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The Dragon Saga #1
The Priestess and the Dragon
An arrogant dragon. A smart mouthed priestess. The fate of the world depends on them working together.
We’re doomed.
Suzume’s life was perfect. That was until she was exiled. Living in a remote mountain shrine, couldn’t get any worse. At least that’s what she thought before she awakened a dragon. Because when she frees the Dragon, she catches fire. But she doesn’t burn.
The Dragon, Kaito, has been trapped for five hundred years. Now he wants revenge. Suzume may not be able to control her new-found ability, just yet, but she’s willing to fake it, if it will get her back home.
With new powers come dangerous enemies. Someone wants Suzume dead. Her powers have made her a target. And getting back her old life will not be as easy as she thought.
A power-hungry monster is out to destroy the world. And they are the only ones who can stop it. But can they learn to work together before it’s too late?
We’re doomed.
Suzume’s life was perfect. That was until she was exiled. Living in a remote mountain shrine, couldn’t get any worse. At least that’s what she thought before she awakened a dragon. Because when she frees the Dragon, she catches fire. But she doesn’t burn.
The Dragon, Kaito, has been trapped for five hundred years. Now he wants revenge. Suzume may not be able to control her new-found ability, just yet, but she’s willing to fake it, if it will get her back home.
With new powers come dangerous enemies. Someone wants Suzume dead. Her powers have made her a target. And getting back her old life will not be as easy as she thought.
A power-hungry monster is out to destroy the world. And they are the only ones who can stop it. But can they learn to work together before it’s too late?
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2015
477 people are currently reading
2792 people want to read
About the author
Nicolette Andrews
41 books663 followersNicolette Andrews is a born and raised San Diegan with a passion for fantasy, especially if it has a romance and some mystery and intrigue mixed it doesn't go amiss either. Apart from writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, preferably somewhere outside enjoying the San Diego sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
July 21, 2018
Suzume is a princess in exile by her father, the emperor. Her mother had an affair, and now all her children are banished from the palace. Suzume is sent to a remote mountain shrine to become a priestess, a bride of the god of the mountain.
Suzume has no magic until she walks into the shrine. Magic is released, and the god of the mountain is awakened. Except he’s not a god, he’s an arrogant dragon named Kaito.
All Suzume wants is to return to her old life at the palace. But fate has another plan. The dragon was sealed by the priestess Kazue many years ago, and he believes Suzume is her reincarnation.
Suzume is far too independent (and stubborn) to let some dead priestess dictate what she’s going to do, reincarnation or not. She’s got her own life, and that involves leaving the mountain and getting back to it.
Kaito has a score to settle with her and won’t let her get away so easily. I loved the bickering back and forth between the two characters. They were so mean and so funny to each other. There’s potential for some serious romance in this series.
The world is well developed and the secondary characters are distinct. I don’t read manga or watch anime, but I have a feeling this book would be good for fans of Inuyasha, which I saw episodes of in high school. The main character is the reincarnation of the dragon’s priestess love, who sealed him in stone. The world is filled with yokai, which are animal like humanoids with magic powers. There’s even a quest for stones.
If you are looking for a fantasy based in feudal Japan with a lot of Japanese folklore and myths, you will love this one. If you are looking for what looks like the start of a slow burn romance between enemies, you might want to give this a try too.
Suzume has no magic until she walks into the shrine. Magic is released, and the god of the mountain is awakened. Except he’s not a god, he’s an arrogant dragon named Kaito.
All Suzume wants is to return to her old life at the palace. But fate has another plan. The dragon was sealed by the priestess Kazue many years ago, and he believes Suzume is her reincarnation.
Suzume is far too independent (and stubborn) to let some dead priestess dictate what she’s going to do, reincarnation or not. She’s got her own life, and that involves leaving the mountain and getting back to it.
Kaito has a score to settle with her and won’t let her get away so easily. I loved the bickering back and forth between the two characters. They were so mean and so funny to each other. There’s potential for some serious romance in this series.
The world is well developed and the secondary characters are distinct. I don’t read manga or watch anime, but I have a feeling this book would be good for fans of Inuyasha, which I saw episodes of in high school. The main character is the reincarnation of the dragon’s priestess love, who sealed him in stone. The world is filled with yokai, which are animal like humanoids with magic powers. There’s even a quest for stones.
If you are looking for a fantasy based in feudal Japan with a lot of Japanese folklore and myths, you will love this one. If you are looking for what looks like the start of a slow burn romance between enemies, you might want to give this a try too.
May 18, 2019
Funny and comical book that was interesting but there were moments were the heroine annoyed the crap out of me.
December 10, 2016
A very good debut novel. I give it a solid 4.3 stars. Interesting premise, well developed characters and world, story-line develops well, and the ending leads well into the next novel. Only problem I had was that some of the segues and scene shifts were [slightly] rough, but that isn't an author problem, its an editor error. I also really like how several plot points have been left hanging, and some of the foreshadowing is also left unresolved. NICE WORK!
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel!!
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel!!
June 11, 2018
Well.
This is gonna be an unpopular opinion.
I recently read the Red Winter (by Annette Marie) trilogy and a friend recommended I check this trilogy out. And I can see why she'd say that - on the most basic level these both are inspired by the same sources and have a great deal in common.
Suzume is a spoiled, arrogant, impatient and frustrating exiled Princess. Due to her mother's sins, she's gone from beloved of the Court with an extremely eligible marriage prospect to a failure of a Priestess at an unremarkable and remote mountain shrine. Something she frequently tells us. Endlessly she whines out loud and silently about everything she lost. She makes no real effort to fit in, choosing instead to make enemies every time she opens her mouth.
Then there's Kaito, the Dragon she accidentally releases and of whom she meets her match for arrogance and attitude.
Rin, a kitsune and formerly married to a hanyou she cared deeply for before his passing, joins after a few chapters of her own third person POV. I liked her.
Akira/Tsuki - a pair of siblkngs cursed by Kazue 500 years previously, join the merry band and they're OKAY, tho I like Akira better.
Hisato terrorizes the group regularly. I didn't like him.
Suzume pissed me off. I took such an immediate dislike to her that grew as the book went on.
But my real problem friends was THE OBVIOUS PLOT GRAB FROM INUYASHA. Red Winter was obvious about it - the marketing material was up front about the comparisons. It distinguished itself however in the genuine relationship it built and the secondary characters.
This does no such thing.
Suzume is a reincarnation of Kazue. Kaito was in love with Kazue (who betrayed him) . A weird half demon shapeshifter THING created from darkness terrorizes the heroes in his quest to obtain Suzume and become a god. Kaito treats Suzume like shit and whether it's out loud or silent compares her to Kazue CONSTANTLY. Kazue's unfinished business is inherited by Suzume, who emo-whines constantly that Kaito doesn't see her, only the piece of her that is Kazue. A Quest must occur to gather fragments of theShikon no Tama scattered pieces of soul to unite them and defeat the Dark Thing once and for all.
This felt so all over the place with some convenient shit that happens (a girl in possession of a destiny will find that deus ex machina will track her down no matter what) and THAT ENTIRE WISH PART. True spoilers under cut.
So there you have it. I'm morbidly interested in the rest so I have book 2 on deck.
This is gonna be an unpopular opinion.
I recently read the Red Winter (by Annette Marie) trilogy and a friend recommended I check this trilogy out. And I can see why she'd say that - on the most basic level these both are inspired by the same sources and have a great deal in common.
Suzume is a spoiled, arrogant, impatient and frustrating exiled Princess. Due to her mother's sins, she's gone from beloved of the Court with an extremely eligible marriage prospect to a failure of a Priestess at an unremarkable and remote mountain shrine. Something she frequently tells us. Endlessly she whines out loud and silently about everything she lost. She makes no real effort to fit in, choosing instead to make enemies every time she opens her mouth.
Then there's Kaito, the Dragon she accidentally releases and of whom she meets her match for arrogance and attitude.
Rin, a kitsune and formerly married to a hanyou she cared deeply for before his passing, joins after a few chapters of her own third person POV. I liked her.
Akira/Tsuki - a pair of siblkngs cursed by Kazue 500 years previously, join the merry band and they're OKAY, tho I like Akira better.
Hisato terrorizes the group regularly. I didn't like him.
Suzume pissed me off. I took such an immediate dislike to her that grew as the book went on.
But my real problem friends was THE OBVIOUS PLOT GRAB FROM INUYASHA. Red Winter was obvious about it - the marketing material was up front about the comparisons. It distinguished itself however in the genuine relationship it built and the secondary characters.
This does no such thing.
Suzume is a reincarnation of Kazue. Kaito was in love with Kazue (who betrayed him) . A weird half demon shapeshifter THING created from darkness terrorizes the heroes in his quest to obtain Suzume and become a god. Kaito treats Suzume like shit and whether it's out loud or silent compares her to Kazue CONSTANTLY. Kazue's unfinished business is inherited by Suzume, who emo-whines constantly that Kaito doesn't see her, only the piece of her that is Kazue. A Quest must occur to gather fragments of the
This felt so all over the place with some convenient shit that happens (a girl in possession of a destiny will find that deus ex machina will track her down no matter what) and THAT ENTIRE WISH PART. True spoilers under cut.
So there you have it. I'm morbidly interested in the rest so I have book 2 on deck.
January 5, 2016
Favorite comedic moment: "You no eat me?" (the toad thing, 80).
While The Priestess and the Dragon is the first book in a separate series than Kitsune of the Tales of Akatsuki series, it ties in multiple characters from the first novel, set in the world of ancient Japan. Because of this, I may reference minor spoilers throughout my review – nothing major.
Suzume, the protagonist of The Priestess, is a princess who is nearly forced into life as a priestess due to a rumor spread in the court about her mother. She is a rebellious and stubborn spirit by nature; she can be wonderfully summarized by one of her own thoughts at the beginning of the book: “I did not choose this life and I will not obey your rules” (5).
Suzume is independent, proud, even manipulative to the point of folly, and an interesting match for the outwardly smug yet inwardly vulnerable Dragon, whose frozen rage is as potent as Suzume’s untamed fire.
To say Suzume is entitled is an understatement. I would even go so far as to say that her irritable self-righteousness can be grating. However, it is also this very quality that makes her interactions with the Dragon interesting. The two grate on each other’s nerves and wear down each other’s defenses with their mutually sharp tongues and quickness to anger. The two are a definite match.
At the beginning of the novel, Suzume unknowingly frees the Dragon from an artifact in which he was trapped for hundreds of years. Their individual desires immediately come to the forefront. For Suzume, it’s a quest for restored power and prestige; for the Dragon, it’s about revenge.
In his weakened state, the Dragon decides to use this fiery, sharp-tongued priestess, Suzume, to help him carry out his revenge on his former lover, who originally sealed him, breaking his heart in the process. Although the Dragon first thinks of Suzume as a means to an end, as he spends more time with her, he begins to find that he actually might enjoy her company.
They both quickly discover that he is the ice to her fire, though neither knows why. Suzume seems to be able to only use her powers when she feels threatened by the Dragon. The unknown relationship confuses them both and sets them down a path that ties back to the Dragon’s child with his lover and leads to a discovery about who, or perhaps rather what, Suzume is.
Both the Dragon and Fujikawa Kazue, the Dragon’s lover, are characters in a side plot in Kitsune. This story continues their tale as a sort of stand-alone spin-off series. The book also includes the assisting returning role of Rin, the other series’ kitsune protagonist.
The book ends on a minor cliffhanger while still achieving a sense of resolution by answering many questions. The ending presents a new quest that allows for the world of the characters to expand in coming books. This book can be mainly characterized as the evolution of two independent, restless souls who come together at first clashingly but slowly transform into a more unified force with a common mission and altered perspectives of the world and of each other. A journey of revenge unwittingly becomes a journey of truth and self-discovery.
My rating: a solid 4 stars; I enjoyed this novel even more than I did Kitsune.
While The Priestess and the Dragon is the first book in a separate series than Kitsune of the Tales of Akatsuki series, it ties in multiple characters from the first novel, set in the world of ancient Japan. Because of this, I may reference minor spoilers throughout my review – nothing major.
Suzume, the protagonist of The Priestess, is a princess who is nearly forced into life as a priestess due to a rumor spread in the court about her mother. She is a rebellious and stubborn spirit by nature; she can be wonderfully summarized by one of her own thoughts at the beginning of the book: “I did not choose this life and I will not obey your rules” (5).
Suzume is independent, proud, even manipulative to the point of folly, and an interesting match for the outwardly smug yet inwardly vulnerable Dragon, whose frozen rage is as potent as Suzume’s untamed fire.
To say Suzume is entitled is an understatement. I would even go so far as to say that her irritable self-righteousness can be grating. However, it is also this very quality that makes her interactions with the Dragon interesting. The two grate on each other’s nerves and wear down each other’s defenses with their mutually sharp tongues and quickness to anger. The two are a definite match.
At the beginning of the novel, Suzume unknowingly frees the Dragon from an artifact in which he was trapped for hundreds of years. Their individual desires immediately come to the forefront. For Suzume, it’s a quest for restored power and prestige; for the Dragon, it’s about revenge.
In his weakened state, the Dragon decides to use this fiery, sharp-tongued priestess, Suzume, to help him carry out his revenge on his former lover, who originally sealed him, breaking his heart in the process. Although the Dragon first thinks of Suzume as a means to an end, as he spends more time with her, he begins to find that he actually might enjoy her company.
They both quickly discover that he is the ice to her fire, though neither knows why. Suzume seems to be able to only use her powers when she feels threatened by the Dragon. The unknown relationship confuses them both and sets them down a path that ties back to the Dragon’s child with his lover and leads to a discovery about who, or perhaps rather what, Suzume is.
Both the Dragon and Fujikawa Kazue, the Dragon’s lover, are characters in a side plot in Kitsune. This story continues their tale as a sort of stand-alone spin-off series. The book also includes the assisting returning role of Rin, the other series’ kitsune protagonist.
The book ends on a minor cliffhanger while still achieving a sense of resolution by answering many questions. The ending presents a new quest that allows for the world of the characters to expand in coming books. This book can be mainly characterized as the evolution of two independent, restless souls who come together at first clashingly but slowly transform into a more unified force with a common mission and altered perspectives of the world and of each other. A journey of revenge unwittingly becomes a journey of truth and self-discovery.
My rating: a solid 4 stars; I enjoyed this novel even more than I did Kitsune.
May 2, 2020
I really loved this book in many ways it reminded me of Inuyasha with how the story was set up and main characters really do resemble the main characters from Inuyasha it was just enough to make an connection I really enjoyed this book looking forward to more. I really loved the characters Suzume and Kaito most of all I really liked the slow burn of the romance that is barely getting started. I really like Suzume's for her independence and her belief that she is hers alone I really liked her overall attitude. I really liked the other characters as well they make for a well rounded story that has so much potential. I really liked the plot with it beginning with Suzume waking the Dragon Kaito it became such as interesting story learning this or that about Suzume and Kaito and the world around them and how it ended up like it did. So overall I loved this book I will be continuing it soon.
January 18, 2021
This was interesting and pretty comical but I also felt myself getting bored as well. Of course there really isn’t much chemistry between the heroine and the dragon YET, I’m just not digging the relationship at all. As of right now my favorite character is Tsuki/Akira who are brother and sister who happen to be sharing a body at the moment. I also like Rin more than I do Suzume. 🤷🏻♀️
December 31, 2015
Oh my lordy lord. I feel so many things right now. It weird. I don’t like it.
Where the frick do I even begin? How do I start? I have no idea. Just bear with me on this one. It’s going to get weird.
Let the review commence.
Right from the very start I knew I would love this book. One freaking page!! I couldn’t believe how good this book was. There were multiple times I had to put my kindle down and just breathe. With every turning page I was dragged deeper to the point of no return. I am surprised I’m alive. I am in serious book hangover. I might be going insane.
The Priestess and the Dragon is set in the same world as Kitsune, another book I love by this author, but is set a good 500 years later. This came as a massive shock to me. From reading the summary I actually expected it to take place before Kitsune. While I was shocked, I was pleasantly shocked. This whole world is one of my favourites and I’ll be damned if you think I’m going to leave it. You can’t make me.
Our protagonist, Suzume, is one of my favourite characters of all time. She is fiery, passionate and very sarcastic. She is badass is every way. The dynamic between her and Kaito is unbelievable. It’s funny, it’s witty and I found myself laughing whenever they have one of their mini-spats. You have no idea how I felt when I was denied that freaking kiss. I am not one for romance but they are so well suited. The sexual tension was so intense. I genuinely thought that something would happen but NOPE! I was freaking denied. I’m still not over it.
Kaito the freaking Dragon. What a dick. At first. I couldn’t help but love him, even when he wanted to do less than pleasant things to Suzume. That aside, he is one of the best characters in this novel. Wr briefly meet him in Kitsune but we didn’t get to delve into his character. Turns out, he’s actually a pretty decent guy. When he’s not threatening the lives of many.
Speaking of characters… RIN IS BACK!! I literally put the book down and fangirled so hard when we came across her. But that joy was overshadowed by another feeling that I will not say because I’ll relive it and if that happens I’ll never finish this review. Anyway, I was so so so so so happy. As you know I loved Kitsune and to have Rin waltz back into my life was one of the best feelings ever.
This whole book was a new level of feelings. Oh. My. God.
Plot twists. The book was freaking full of them. And they are not the kind of plot twist that you just go “Oh. Okay then.” No! They freaking blew me away. Every time the book took a new turn and a plot twist happened I had to put the book down. I’m not even kidding. I set the kindle down on my bed, left the room and screamed. You think I’m kidding don’t you? I’m not. Ask my mum.
I lost a good couple of nights sleep because of this book. Want a piece of advice? If you think you can read just a couple of chapters before bed, don’t. Do not pick up that book. Go to sleep. Put it way out of temptations way and go the frack to sleep. I’m serious. Also, do not read in public. I still get funny looks when I go into my local Superdrug. Don’t ask.
And now we have the creatures. The Yokai in this world are ones I really do not want to encounter. I actually had a nightmare about the giant spider. I have serious arachnophobia and that spider scene did not help. While it wasn’t scary it was still quite freaky. *shivers* But despite the spider, the Yokai actually, while frightening, are quite interesting. There is a kind of hierarchy of that really intrigues me. There are a lot of lesser Yokai that we meet in this novel and I really can’t wait to see what other Yokai beings we’ll meet in future novels.
The villain, or villains, of this novel are on another level. Especially Hisato. God, is he evil? And the way he was created… Damn that was dark. I was slack jawed the entire chapter. I actually allowed my mother to read it and her face after was awesome. She had this sort of puzzled look on her face. I wish I had taken picture. Anyway, I have to say Hisato is going to be a great villain. He already is but I need more of his antics. They were dastardly, evil and I love every bit. That’s kind of wrong but I can’t help how I feel.
The ending. The freaking ending killed me. Well, technically it isn’t the ending but it’s close to the ending. The showdown was heart stopping. Every blow, every word exchange hit me hard and I held on to my seat with a white knuckle grip. I don’t want t give anything away but there was a moment where Suzume could have been a total bitch and do something very stupid. I’m not going to tell you what happens but trust me, you will be holding your breath through the whole chapter. I swear I lost my shit.
This is perhaps the longest review I’ve ever written. Totally worth every word.
Now. The very last chapter. The fact that something will happen kills me because Suzume, as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, will be heartbroken. Nicolette, I beg you. Don’t break me again. I don’t want the Kazue thing to happen and if it does I may fall into a deep dark pit of book grief and I may never return. Also, Kaito is an idiot. #Kazume (Kaito and Suzume) for the win!
There are still questions I need answers to. Like Suzume’s mother. Why did she really leave?
And who the hell is Kaito’s son? I would love it to be someone who I have previously come across and it’s someone he knows. That would be an epic twist.
I NEED ANSWERS!! Now. Seriously.
If this review hasn’t persuaded you to go and get this book, is there something wrong with you? Have I not stressed enough about how good this book is? How much more will it take?
And if I did persuade you, YAY! Comment down below and we’ll fangirl together.
We need to start a club or something. Nicolette is a fabulous author, one that is totally underrated in my opinion. She has quickly become one of my favourite authors and I seriously cannot wait for book 2 of Suzume’s adventure. Bring it on, Nicolette. I have my war paint on and I’m ready for whatever you throw at me.
Just one last thing.
BUY THE BOOK.
Now.
Okay. I’m done. I swear.
Buy the book!
Where the frick do I even begin? How do I start? I have no idea. Just bear with me on this one. It’s going to get weird.
Let the review commence.
Right from the very start I knew I would love this book. One freaking page!! I couldn’t believe how good this book was. There were multiple times I had to put my kindle down and just breathe. With every turning page I was dragged deeper to the point of no return. I am surprised I’m alive. I am in serious book hangover. I might be going insane.
The Priestess and the Dragon is set in the same world as Kitsune, another book I love by this author, but is set a good 500 years later. This came as a massive shock to me. From reading the summary I actually expected it to take place before Kitsune. While I was shocked, I was pleasantly shocked. This whole world is one of my favourites and I’ll be damned if you think I’m going to leave it. You can’t make me.
Our protagonist, Suzume, is one of my favourite characters of all time. She is fiery, passionate and very sarcastic. She is badass is every way. The dynamic between her and Kaito is unbelievable. It’s funny, it’s witty and I found myself laughing whenever they have one of their mini-spats. You have no idea how I felt when I was denied that freaking kiss. I am not one for romance but they are so well suited. The sexual tension was so intense. I genuinely thought that something would happen but NOPE! I was freaking denied. I’m still not over it.
Kaito the freaking Dragon. What a dick. At first. I couldn’t help but love him, even when he wanted to do less than pleasant things to Suzume. That aside, he is one of the best characters in this novel. Wr briefly meet him in Kitsune but we didn’t get to delve into his character. Turns out, he’s actually a pretty decent guy. When he’s not threatening the lives of many.
Speaking of characters… RIN IS BACK!! I literally put the book down and fangirled so hard when we came across her. But that joy was overshadowed by another feeling that I will not say because I’ll relive it and if that happens I’ll never finish this review. Anyway, I was so so so so so happy. As you know I loved Kitsune and to have Rin waltz back into my life was one of the best feelings ever.
This whole book was a new level of feelings. Oh. My. God.
Plot twists. The book was freaking full of them. And they are not the kind of plot twist that you just go “Oh. Okay then.” No! They freaking blew me away. Every time the book took a new turn and a plot twist happened I had to put the book down. I’m not even kidding. I set the kindle down on my bed, left the room and screamed. You think I’m kidding don’t you? I’m not. Ask my mum.
I lost a good couple of nights sleep because of this book. Want a piece of advice? If you think you can read just a couple of chapters before bed, don’t. Do not pick up that book. Go to sleep. Put it way out of temptations way and go the frack to sleep. I’m serious. Also, do not read in public. I still get funny looks when I go into my local Superdrug. Don’t ask.
And now we have the creatures. The Yokai in this world are ones I really do not want to encounter. I actually had a nightmare about the giant spider. I have serious arachnophobia and that spider scene did not help. While it wasn’t scary it was still quite freaky. *shivers* But despite the spider, the Yokai actually, while frightening, are quite interesting. There is a kind of hierarchy of that really intrigues me. There are a lot of lesser Yokai that we meet in this novel and I really can’t wait to see what other Yokai beings we’ll meet in future novels.
The villain, or villains, of this novel are on another level. Especially Hisato. God, is he evil? And the way he was created… Damn that was dark. I was slack jawed the entire chapter. I actually allowed my mother to read it and her face after was awesome. She had this sort of puzzled look on her face. I wish I had taken picture. Anyway, I have to say Hisato is going to be a great villain. He already is but I need more of his antics. They were dastardly, evil and I love every bit. That’s kind of wrong but I can’t help how I feel.
The ending. The freaking ending killed me. Well, technically it isn’t the ending but it’s close to the ending. The showdown was heart stopping. Every blow, every word exchange hit me hard and I held on to my seat with a white knuckle grip. I don’t want t give anything away but there was a moment where Suzume could have been a total bitch and do something very stupid. I’m not going to tell you what happens but trust me, you will be holding your breath through the whole chapter. I swear I lost my shit.
This is perhaps the longest review I’ve ever written. Totally worth every word.
Now. The very last chapter. The fact that something will happen kills me because Suzume, as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, will be heartbroken. Nicolette, I beg you. Don’t break me again. I don’t want the Kazue thing to happen and if it does I may fall into a deep dark pit of book grief and I may never return. Also, Kaito is an idiot. #Kazume (Kaito and Suzume) for the win!
There are still questions I need answers to. Like Suzume’s mother. Why did she really leave?
And who the hell is Kaito’s son? I would love it to be someone who I have previously come across and it’s someone he knows. That would be an epic twist.
I NEED ANSWERS!! Now. Seriously.
If this review hasn’t persuaded you to go and get this book, is there something wrong with you? Have I not stressed enough about how good this book is? How much more will it take?
And if I did persuade you, YAY! Comment down below and we’ll fangirl together.
We need to start a club or something. Nicolette is a fabulous author, one that is totally underrated in my opinion. She has quickly become one of my favourite authors and I seriously cannot wait for book 2 of Suzume’s adventure. Bring it on, Nicolette. I have my war paint on and I’m ready for whatever you throw at me.
Just one last thing.
BUY THE BOOK.
Now.
Okay. I’m done. I swear.
Buy the book!
September 14, 2019
I ended up skipping a lot of chapters just to get to the end. Because of that I won't write a full review, but let me say that I found this book to be overly extended. A lot happens that carries the book in a stagnant direction and has no real impact on the plot. I also wasn't sure how I felt about it being an almost exact copy of Inuyasha but I didn't take stars away because of this fact since I just read a book that was similar to another but I liked it.
I have the next to books in this series but I doubt I'll read them. I didn't care for the characters. Suzume is described as "smart-mouthed" but more accurately she's snobby and spoiled. Her flippant and rude attitude to just about everyone quickly started to grate. I wanted to shake her.
There's plenty of other things I could nitpick but, I'll just stop here. I might flip through the last two books, but only because I already own them.
I have the next to books in this series but I doubt I'll read them. I didn't care for the characters. Suzume is described as "smart-mouthed" but more accurately she's snobby and spoiled. Her flippant and rude attitude to just about everyone quickly started to grate. I wanted to shake her.
There's plenty of other things I could nitpick but, I'll just stop here. I might flip through the last two books, but only because I already own them.
March 1, 2020
Yeah, that's a yikes from me, chief. The heroine is snobby and rude and her "love interest" is walking garbage. The plot is an Inuyasha fanfic and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one really peeved by the heroine and the confusing plot. I get that Suzume's the way she is due to her background, but she never learns from her mistakes and never develops as a character.
At least it was free.
At least it was free.
March 6, 2024
3.5
This book left me conflicted.
Starting with the negatives: I hardly comment on language and writing style unless I notice something that throws me off. In this case there are way to many word repetitions, like at the beginning of a sentence or there are whole paragraphs that have, for example like 15 times the word oni or priestess, maybe to mix it up some it or she’s. And it doesn’t serve the purpose of emphasizing something. I just wish the author had used some synonyms or descriptions.
And despite using two different limited 3rd person narrator perspectives it didn’t feel as these two perspectives would benefit the experience. There are hardly any elaborated train of thoughts that lead to a better understanding of the characters or allows the reader to witness them making a decision. At some point Suzuki for example will tell you, that she decided to accept an offer, but there was never a scene showing her conflicted feeling, balancing reasons.
That was frustrating to me as a reader who really likes character based story telling.
It might be the reason that I, being indecisive whether to give it 3 or 4 stars, rate it lower.
Nonetheless, especially with the book being for free right now, I really enjoyed the general story and idea and would definitely recommend to give it a try if the burp draws interest. Growing up I watched Inu Yasha and therefore, this hit right into my nostalgic feelings.
Some of the roadblocks and enemies they met really reminded me of that series, without feeling like a copycat.
This book left me conflicted.
Starting with the negatives: I hardly comment on language and writing style unless I notice something that throws me off. In this case there are way to many word repetitions, like at the beginning of a sentence or there are whole paragraphs that have, for example like 15 times the word oni or priestess, maybe to mix it up some it or she’s. And it doesn’t serve the purpose of emphasizing something. I just wish the author had used some synonyms or descriptions.
And despite using two different limited 3rd person narrator perspectives it didn’t feel as these two perspectives would benefit the experience. There are hardly any elaborated train of thoughts that lead to a better understanding of the characters or allows the reader to witness them making a decision. At some point Suzuki for example will tell you, that she decided to accept an offer, but there was never a scene showing her conflicted feeling, balancing reasons.
That was frustrating to me as a reader who really likes character based story telling.
It might be the reason that I, being indecisive whether to give it 3 or 4 stars, rate it lower.
Nonetheless, especially with the book being for free right now, I really enjoyed the general story and idea and would definitely recommend to give it a try if the burp draws interest. Growing up I watched Inu Yasha and therefore, this hit right into my nostalgic feelings.
Some of the roadblocks and enemies they met really reminded me of that series, without feeling like a copycat.
October 17, 2015
Before I tell you what I think of The Priestess and The Dragon, let me just point out that I was given a free copy for the purpose of reviewing it. With that being said, the book it totally worth its money.
Everyone who knows me well would label me as a slow reader. Very slow. Nevertheless, it took me two days to finish this book; I just couldn't put it down.
Being a writer as well, I did find myself making the occasional correction to avoid repetition or because a word didn't sound well to me in the place it was (for example, writing "said" after the character asked a question), but believe me, those few amendments did not put me off the story. Besides, as I've already told you, I was given a review copy and I know there's a newer, better edited version out there on the market.
I really enjoyed the settings in the book; they gave me an old-timey, Asian feeling. I'm not sure how many Eastern country mythologies Nicolette included in her book, but I know there are some creatures from Japanese folklore, such as Rin, who is a Kitsune (a shape shifting fox that also has a humanoid form). If you are not familiar with the folklore of the land of the rising sun, you might need to pause your reading and google a few terms. Don't worry, there's just a few of them.
Something else I liked were the characters. One of the main ones - the priestess Suzume, is actually annoying at times as in the beginning of the book she can't really do anything on her own, but she also happens to be the emperor's daughter and grew up in a palace, so that is understandable. It's fun to see her mentality develop and how she manages her newfound powers. Plus, she's stubborn; I like stubborn.
Speaking of fun: the dragon - Kaito, is sometimes so haughty, he makes me want to punch him (probably not a good idea, considering he can turn me into an icicle), but at other times he's actually rather amusing, although I've seem to have developed a softer spot for Tsuki and his playful (and sometimes deadly) nature.
Who is Tsuki?
Read The Priestess and The Dragon and you'll find out!
Everyone who knows me well would label me as a slow reader. Very slow. Nevertheless, it took me two days to finish this book; I just couldn't put it down.
Being a writer as well, I did find myself making the occasional correction to avoid repetition or because a word didn't sound well to me in the place it was (for example, writing "said" after the character asked a question), but believe me, those few amendments did not put me off the story. Besides, as I've already told you, I was given a review copy and I know there's a newer, better edited version out there on the market.
I really enjoyed the settings in the book; they gave me an old-timey, Asian feeling. I'm not sure how many Eastern country mythologies Nicolette included in her book, but I know there are some creatures from Japanese folklore, such as Rin, who is a Kitsune (a shape shifting fox that also has a humanoid form). If you are not familiar with the folklore of the land of the rising sun, you might need to pause your reading and google a few terms. Don't worry, there's just a few of them.
Something else I liked were the characters. One of the main ones - the priestess Suzume, is actually annoying at times as in the beginning of the book she can't really do anything on her own, but she also happens to be the emperor's daughter and grew up in a palace, so that is understandable. It's fun to see her mentality develop and how she manages her newfound powers. Plus, she's stubborn; I like stubborn.
Speaking of fun: the dragon - Kaito, is sometimes so haughty, he makes me want to punch him (probably not a good idea, considering he can turn me into an icicle), but at other times he's actually rather amusing, although I've seem to have developed a softer spot for Tsuki and his playful (and sometimes deadly) nature.
Who is Tsuki?
Read The Priestess and The Dragon and you'll find out!
October 7, 2015
Hi,
I'm a french reader on wattpad and i have read the new and improved version of the book, for the wattpad readers it's truly a better version, the plot is more detailed and make a lot more sense. For the newcomers first i read this story because i like japanese culture but this book is a fantasy story not a historical one. It's more about folklore and legend, don't expect a "mate story" with a dragon and all that jazz, it's based on facts and it's pretty serious, not that serious because the author don't forget to add humour. That's what i loved about this story, the plot is good and there is lot of drama, the love story isn't simple because suzume is not simply a reincarnation ( at all) and kaito is very loyal to the only woman he loved. So don't expect them to like each other at first sight, the first book is more about the building of friendship and trust. The two main character have a difficult past and love doesn't come easily ! and that's truly refreshing. I'm very excited for the book two, i think kaito will really struggle to keep himself in check and poor suzume will suffer...perhaps she will take charge to be her own person?? read to find out !
I'm a french reader on wattpad and i have read the new and improved version of the book, for the wattpad readers it's truly a better version, the plot is more detailed and make a lot more sense. For the newcomers first i read this story because i like japanese culture but this book is a fantasy story not a historical one. It's more about folklore and legend, don't expect a "mate story" with a dragon and all that jazz, it's based on facts and it's pretty serious, not that serious because the author don't forget to add humour. That's what i loved about this story, the plot is good and there is lot of drama, the love story isn't simple because suzume is not simply a reincarnation ( at all) and kaito is very loyal to the only woman he loved. So don't expect them to like each other at first sight, the first book is more about the building of friendship and trust. The two main character have a difficult past and love doesn't come easily ! and that's truly refreshing. I'm very excited for the book two, i think kaito will really struggle to keep himself in check and poor suzume will suffer...perhaps she will take charge to be her own person?? read to find out !
August 25, 2018
The plot itself was at least interesting. But every single character was beyond annoying and unpleasant. The hero never does anything but smirk, yell at the heroine or threaten to kill her (seriously, why is this a thing that keeps happening in paranormal or romance books? threatening a woman's life isn't dangerously sexy, it's dangerous, period. It's an especially appalling trope when in the real world women are most often murdered by a intimate partner and domestic violence is still so prevalent.) The heroine literally can't walk 100 feet without 1-falling down, 2-being kidnapped, 3-falling down while being kidnapped. She's constantly complaining, lies to just about everyone, and then can't understand why no one trusts her. Then there's the villain--who is obsessed with her and wants to be with her....even though she's kind of sort-of, but not-really, a reincarnation of his mother. Which is super disgusting. Rounding out the group is a trio of other magical beings who are hundreds of years old, but apparently have little else to contribute than to try to flirt with/attempt to seduce one or the other of the main pair and try to make them jealous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love how in this book some of the characters from Kitsune return to be part of the story. Suzume is a very headstrong princess who was exiled along with her mother and siblings because her mother supposedly cheated on her father the Emperor. Of course throughout the story it's alluded to that something besides adultery is the real reason that she was exiled. Suzume is very spoiled and throughout the book she starts to lose her spoiledness but still retains some of it by the end of it.
Kaito is the Dragon from the book Kitsune and after he is set free from his seal he vows to find and kill the reincarnation of his former lover. Of course most people in the book that the two interact with are convinced that Suzume is Kazue's reincarnation but she is very adamant that she is not.
This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I'm looking forward to reading book two in the series. The book is available for pre-order for $.99 and will be released on October 17th. It's worth picking up and reading.
Rating: 4½ stars out 5
I love how in this book some of the characters from Kitsune return to be part of the story. Suzume is a very headstrong princess who was exiled along with her mother and siblings because her mother supposedly cheated on her father the Emperor. Of course throughout the story it's alluded to that something besides adultery is the real reason that she was exiled. Suzume is very spoiled and throughout the book she starts to lose her spoiledness but still retains some of it by the end of it.
Kaito is the Dragon from the book Kitsune and after he is set free from his seal he vows to find and kill the reincarnation of his former lover. Of course most people in the book that the two interact with are convinced that Suzume is Kazue's reincarnation but she is very adamant that she is not.
This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I'm looking forward to reading book two in the series. The book is available for pre-order for $.99 and will be released on October 17th. It's worth picking up and reading.
Rating: 4½ stars out 5
September 27, 2015
I loved this book. It is cleverly written, full of action and a flirtatious dance that is fun to watch. It is interesting that the dragon is an oriental dragon, more serpentine than what we see depicted in other stories. We forget that the Asian culture has different fairy tales and mythical creatures. It was a fun read and I look forward to the next installment.
July 13, 2017
I received an ARC of this book to review it. I loved it. Suzume is like my spirit warrior. She is so relatable and I loved her character and how well-developed she is. The entire novel is well-developed and written very well too. Kaito and Suzume's relationship is pure awesomeness and it will live on forever in my heart. 4 stars.
January 19, 2016
Magical
Loved it. So great. It was like reading a Studio Gibli film. So pretty. I liked the unique plot and that there actually wasn't a lot of romance
Loved it. So great. It was like reading a Studio Gibli film. So pretty. I liked the unique plot and that there actually wasn't a lot of romance
March 31, 2017
I loved this book. At first I wasn't too sure but the twists and turns made it make me want more. I am looking forward to the next book so I can see what happens to the characters!
November 3, 2016
I remember first finding this story on wattpad and I'm so glad I did it was an amazing story. It contains Japanese mythology and a lot of comedy>< I can't wait to re read it again on paperback!
October 15, 2022
I quite enjoyed this story; it was an interesting take on Asian mythology and general details. This is a pretty girth-y story and it has a bunch of details and things happening. it also allows for the characters to grow more! Suzume was a typical teenager. She grew up a princess and then that all went kaput when it came to like her mother enjoyed the company of people who were not her husband, the emperor. So she gets disowned and sent away to a temple to become a priestess. The dialogue is a little anachronistic to the ancient times, but I think it makes Suzume more relatable and much more like a 17 year old. Plus, it's a fun fantasy story with dragons, so whose to say that's not how they'd talk.
I think the length of the story helped give Suzume go from spoiled princess to a more worldly individual (but she's still a teenager, so as worldly as a teenager can get). She grows and learns and has a few close encounters with unsavory creatures.
I liked the multiple POVs. It helped get a better idea of what's going on and helped understand other characters. The dragon was an interesting character. He was trapped in stone by his human lover 500 hundred years ago, so when Suzume accidentally releases him, he's noticeably upset. It was fun going through his thoughts as he assimilates to the world that continued on without him.
I look forward to what happens in the next book, as the end of this one sets up the next one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator! She did an amazing job voicing all the characters. I also think she did a good job with the pronunciations because I know would have done poorly! I did listen to it at 1.2x speed, because I thought that improved the storytelling for me.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I think the length of the story helped give Suzume go from spoiled princess to a more worldly individual (but she's still a teenager, so as worldly as a teenager can get). She grows and learns and has a few close encounters with unsavory creatures.
I liked the multiple POVs. It helped get a better idea of what's going on and helped understand other characters. The dragon was an interesting character. He was trapped in stone by his human lover 500 hundred years ago, so when Suzume accidentally releases him, he's noticeably upset. It was fun going through his thoughts as he assimilates to the world that continued on without him.
I look forward to what happens in the next book, as the end of this one sets up the next one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator! She did an amazing job voicing all the characters. I also think she did a good job with the pronunciations because I know would have done poorly! I did listen to it at 1.2x speed, because I thought that improved the storytelling for me.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
dnf-lost-interest
April 14, 2020The hell...
December 26, 2020
This novel screams for attention from Inuyasha fans, and it fully delivers. I loved the idea of the Priestess and Dragon's relationship which was formed into an enemies to lovers vibe with the added mixture of her holding the soul of his past lover (aka Kagome and Inuyasha with Kikyo). Overall, a great start and I look forward to seeing more.
February 2, 2022
I can't stand Suzume and don't want to be in her head for the next few hundred pages so I'm tapping out.
I think her arc will prove to be interesting though so if you like hot-headed, selfish, entitled heroines who maybe(?) possibly(?) have a change of heart(?) then this book will be up your alley! (Maybe) 🤭
I think her arc will prove to be interesting though so if you like hot-headed, selfish, entitled heroines who maybe(?) possibly(?) have a change of heart(?) then this book will be up your alley! (Maybe) 🤭
April 27, 2019
I just couldn’t get into this book, I think mainly this was due to the characters (mainly Susume). The whole book she is mean, spoilt, whiny and thinks herself far superior to everyone which I guess is meant to show what she was like in court, but I don’t think she has any redeeming qualities at all and therefore as a reader I was completely put off.
Kaito was the hero in the story. I liked him better than Susume, he is portrayed as a trickster character which was done well, however he did seem to lack depth. I never really thought he cared for any of the characters and again I was expecting some growth at the end but both H and h remain the same person they were at the beginning.
The actual overreaching plot is taken from Inuyasha, which was an awesome series ages ago. Basically in Inuyasha a Demon/Yokai falls in love with a priestess, however they are manipulated and think they have betrayed each other, in the end the priestess seals the Yokai away for centuries. Cut to the current time line and the reincarnation of the priestess frees the Yokai and they begin to fall in love even though the Yokai is still angry at the betrayal but also loves the past priestess. Now this story is pretty much the same, which is why I didn’t DNF this book, the characters were annoying but I wanted to see the resolution of these characters.
Also I think the plot was a little lost, the action seemed to jump from one scene to the next without a break (even for the characters) and I was often left trying to catch up with what was happening, for instance: Susume is placed in this hallucination world but escapes (Kaito helps her out), then immediately after on the road Susume is granted wishes (out of no where) Kaito has a chapter here saying how he is accepting Susume and doesn’t want to harm her, but then the next scene is Susume wishing he would forget that she is a reincarnation...it was like...what? So they are not discussing the hallucination? and the wish thing never comes up again it just felt very random like the author was thinking oh this be cool to add, without actually letting the characters process it and therefore grow from their experiences.
I will most likely read the next book, it is free on KI, purely as I want to see the end, but I don’t think this is one I will re-read at any point.
Kaito was the hero in the story. I liked him better than Susume, he is portrayed as a trickster character which was done well, however he did seem to lack depth. I never really thought he cared for any of the characters and again I was expecting some growth at the end but both H and h remain the same person they were at the beginning.
The actual overreaching plot is taken from Inuyasha, which was an awesome series ages ago. Basically in Inuyasha a Demon/Yokai falls in love with a priestess, however they are manipulated and think they have betrayed each other, in the end the priestess seals the Yokai away for centuries. Cut to the current time line and the reincarnation of the priestess frees the Yokai and they begin to fall in love even though the Yokai is still angry at the betrayal but also loves the past priestess. Now this story is pretty much the same, which is why I didn’t DNF this book, the characters were annoying but I wanted to see the resolution of these characters.
Also I think the plot was a little lost, the action seemed to jump from one scene to the next without a break (even for the characters) and I was often left trying to catch up with what was happening, for instance: Susume is placed in this hallucination world but escapes (Kaito helps her out), then immediately after on the road Susume is granted wishes (out of no where) Kaito has a chapter here saying how he is accepting Susume and doesn’t want to harm her, but then the next scene is Susume wishing he would forget that she is a reincarnation...it was like...what? So they are not discussing the hallucination? and the wish thing never comes up again it just felt very random like the author was thinking oh this be cool to add, without actually letting the characters process it and therefore grow from their experiences.
I will most likely read the next book, it is free on KI, purely as I want to see the end, but I don’t think this is one I will re-read at any point.
August 22, 2018
Interesting story
I won't kid when i say that i almost smashed my phone acouple of times while reading this. I kept imagining Suzume in class and that tongue of hers lashing out at the proffesors, immediate expulsion😂😂😂. I like that fact that the author pointed it out that Suzume knew that she was selfish because i kept hoping that she would change as the book went on but- she got worse expect (the only good part) she forgot about her fabulous dream and chose to do the right thing instead.
As for Kaito; dragons are short tempered yet i kept comparing this ones character to a leprechaun. He was selfish and only cared about his pot of gold which in his case was his revange and his Kazue. I'm not sure how his character is in the second book but HE BETTER BE NICE to Suzumu.
Rin; I hop this one would get the same thing that the dragon got which is the reincarnation of her love, she takes the title pet from Suzume. 🐺
The other characters also played some good roles but my conern is with Hisako, I mean - would a love triangle really take place over the next books or?
I hope i didn't spoil anything, the book was good despite the unnecessary drama. It was fun to read about a damsel in distress turn into a warrior. 👏👏👏
I won't kid when i say that i almost smashed my phone acouple of times while reading this. I kept imagining Suzume in class and that tongue of hers lashing out at the proffesors, immediate expulsion😂😂😂. I like that fact that the author pointed it out that Suzume knew that she was selfish because i kept hoping that she would change as the book went on but- she got worse expect (the only good part) she forgot about her fabulous dream and chose to do the right thing instead.
As for Kaito; dragons are short tempered yet i kept comparing this ones character to a leprechaun. He was selfish and only cared about his pot of gold which in his case was his revange and his Kazue. I'm not sure how his character is in the second book but HE BETTER BE NICE to Suzumu.
Rin; I hop this one would get the same thing that the dragon got which is the reincarnation of her love, she takes the title pet from Suzume. 🐺
The other characters also played some good roles but my conern is with Hisako, I mean - would a love triangle really take place over the next books or?
I hope i didn't spoil anything, the book was good despite the unnecessary drama. It was fun to read about a damsel in distress turn into a warrior. 👏👏👏
March 20, 2017
Really interesting book, I loved the setting and the world building. The characters and their relationships were well-developed, too. I liked that the Dragon and Suzume both had character flaws that made them their own worst enemies, so there was and still is lots of room for them to grow.
The world that was created was fascinating and full of magic, in a way that you would want to see and experience, despite the dangers.
It's just a really interesting, unique read. I'm hard-pressed to think of another book that is quite like this one. A unique read that makes me want to read more.
Added note, I remember this. What I also like is the chemistry between the main characters. To me, books that are filled with adult scenes aren't as compelling as something like this, where there is a sexy chemistry between the two leads. I'll take that any day over raunch.
The world that was created was fascinating and full of magic, in a way that you would want to see and experience, despite the dangers.
It's just a really interesting, unique read. I'm hard-pressed to think of another book that is quite like this one. A unique read that makes me want to read more.
Added note, I remember this. What I also like is the chemistry between the main characters. To me, books that are filled with adult scenes aren't as compelling as something like this, where there is a sexy chemistry between the two leads. I'll take that any day over raunch.
September 18, 2017
This was no quick read but it was well worth the time invested in enjoying every single page turn. There were well developed characters. A very strong lure to Suzume. Her life at a mountain shrine for training to become a priestess was alluring on its own. The for her to wake a dragon that one of her previous lives had locked away in the mountain was a strange twist for her life. The dragon, Kaito that she release has his sights set on vengeance. This read was captivating from beginning to end. I took my time to enjoy the world that Nicolette built. The strength and determination of Suzume was the strength of the book.
There were hidden depths, possible foreshadowing and some questions left un-answered. I am looking forward to the next step.
We finished this read just before school began. I found this a great summer read in fantasy with my favorite subject of fantasy, dragons.
There were hidden depths, possible foreshadowing and some questions left un-answered. I am looking forward to the next step.
We finished this read just before school began. I found this a great summer read in fantasy with my favorite subject of fantasy, dragons.
December 22, 2017
I must admit that this style of book is not the usual genre that i enjoy reading, in fact it really is not my cup of tea at all, however it is a very intricate book which i am sure fans of Japanese anime would love! The heroine Suzume, the daughter of the emperor hence a princes forced to turn priestess and who unknowingly freed the dragon is a very silly kind of spoilt brat who spent most of her time face down in the mud!! I never knew anyone more clumsy than this character, Kaito the dragon on the other hand is quite a lovable character totally enamoured by a human who had entombed him for hundreds of years and who could not make up his mind whether he wanted revenge or to get back with Suzume who he was certain was the reincarnation of Kazue. Also many thing where just happening without an explanation, too much like a comic book for my liking.
February 17, 2025
I really do try hard not to judge a book right away, hence why I often give it to 25%/100 pages (whichever comes first) before I'll stop reading. But I knew from the first page that I was not going to stick with this one.
Premise sounded cool (other reviews say it's basically Inuyasha, so of course it's cool), but I am vibing zero with the execution. I don't like the writing style, it's very boring. Often just lists of actions with a criminal lack of variation in sentence structure, which is half the reason it's so boring. There's nothing exciting in the construction of it to engage my interest or make me feel anything at all. The action felt random because of this lack of emotive narration, apparently some monkeys exploded and were reduced to just "pieces", but it is simply stated to be this way and we move on, so it wasn't cool even though I think it was supposed to be. When the characters are supposed to be feeling any kind of emotion, it is simply told to us that they are feeling it, and that's not even all of the time. Sometimes we just have to assume how they must be feeling based on absolutely nothing at all other than imagining how WE would be feeling in this situation. It reminds me of the way I used to write when I was like 11 and I didn't know that there was an actual learned skill in writing and not just something anyone could do right away.
The writing was my biggest ick and the thing that has ultimately put me off permanently. There are other things I didn't like which I could have lived with.
Suzume and Kaito are just unbearable.
Suzume is self-absorbed and vain and honestly? Not much else. She is extremely two-dimensional with not a single surface-level redeeming quality that would make me like her, never mind anything with more substance. The only interesting thing about her is that the plot is happening to her (and something about being the reincarnation of a 500-year-old priestess, but that's not a personality trait and it's not something I can love about a character). She isn't nice to a single other character. She is bitter and rude to everyone (I literally don't care that it's because of her royal status), thinks of herself as better than everyone else she meets, hates Kaito but still somehow finds it within herself to comment often on how hot he is (puke).
Kaito is supposed to be this ancient dragon who has been awakened from a sleep he was forced into and is hungry for revenge, but he is literally just some guy who talks a lot of shit but never actually follows through with it, so he has this problem where he's supposed to be scary but he's not because he is never shown to be an actual threat, and he's also supposed to be sexy but he can't even be scary properly so he fails at that too. He bops about pretending he is going to lustfully touch Suzume but never does, spends a considerable amount of time laughing very hard at her for things that are only funny if you're 7 years old, and likes to call her his "pet", in an attempt to demean her except it only mildly pisses her off and in no other way is she treated like one would expect an ancient dragon to treat a lowly human bride. Like I said, he's just some guy.
Additionally, the world-building is lacking in that we are treated as if we already know this world as well as we do our own. There is no context provided for a lot of the terminology used nor do we even understand the significance of the dragon. I do think that might come later, because right when I left off we finally seemed to be getting hints of what happened 500 years ago when Kaito was sealed, but like, Suzume accidentally unsealed him and didn't even think to herself "oh my god, what the HELL is going on", she just rolls with it, so it's like...is this not meant to be a big deal??
My final biggest issue is that Kaito randomly takes Suzume to this natural hot spring so that she will have a vision, and there's this tiny Thumbelina sized old lady there who I guess is god or something because she seems to know everything. Suzume asks her to basically explain what the hell is going on with the magic, the past, the plot etc. And this tiny Thumbelina lady basically tells her "now is not the time, you will learn as you go on your journey". That is the dumbest thing I could even conceive of. You are now admitting that someone has all the answers and apparently the forethought/powers of prophecy to understand exactly what journey the characters will go on and why and what will happen there. But why is this someone sitting there telling the main character "yes, I Know All, but I'm not going to tell you because if I told you, we wouldn't have a three-book series to sell, would we?" I'm sorry, this kind of plot device NEVER works. It would have been better if there was no tiny Thumbelina lady, and instead Suzume decided on her own not to tell Kaito about the vision. She could have been portrayed as smart, even conniving, and this would have further cemented the idea that she doesn't trust Kaito and shown that she is actually paying attention. Because so far, Suzume and Kaito are travelling together and apparently are married sort of but not really, but they don't even feel like they're existing in the same space together, they are just like dolls someone sat side by side who are randomly saying lines at each other without any real thought or feeling behind them.
I started writing this review giving it a 2-star rating but I've bumped it down to 1 because I don't think I actually did like anything about this. This is a bad month for reading it seems, I've been sorely disappointed again.
Premise sounded cool (other reviews say it's basically Inuyasha, so of course it's cool), but I am vibing zero with the execution. I don't like the writing style, it's very boring. Often just lists of actions with a criminal lack of variation in sentence structure, which is half the reason it's so boring. There's nothing exciting in the construction of it to engage my interest or make me feel anything at all. The action felt random because of this lack of emotive narration, apparently some monkeys exploded and were reduced to just "pieces", but it is simply stated to be this way and we move on, so it wasn't cool even though I think it was supposed to be. When the characters are supposed to be feeling any kind of emotion, it is simply told to us that they are feeling it, and that's not even all of the time. Sometimes we just have to assume how they must be feeling based on absolutely nothing at all other than imagining how WE would be feeling in this situation. It reminds me of the way I used to write when I was like 11 and I didn't know that there was an actual learned skill in writing and not just something anyone could do right away.
The writing was my biggest ick and the thing that has ultimately put me off permanently. There are other things I didn't like which I could have lived with.
Suzume and Kaito are just unbearable.
Suzume is self-absorbed and vain and honestly? Not much else. She is extremely two-dimensional with not a single surface-level redeeming quality that would make me like her, never mind anything with more substance. The only interesting thing about her is that the plot is happening to her (and something about being the reincarnation of a 500-year-old priestess, but that's not a personality trait and it's not something I can love about a character). She isn't nice to a single other character. She is bitter and rude to everyone (I literally don't care that it's because of her royal status), thinks of herself as better than everyone else she meets, hates Kaito but still somehow finds it within herself to comment often on how hot he is (puke).
Kaito is supposed to be this ancient dragon who has been awakened from a sleep he was forced into and is hungry for revenge, but he is literally just some guy who talks a lot of shit but never actually follows through with it, so he has this problem where he's supposed to be scary but he's not because he is never shown to be an actual threat, and he's also supposed to be sexy but he can't even be scary properly so he fails at that too. He bops about pretending he is going to lustfully touch Suzume but never does, spends a considerable amount of time laughing very hard at her for things that are only funny if you're 7 years old, and likes to call her his "pet", in an attempt to demean her except it only mildly pisses her off and in no other way is she treated like one would expect an ancient dragon to treat a lowly human bride. Like I said, he's just some guy.
Additionally, the world-building is lacking in that we are treated as if we already know this world as well as we do our own. There is no context provided for a lot of the terminology used nor do we even understand the significance of the dragon. I do think that might come later, because right when I left off we finally seemed to be getting hints of what happened 500 years ago when Kaito was sealed, but like, Suzume accidentally unsealed him and didn't even think to herself "oh my god, what the HELL is going on", she just rolls with it, so it's like...is this not meant to be a big deal??
My final biggest issue is that Kaito randomly takes Suzume to this natural hot spring so that she will have a vision, and there's this tiny Thumbelina sized old lady there who I guess is god or something because she seems to know everything. Suzume asks her to basically explain what the hell is going on with the magic, the past, the plot etc. And this tiny Thumbelina lady basically tells her "now is not the time, you will learn as you go on your journey". That is the dumbest thing I could even conceive of. You are now admitting that someone has all the answers and apparently the forethought/powers of prophecy to understand exactly what journey the characters will go on and why and what will happen there. But why is this someone sitting there telling the main character "yes, I Know All, but I'm not going to tell you because if I told you, we wouldn't have a three-book series to sell, would we?" I'm sorry, this kind of plot device NEVER works. It would have been better if there was no tiny Thumbelina lady, and instead Suzume decided on her own not to tell Kaito about the vision. She could have been portrayed as smart, even conniving, and this would have further cemented the idea that she doesn't trust Kaito and shown that she is actually paying attention. Because so far, Suzume and Kaito are travelling together and apparently are married sort of but not really, but they don't even feel like they're existing in the same space together, they are just like dolls someone sat side by side who are randomly saying lines at each other without any real thought or feeling behind them.
I started writing this review giving it a 2-star rating but I've bumped it down to 1 because I don't think I actually did like anything about this. This is a bad month for reading it seems, I've been sorely disappointed again.
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