Brief Synopsis
“The Rise of Kyoshi” is the first of a duology, focusing on the early life of Avatar Kyoshi as she comes into power as the Avatar.
Content Warnings: Violence (PG-13), Major Character Death
What Do I Think?
I have long been a fan of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” I loved the initial series, and even enjoyed a good bit of the sequel series “Legend of Korra.” That being said, I was skeptical going into this novel – a YA take on the Avatar universe, focusing on the Avatar who has been memed to death as a bloodthirsty aggressor? I had concerns that it wouldn’t do the world justice, just serving as a quick cash-grab using the name.
Boy was I glad to be wrong.
From the very outset, you can tell that F.C. Yee knows and understands the Avatar universe well, as there is a level of detail and reverence that a merciless cash-grab would never have had. There is also just a *quality* to the writing that can be thoroughly appreciated – again, time was taken to do this story justice.
That being said, the beginning does drag on a little. This novel does its darndest to bring in anyone who might be unfamiliar with the world of the Avatar, and as a result there is some legwork at the start that keeps the story from leaping right into place. This isn’t the worst thing in the world, and in fact the beginning chapters still have a number of thoroughly enjoyable moments, but it does kill the pacing.
Once the story gets going, however…boy does it get going. The story gives us good reasoning for why Kyoshi was viewed as a terrifying force of nature: the previous Avatar, Kuruk, died unexpectedly young, and the world went for years without knowing who the Avatar actually was. As a result, this is a harsh, volatile world filled with unsavory characters, where even those who are supposed to uphold the law do so with brutal severity that blurs the line between justice and injustice. Kyoshi has to navigate this world and prove herself as a proper Avatar, even as she struggles to master the four bending elements.
Kyoshi is a delightful character whose growth over the course of the novel makes her incredibly engaging as she tries to decide what kind of Avatar she plans to be – does she want to become a merciless killer who slays those that hurt others, or should she show mercy to those who might deserve a second chance? Her moral quandary isn’t all that different from the one Aang faced when compelled to kill Fire Lord Ozai, but the world she lives is one far removed from Aang’s – she wasn’t raised as an Air Nomad, and can’t always afford to show mercy when the world is full of rough villains.
She’s assisted by a plethora of side characters, but the standout is by far Kyoshi’s love interest and fire-bending tutor, Rangi. Their relationship grows (albeit incrementally) through the story, and proves to be one of the highlights of the novel.
Overall, “The Rise of Kyoshi” proves to be a fantastic new entry in the Avatar universe, one that continues to be loyal to the original source material while adding depth to a previously one-dimensional character. If you’re unfamiliar with “The Last Airbender,” this book might be difficult to get into…but it is absolutely worth the effort.
Jacob Ryckman 