Sanderson, Brandon. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. New York: Tor, 2023.
ISBN-13: 978-1250899699 | $29.99 USD | 365 pages | Fantasy
Blurb
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson—creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy—comes this gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different cultures must work together to save their worlds from certain disaster.
Yumi has spent her entire life in strict obedience, granting her the power to summon the spirits that bestow vital aid upon her society—but she longs for even a single day as a normal person. Painter patrols the dark streets dreaming of being a hero—a goal that has led to nothing but heartache and isolation, leaving him always on the outside looking in. In their own ways, both of them face the world alone.
Suddenly flung together, Yumi and Painter must strive to right the wrongs in both their lives, reconciling their past and present while maintaining the precarious balance of each of their worlds. If they cannot unravel the mystery of what brought them together before it’s too late, they risk forever losing not only the bond growing between them, but the very worlds they’ve always struggled to protect.
Review
4 stars
Having enjoyed Brandon Sanderson’s Secret Projects thus far, I was excited for the next one, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. And considering this is his favorite of the four, this could easily be in the running for my favorite as well, although like the prior two, it’s not without flaws.
I respect that Sanderson is a creative fantasy writer, and isn’t constrained by the “medieval European” aesthetic that many of his peers are. And while he is a white man, I respect that he does have an admiration for Asian cultures, and from my perspective at least, translated his love for properties like Final Fantasy X and manga, creating two distinct worlds, with historical Korean and modern Japanese influences coming through in the world building. This, combined with the evocative cover and interior art by Aliya Chen, create a real sense of the aesthetic that immersed me in these worlds in a wonderful way. It was also cool to see a juxtaposition of the more high-tech and the more fantastical, and how each of the major characters has these interesting fantasy occupations.
Like Tress, this book is narrated by the worldhopping Hoid, but unlike Tress, Hoid is an active participant in the story, which made the story a bit less jarring for me. Apart from that, there are some other subtle Cosmere connections that make it fun for readers of Sanderson’s wider Cosmere universe, but it’s not as daunting as some of his other series works, so this could easily serve as an introductory work, especially given that the story is one of the less complex, but no less compelling.
Yumi and Painter are both very well-drawn characters, and I enjoyed seeing how each are shaped by their societies. Yumi in particular is shaped by the fact that she has been Chosen as a yoki-hijo, meaning she must live her life in servitude and use her power to summon spirits to help other people. Painter, meanwhile, is somewhat undervalued in his society, with his job being to find and neutralize nightmares that feed on powerful emotions. I liked how, regardless of how important they seemed to their societies, their roles left them feeling isolated, until they found each other.
The romantic arc is where I find myself once again feeling mixed. I respect that Sanderson’s wife, Emily, seems to have really challenged him to work on his weakness at writing romance, just as she did with Tress. It’s fairly cute, and given it does have the body-switching trope, something I think can be hit-or-miss in romance, it worked a bit better than I thought it would. It’s not the best romance ever, but it’s a solid attempt at recreating an anime-style romance, complemented by other aspects of the narrative, especially they come to an understanding of each other’s unique perspective and experiences, and how they help each other find ways to grow.
This is another fun read from Brandon Sanderson and his Secret Projects campaign, and while it won’t please everyone, I’d recommend it to anyone who loves anime and manga, and wants those vibes in a fantasy book.
Author Bio
Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. His bestsellers have sold 30 million copies worldwide and include the Mistborn® saga; the Stormlight Archive novels; and other novels, including The Rithmatist, Steelheart, and Skyward. He won a Hugo Award for The Emperor’s Soul, a novella set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time® sequence. Visit his website for behind-the-scenes information on all his books.
Buy links
Bookshop (affiliate link)
Dragonsteel Fan Bundle w/ Audiobook
Dragonsteel Premium Fan Bundle
Courtney Reads Romance 