to be honest, i was pretty disappointed from this book. im going to try my best not to compare it to FC Yees avatar novels and judge it on its own, but i cant help that this book lacks of everything i loved about the kyoshi and yangchen novels.
i simply didnt connect to the writing style, the book over all didnt feel challeging, it didnt make me think, it was mostly pretty flat out and i felt it didnt leave room for the reader to try and deduct things on their own. the book also felt, for lack of a better description, pretty fan-fiction-y, in some parts more than others especially. i also felt that Ribays writing so often felt indecisive - like he doesnt know when some things are best left out, and this is even expressed in the fact that there are SO many lists?? i seriously couldnt ignore it because he was listing things left and right, it was so much that it was weird and legitimately bothering me. (a little ironic since rokus whole big flaw is being indecisive). Ribay even included a cut chapter in the soecia edition that i read, saying he had to cut it but still just wanted it to be included!
one thing i did like about the book is rokus character- or i liked that didnt like him. he'd been my least favorite avatar since before id read the book and id been looking forward to see if the book would make me like him or dislike him more - and i really like that they leaned in to his annoying-ness and punchable-ness. not to be a hater but hes so fucking stupid and i love when he gets humbled especially by gyatso.

i will say i disliked it when malaya died, i actually liked her and her relationship with gyatso, and i hated that sozin got away with it, but im sure that will be addressed in the following book (i hope)

im sure there are people who enjoyed this book and that’s completely valid, i just had high expectations and was disappointed.