It was a few years ago that I finished Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series, so I was excited to see that she was publishing another young adult fantasy book, A Thousand Steps into Night. In a world full of magical and dangerous creatures, vengeful demons, and powerful gods, one girl attempts to find her way back to the home where she never quite felt like she belonged.
The Situation: Being the daughter of an innkeeper, 17 year-old Miuko has never expected much from her life. Being part of the servant class, as well as a female, Miuko is expected to do little more than help her father manage the inn, one day get married, and hopefully produce a son that will eventually take over the business. To make matters more difficult, Miuko has always been a little too loud, too clumsy, and not beautiful enough to hope for much in the way of marriage. It is on a night when she is making her way back home that she is cursed, and slowly begins to transform into a deadly demon. Now, the life she never expected much from has suddenly given her too much to handle.
The Problem: Before the curse, Miuko was mostly ignored and cast aside. Now she has the attention of humans and beasts alike, and it is bringing her nothing but trouble. But with that trouble has also come incredible, though dangerous power. As Miuko makes the long journey to hopefully remove the curse before the transformation is complete, she will meet a mischievous magpie spirit, a horse that seems to be able to understand the speech and moods of humans, a demon hunter, helpful priests, terrifying gods, and a demon prince who wants to destroy her plans, as well as her world as she knows it. It certainly is not the life Miuko thought she would have, but she is not sure if she would trade it for her old one.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel set in an unknown time, and in an unknown world...or at least unknown to us. It is a world where magpie spirits can shapeshift (only when no one is looking) to resemble humans, and then just as easily take the form of a bird so it can fly away from danger. In this world, girls like Miuko cannot go anywhere unless they are escorted by their husbands, or a male relative. There is also an unspoken rule regarding females riding horses, and owning property is certainly out of the question. On her adventure, Miuko will enjoy the freedom and power she has received, though dangers are around every corner. It is a Japanese-influenced fantasy for which Chee drew inspiration from a trip to Japan.
My Verdict: What I love about Chee's writing is the fast-paced adventure...and I do mean fast. There is never a dull moment, though there is often a frustrating one. Chee's characters are never perfect, and often relatable on some level, though that can lead to scenes and decisions that result in readers rolling their eyes or gritting their teeth. And the sharp changes in the story's direction can often feel arbitrary, or even unnecessary, and seemingly out of nowhere. There is one big shift that takes place in this book that honestly baffled me and was hard for me to recover from (I won't spoil it, but when it happens you will know what I am talking about). But with all of the chaos, Chee brings everything back together almost effortlessly.
Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* In the book there is an adorable cat-like creature that is too dangerous to let roam around like a normal cat. I was happy when Miuko was finally able to find it a suitable home.
Favorite Character: Geiki, the sly magpie spirit, is annoying but helpful, and funny. And Afaina, the God of Stars, may take the form of a giant being covered in eyes that lives in the water, but his manner of speaking, moving, and even looking at something was something I wish I could have enjoyed for longer than he appears on the page.
Recommended Reading: For another, longer adventure, I recommend Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series.
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