Like many others, I jumped on the Year of Sanderson Kickstarter in 2022. I actually haven’t read much Sanderson, but I knew I wanted to support these Kickstarter stories of his nonetheless.
I waited far too long to begin reading the four books released from the Kickstarter, but better late than never, right? The gorgeous cover drew me to Yumi and the Nightmare Painter above the other three books. Well, that and the fact I’ve been in a Romantic Fantasy mood lately. I’m thrilled to report that I was not disappointed. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a beautiful story. With its lyrical prose, delicate star-crossed romance, and plentiful discussions of art, philosophy, and religion, there’s plenty to love.
| Title: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter | Author: Brandon Sanderson |
| Release Date: July 1, 2023 | Publisher: Tor / Dragonsteel Entertainment |
| Genre: Fantasy | Page Count: 479 |
Amazon / Goodreads / Dragonsteel Books
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.
Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?
Review:
Yumi is a yoki-hijo, a young woman chosen from birth to serve the spirits of her world. Her world is one of floating plants, scalding earth, and cool springs. She lives an exalted life, but a secluded one. Attendants do every action for her – they feed her, bathe her, dress her, shield her from view, and carry her to a new city daily, where she performs ritual activities to please the spirits and keep them happy. She does not even think to ask herself if she is happy.
Painter is a young man from a world that’s incredibly… modern? There are noodle houses, clothing stores, and carnivals. However, his world has no light source in the sky save one solitary star. It also has dangerous shadow-like nightmares that appear at night and feed on people.
When Painter and Yumi’s lives become entwined, the pair must live together, teach each other vital and not-so-vital skills, and solve the mysteries plaguing each world. I knew this was a romance, but I didn’t realize how romantic it would be! Because of the predicament Yumi and Painter find themselves in, they can’t exactly touch. While there was no spice, Sanderson includes plenty of longing stares, secret glances, and thoughtful looks. If you enjoy slow-burn romances, this is it!
I do think the ending to Yumi was very convenient. The conclusion to the main plot and those final action scenes were extremely satisfying. However, the way Sanderson ended the romance between Yumi and Painter was a bit too easy and seemed to break the rules of his world. That being said, I adored nearly every second of this book.
Audiobook:
I alternated between the audiobook and ebook for Yumi and enjoyed both. Kate Reading and Michael Kramer narrate the audiobook. Reading and Kramer also narrate The Wheel of Time series and the Stormlight Archive series. Kramer also narrates the entire Mistborn series. To say they have experience in the fantasy genre would be an understatement. They did exceedingly well with Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.
Even if you listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the ebook (on your library app, even!) to see the beautiful art in this book. The illustrations are next-level and make this ebook/physical book worth a read.
Final Thoughts:
I adored Yumi and Painter and loved their story so much. This book is perfect for loners and lonely people alike. It’s full of excellent characters, fascinating worlds, and some of the best sci-fantasy writing I’ve ever encountered.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Audiobook Challenge
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