore that had or would have this book in stock, and was relieved to find it available here. I received this book in short order, and was finished reading it soon after that. It is an engaging story, with wonderful characters and a fully realized world. If you are a fan of the anime, the book explains a few things in greater detail and fills in questions I had. Altogether a great read. I highly reccomend this book.Book Review: Good ending, lukewarm beginning and middle
Summary: 3 Stars
I wish there were half-stars on Amazon, because my actual rating for this book would be a three and a half. For most of the book (i.e. the beginning and middle), my reaction was merely that it was okay. I had liked the premise for the book, which was why I bought it, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations as I began to read. After the initial set-up, I felt like the same things kept happening over and over again: Yoko fights demons, almost dies, gets help from strangers, and then the cycle repeats. There are also long periods of reflection, both in Yoko's mind and in conversation with "herself" (the blue monkey), which always seemed too similar to one another as well; there wasn't much progression until the final conversation. The whole idea of the "good girl" and Yoko's eventual lack of trust didn't feel natural too me~it was as though I could see the author pulling the strings, purposely feeding me information to get me to believe these character traits that just didn't seem to develop properly.
Don't get me wrong, though~there were quite a few things about the book I did enjoy, especially the ending. While much of the book gave me a humdrum feeling, by the time I closed the book I was left with the impression that I actually liked it. I am now even looking forward to the next volume. In short, the ending saved this book for me, which is why I wish I could give it three and a half stars instead of three. There were also other enjoyable points/ideas as well: I especially liked the concepts of beastlings, egg fruit, and the various other demons in the story, among other things. I just wish I was able to like all of the book, not just parts.
Book Review: not as good as everybody claims
Summary: 3 Stars
I picked up this book as a fan of the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres, and had heard this claimed as the Lord of the Rings of Japan. It is apparently very popular in Japan, and the reviews on this site are so glowing (check them out for plot summaries), I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed.
First of all, this novel is definitely geared towards young adults. There is a lack of depth in all the characters (despite considerable time spent on Yoko's internal struggles) and the history/politics of the Twelve Kingdoms. It just seemed superficial to me, only extending as far as the scope of the book and not like an actual alternate world. It's nowhere near the level of the Lord of the Rings. But I would say the book is unique enough, with all the Japanese and Chinese mythology, to entertain younger readers.
Secondly, compared to other uber-popular young adult fantasy novels like The Golden Compass and Harry Potter, not much happens in the book. The beginning is very good, but the middle section is quite repetitive (wander in forest, fight demons, get screwed by humans, talk to blue monkey, etc.). Then by the end, we get an invasion of another country, but the entire invasion is skipped over! We simply see the aftermath. At least it is enjoyable to see Yoko come into her own over the course of the book and become a character the reader can actually root for.
I think this is a good book, and probably worth reading, but my expectations were too high, and I was somewhat disappointed. If it adds anything, I have not seen the anime version, and after reading this book, I don't plan to.