Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

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Book summary: 

A DYING LAND 

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever. 

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST

The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her. 

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

               You all have heard amazing things about this one. I know, me too. I have nothing less amazing to say, I must admit. But I also don't see point in telling you that with repeating amazing all the time. So let me tell you a story.*wink*
               After hearing all about how amazing this book is, only logical thing to do is to visit the NetGalley and request it! The same day I was approved. You can only imagine my joy! So then I started reading and I was like

every tenth word was a mystery for me. It's funny though how lately I got used to English more than my own language. So it reminded me of the time I started reading books in English and also that no matter how much I got better at that there was still bunch of things I had no clue about. Nah, well. So I put this book aside and read some other books. Until few days ago.
      But do you wanna know what really made me pick this book again? All the amazing reviews. I read them and wanted to hit myself for not reading it earlier. So yes that was the reason that (long ago, in this kingdom by the sea...) made me finish this book. Besides publication date was close so..*grin*

                  I'll stop blabbing now and do some actual work here. There are books with slow and confusing starts and this is one of them. But as soon as you pass all those complications aka first 50 and something pages  you start enjoying this book. Because you can feel its magic. You can picture sea-dragons and thunder tigers and much more. But this is not only a story about magic and another culture, it's also a story about higher goals, about opening your eyes and seeing beyond what you've been thought. It's a story about getting over your fears and using your power. Most of all it's a story and world you haven't heard of before and at the end of all that it'll make you cry.
                I must admit that I don't know much about Asia or any culture similar to this one so I have no idea if any of this is actually mentioned somewhere before. Truth to be told I'm afraid to do the research cause I want to to believe that Jay Kristoff really invented all of this. Because at the end of the day he can say

 That's how you write something amazing and more than innovative. Something that deserves

*I know I used too many Sheldon gifs for one review, but I ain't even sorry.

Until the next time, 

***NOTE: Copy of this book is kindly provided by publisher, St. Martin's Press, via NetGalley. Thank you so much!!! I'm not paid to write this review - I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions in this review are personal.