Review by jbug0918 -- Chasing Dreams by Claire Youmans
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Review by jbug0918 -- Chasing Dreams by Claire Youmans
[Following is a volunteer review of "Chasing Dreams" by Claire Youmans.]
The Toki-girl and the Sparrow-boy: Chasing Dreams by Claire Youmans, is the second book in The Toki-girl and Sparrow-boy series. Set in Meiji era Japan, this book continues the tale of Azuki and Shota, a sister and brother who were born between the world of humans and Japanese demons. Azuki is a Toki, a being that is both bird and human, and who possesses feathers that are highly valued. Her brother Shota is also a magical being that can turn from a human to a sparrow. Their tale commences after Azuki escapes from the evil Lord Genmai and his son Gengoro, who slayed both her and Shota's parents. Shota and Azuki now reside with Yuta-Sensei, a monk who has been tasked to care for the two bird children. While the group remains in hiding from Gengoro’s army, they make a discovery that could become an asset to Lord Eitaro, the good Lord who presides over their land. In the hopes that this good news will restore their inheritance and rights as humans, they depart towards the city where the Lord resides. Along the way, they face unknown challenges as they encounter fierce tengu, become friends to dragons, and receive aid from kind-hearted strangers. When they arrive at the city, will Azuki and Shota be able to deliver the news of their discovery to the Lord and become human? Will the two siblings be able to start new lives and begin to live their dreams?
Claire Youmans does a nice job of bringing a new and refreshing story to readers. The magical world she creates is both familiar, but completely new to those who have never traversed into Japanese folklore. Something I really enjoyed about this book was the introduction to different creatures and demons within Japanese culture. I am a lover of Japanese culture, and I was thrilled to read a historical fiction based in their folklore. Throughout the story, Azuki and Shota seek to understand who they are, and the author does a good job of displaying the siblings' growth in her writing. For young readers, the characters are easy to relate to in terms of everyday struggle. They are very lighthearted and are good examples to children of perseverance in the face of struggle. It truly is a beautiful tale that is both interesting and engaging.
There were a couple instances that I thought distracted from the reading. The first instance was the definitions following different cultural customs and foods associated with Japan. With a historical fiction set in a specific culture, it can be hard to weave those specific details into a book without seeming unnatural. For me, I was able to read and understand those differences without trouble, because of my experience with Japanese culture. However, for a reader who is being introduced for the first time, it can be difficult to navigate those concepts. Definitions are greatly needed for context, but within this book they became distracting to the story. To prevent this, it would have been nice to have a glossary at the beginning or end of book, to help bring clarity with what certain words and customs meant. That way the author can build the story without feeling the need to define within the story, and the reader can fully enjoy the world, while having a place to look if understanding and context is needed. For example, the uses of -chan or -san. Those can be used in context within the story, but have a separate area of the book where those endings and uses are explained for readers. I think this will help the author go deeper into her beautiful tale, while at the same time bringing knowledge of Japanese culture to the reader.
The second instance I had a problem with was the speed of the story. It felt rushed and went very quickly. I am the type of reader who enjoys characters developing and growing within the story they are currently in. There were moments in the book where the main characters come across new and interesting characters, and it would have been nice to see those relationships explored more. The main antagonist in this particular book was the DaiTengu, so I would have liked to see the interactions and development be deeper before their final meeting. Even though this was the second book in the series, this was the first book I read within this world. The plot at times became confusing for me as a new reader, because instead of the story being another stand alone adventure, it felt like I was reading a short episode in between the real story. I wanted it to feel more like a separate story and not a passing episode.
Despite those two things, I really did enjoy the story. I have young boys, so I am always trying to find interesting and engaging stories that help them learn about other cultures. This is a book I would gladly read with my son. I would recommend this book as a great historical fiction for children eight to twelve years old. There was no use of profanity, which makes it a great choice for parents concerned with language. The book had very few grammatical errors as well, and was edited nicely. The reading flow was simple and interesting, which is a plus for young readers. I wouldn’t recommend this book to adult readers, because although it is an intriguing tale, it lacks the amount of depth and nuance that is needed for adult readers.
I rate this book a 3 out of 4, for its refreshing tale fit for children. I didn’t give it a four, because for me I wanted more depth in the story. Even though the story felt a bit rushed, and I wanted to see more character development, I would still highly recommend this book. Overall, it was a fun new story and a nice look into the world of Japanese folklore.
******
Chasing Dreams
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
The Toki-girl and the Sparrow-boy: Chasing Dreams by Claire Youmans, is the second book in The Toki-girl and Sparrow-boy series. Set in Meiji era Japan, this book continues the tale of Azuki and Shota, a sister and brother who were born between the world of humans and Japanese demons. Azuki is a Toki, a being that is both bird and human, and who possesses feathers that are highly valued. Her brother Shota is also a magical being that can turn from a human to a sparrow. Their tale commences after Azuki escapes from the evil Lord Genmai and his son Gengoro, who slayed both her and Shota's parents. Shota and Azuki now reside with Yuta-Sensei, a monk who has been tasked to care for the two bird children. While the group remains in hiding from Gengoro’s army, they make a discovery that could become an asset to Lord Eitaro, the good Lord who presides over their land. In the hopes that this good news will restore their inheritance and rights as humans, they depart towards the city where the Lord resides. Along the way, they face unknown challenges as they encounter fierce tengu, become friends to dragons, and receive aid from kind-hearted strangers. When they arrive at the city, will Azuki and Shota be able to deliver the news of their discovery to the Lord and become human? Will the two siblings be able to start new lives and begin to live their dreams?
Claire Youmans does a nice job of bringing a new and refreshing story to readers. The magical world she creates is both familiar, but completely new to those who have never traversed into Japanese folklore. Something I really enjoyed about this book was the introduction to different creatures and demons within Japanese culture. I am a lover of Japanese culture, and I was thrilled to read a historical fiction based in their folklore. Throughout the story, Azuki and Shota seek to understand who they are, and the author does a good job of displaying the siblings' growth in her writing. For young readers, the characters are easy to relate to in terms of everyday struggle. They are very lighthearted and are good examples to children of perseverance in the face of struggle. It truly is a beautiful tale that is both interesting and engaging.
There were a couple instances that I thought distracted from the reading. The first instance was the definitions following different cultural customs and foods associated with Japan. With a historical fiction set in a specific culture, it can be hard to weave those specific details into a book without seeming unnatural. For me, I was able to read and understand those differences without trouble, because of my experience with Japanese culture. However, for a reader who is being introduced for the first time, it can be difficult to navigate those concepts. Definitions are greatly needed for context, but within this book they became distracting to the story. To prevent this, it would have been nice to have a glossary at the beginning or end of book, to help bring clarity with what certain words and customs meant. That way the author can build the story without feeling the need to define within the story, and the reader can fully enjoy the world, while having a place to look if understanding and context is needed. For example, the uses of -chan or -san. Those can be used in context within the story, but have a separate area of the book where those endings and uses are explained for readers. I think this will help the author go deeper into her beautiful tale, while at the same time bringing knowledge of Japanese culture to the reader.
The second instance I had a problem with was the speed of the story. It felt rushed and went very quickly. I am the type of reader who enjoys characters developing and growing within the story they are currently in. There were moments in the book where the main characters come across new and interesting characters, and it would have been nice to see those relationships explored more. The main antagonist in this particular book was the DaiTengu, so I would have liked to see the interactions and development be deeper before their final meeting. Even though this was the second book in the series, this was the first book I read within this world. The plot at times became confusing for me as a new reader, because instead of the story being another stand alone adventure, it felt like I was reading a short episode in between the real story. I wanted it to feel more like a separate story and not a passing episode.
Despite those two things, I really did enjoy the story. I have young boys, so I am always trying to find interesting and engaging stories that help them learn about other cultures. This is a book I would gladly read with my son. I would recommend this book as a great historical fiction for children eight to twelve years old. There was no use of profanity, which makes it a great choice for parents concerned with language. The book had very few grammatical errors as well, and was edited nicely. The reading flow was simple and interesting, which is a plus for young readers. I wouldn’t recommend this book to adult readers, because although it is an intriguing tale, it lacks the amount of depth and nuance that is needed for adult readers.
I rate this book a 3 out of 4, for its refreshing tale fit for children. I didn’t give it a four, because for me I wanted more depth in the story. Even though the story felt a bit rushed, and I wanted to see more character development, I would still highly recommend this book. Overall, it was a fun new story and a nice look into the world of Japanese folklore.
******
Chasing Dreams
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Worldlines by Adam Guest
