Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

I loved this secret project. I read it quite slowly compared to normally. I enjoyed the story, although it did get a bit complicated at some point. Luckily, Hoid stopped a bit to explain exactly what was going on, which I believe he also did a little bit of in Tress of the Emerald Sea. Usually with Sanderson's books you really have to figure stuff out yourself, but this made it very clear, and it was a great addition in my opinion. 

Romantasy is definitely very much in the zeitgeist at the moment and I am really not sure what to make of it. It is far from my favourite sub-genre. That being said I certainly was intrigued to see what the Sanderson could bring to it so I was intrigued by this latest Cosmere entry. And ultimately I am not disappointed - this was definitely one of the better attempts at this trope, and whilst I would not call it his best it certainly far from his worst work.

As the title suggests, we are following two MCs - Yumi and Painter. When some spiritual connection links the two together they are thrust into each others radically different worlds, bringing one of the classic romance tropes into play with this forced connection. The differences between these worlds are fascinating, with Painter existing in a semi-modern world driven by some mysterious power source, but where the world is veiled in permanent darkness. His job is to fend off nightmares, painting them so that his will confines them to non-threatening things. Yumi comes from a more primitive world, where she is revered as a link to the spiritual - she summons spirits who are bound to tools to allow the world to exist. Her world is one of a hot bright sun and floating plants.

This kind on yin/yang pairing is quite central to the story. Everything here is a study in contrasts. As always, Sanderson's world building is top class. This is another story told through the voice of Wit, so there is also a fun voicing to the story with a decent level of humour. There are some clever links to current issues in play here as well. The idea of a machine replacing a human to create art feels very current with the current discourse on AI art (perhaps there is a good parable to the hubris around this at the moment).

The prose is eminently readable as always, the book definitely flowed well for me. There is some quite nice art as well included in this, which I definitely appreciate. Of the secret project books released so far this is solidly in the middle for me.

3.5 stars.

Premise:
I wanted to love this book so badly because I was enchanted by the premise, but here we go.

Plot and pacing:
So, what I liked was the part 1 and 4. In the first part, we get to know our main cast, Yumi and Painter, and their respective world. It took me some time to put all the information pieces together due to the constant change of point of view between the two of them. Brandon did his best to make the descriptions rich and vivid, though. I adored the japanese/korean spiritual vibes.
Part 2 and 3 cover the story that sees Yumi and Paint connected to each other, trying to figure out the reasons. The pacing here was off for me. The plot did not hold a grip on me and I had difficulties to see where the clues would lead. I am not sure if it was just me or was meant to be like that because in part 4 we have Hoid explaining how everything precisely went from beginning to end. One reason I loved this final part was all the juicy cosmere information, but on the other hand, it left me with the feeling I didn't really need to read parts 2 and 3. I was not happy with how all the plot, clues, and mystery were handled.
I felt like the stakes were never high enough. I did not feel any suspense or the dark atmosphere that I was expecting from a planet surrounded by a black layer and walking nightmares.

Characters:
The main cast was very well developed but the side characters were just forgettable, besides Design and Hoid, whom we meet in other Cosmere books as well. I loved Yumi's development, where she starts learning what freedom means. Their romance was very cute.
The noodle shop run by Design was everything, haha :D

Conclusion:
Design and Hoid saved this book for me.


Credits for the template below go to Melinda

CHARACTERS

I cried. The ending with painter did bring me to tears as much as I wasn't a massive fan of this book. THere were repetive moments, and I'm not a massive fan of religion in hows it can indoctrinate people, but I see in this, Sanderson was making a critique of sorts and I was meant to feel this way.
I wanted more from the relationship. I wished there was more to show them getting closer.
The plot was the most interesting (appart from Painter) the ending sold me on this book, and I would have enjoyed it more is if it wasn't so repetitive.
Painters journey was what kept me hooked to the page. I liked yumi but ter religion annoyed me so much.
I did like how everything came to an end. The ending had me glued to the page in true Sanderson fashion.
Not a bad book.

A very meaningful story, laden with important messages that are definitely worth communicating. It's the type of book I'd happily recommend to many people.

I'd highly suggest reading Brandon Sanderson's postscript at the end of the book once you finish it. Finding out his inspirations behind this story made me appreciate it much more.

The romance didn't draw me in either, but I can still appreciate the tender moments that Yumi and Nikaro had. I loved the world and setting more than the characters themselves or the plot, so I didn't breeze through this as easily as I'd expect considering that it's a Sanderson book.

TLDR; I appreciate this book, and think it speaks on topics that everyone should consider. But I can't say I loved the story or the characters very much, though I think a lot of other reader will.

“Like a man with diarrhoea in a sandpaper factory, sometimes all available options are less than ideal.”

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a beautiful story, engaging from beginning to end. The dialogue and plot are amazing, the world building is fabulous (As one would come to expect with Sanderson), and most importantly, the characters simply feel real.

I couldn’t recommend it enough.

"Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a place with no nightmare painters. Then the people got eaten. It’s a short story."

I thought Tress of the Emerald Sea was going to be my favorite of the secret projects, and was not prepared for the ride this book took me on. I’ll be up front in saying that I don’t obsess over the Cosmere, and in fact have read things all out of order from “The Proper” reading order. This book absolutely can stand on its own, no Cosmere background necessary, but there are small details (and probably more than I noticed since I don’t retain small things book to book all that well) if you know where to look.

This book connects two people, Yumi and Painter, from two very different backgrounds. One grows up under strict guidance, her day dictated moment to moment, with no place for frivolous thoughts or actions. Her place in the world is to be the yoki-hijo, the one chosen to speak with spirits and get their cooperation in helping the people of her world. The other also dedicates himself to his people, but his service takes the form of being a Nightmare Painter—one who banishes dark spirits that materialize in his city and feed on the bad dreams of its residents. The more dreams it eats, the stronger it gets. A plea from a spirit brings Yumi and Painter together, where they each experience the other’s life in their body and have to figure out the what and the why of things before it’s too late.

In true Sanderson fashion the “what” and the “why” do a lot of the heavy lifting in this story, and things are kept appropriately mysterious until near the end. I loved the continuing discussion about the value of art, the power of friendship (in a not overbearing way), and how two opposites can come together and make something special together. There’s also quite a bit of irreverent commentary (from our narrator telling the story, someone you’ve met before if you’ve read other Sanderson books), some very touching moments, and a romance that didn’t have me rolling my eyes. That, dear reader, is kind of a rare thing for me.

It (obviously) has strong Japanese roots in the story, which is acknowledged by Sanderson in the afterward (mild influence spoilers) (both Final Fantasy 10 and Hikaru no Go are sampled from here, but twisted enough to be satisfyingly different), so if that feel of story isn’t your thing, you might be disappointed. I, on the other hand, was engaged throughout the whole book (even Tress had small sections that felt a bit drawn out to me), to the point of waking up two hours before work so I could finish it.

Highly enjoyed this one. Super, mega, totally recommend it.

2 or 3 out of 5. It was ok, I may end up with 3/5 after thinking about it more, but let's see. A big portion of the book was somewhat boring for me. I think at around 60-70% it got more interesting. If you enjoy romance you will probably enjoy it. Romance genre is perhaps not for me, therefore that impacts my rating for Yumi as well.

Juli was een beetje een kwakkelende maand wat lezen betrof. Ik had enerzijds heel veel goesting om te lezen, maar anderzijds trok geen enkel boek me eigenlijk echt aan. Door deze vreemde leesstemming kostte het me een tijdje om in het boek te komen en de wereld die we aan het verkennen waren te visualiseren, vooral de wereld van Painter.
Achteraf gezien heeft Sanderson (opnieuw) fantastisch werk geleverd door zowel de wereld van Painter als die van Yumi te introduceren, en als ik nu het eerste hoofdstuk herlees, waarin de wereld van Painter gedetailleerd wordt beschreven, vind ik het nogal gênant dat ik het niet kon zien. Dit sterkt toch wel mijn overtuiging dat ik had moeten wachten met het lezen van dit boek tot mijn vreemde humeur voorbij was.

“The star was particularly bright when the nightmare painter started his rounds.”

Ondanks mijn rare leesstemming was de wereldopbouw van Sanderson (zoals altijd) van topklasse en superorigineel.
Painter woont in een stad gehuld in duisternis, dat alleen op afstand wordt gehouden door de dubbele hionlijnen – banden van pure energie, de ene groenblauw, de andere fuchsia – die doorheen de stad kruisen en vertakken en er niet alleen voor verlichting en elektriciteit zorgen, maar ook letterlijk rondlopende Nachtmerries op afstand houden. Deze Nachtmerries zijn donkere, mistige wezens, die soms uit de duisternis tevoorschijn komen om zich te voeden met menselijke dromen. En dit is waar de schilders in beeld komen, om de Nachtmerries via schilderwerken te dwingen om andere, onschadelijke vormen aan te nemen totdat ze terug de duisternis in vluchten.
Painter identificeert zich zo fel met zijn werk als schilder, dat hij niet langer zijn voornaam gebruikt, maar zijn functietitel. Zijn zelfopgeblazen gevoel van belangrijkheid dient echter vooral als een masker om te kunnen negeren hoe enorm eenzaam hij is.

“Yumi had always considered the appearance of the daystar to be encouraging.”

Yumi daarentegen leeft op een veel minder geavanceerde, meer landelijke plek, waar mensen vertrouwen op yoki-hijo, vrouwen die door de geesten zijn uitgekozen vanwege hun vermogen om creatie, schoonheid en organisatie onder de knie te krijgen. Door dit meesterschap te demonstreren, worden geesten naar het fysieke rijk getrokken, om vervolgens te worden getransformeerd in nuttige voorwerpen die nodig zijn om het dagelijks leven soepel te laten verlopen.
Yumi is een van de slechts veertien yoki-hijo in haar wereld, die net zo helder en licht is als Painters wereld donker is. Als yoki-hijo wordt alles voor haar gedaan – van zich aankleden tot zich voeden – zodat ze zich volledig op haar kunst kan concentreren: het stapelen van stenen in ingewikkelde, mooie en schijnbaar onmogelijke stapels.
Ondanks haar gezegende leven verlangt Yumi naar een ander leven, waar ze zichzelf kan zijn en niet zo alleen is.

“You worked so hard today, the spirit said. Can we give you something? A gift?”

Dan gebeurt er op een dag iets waardoor de levens van Painter en Yumi met elkaar spiritueel worden verweven, op een soort Friday-the-Thirteenth-body-swap-manier. Hierdoor worden onze twee hoofdrolspelers gedwongen om samen te leren leven en werken.
En in het samenkomen van Yumi en Painter, krijgen we een verhaal te lezen dat ik niet gewend ben van Sanderson: een zeer introspectief, romantisch en schattig verhaal.
Hoewel het verhaal geen fantastische elementen ontbeerde, was het geen verhaal van grootse actie, maar een verhaal waarin we langzaam onze personages leerden kennen, hun gedachten en innerlijke monologen hoorden en leerden hoe ze tot een bepaalde conclusie kwamen. Hoewel ik aan de ene kant erg genoot van deze langzame, contemplatieve, bijna meditatieve kant, haalde het ook veel urgentie uit het verhaal weg, waardoor ik het heel gemakkelijk vond om het boek een tijdje opzij te leggen om later weer op te pakken. Vooral het middengedeelte sleepte enigszins.

“All right, let's talk about me.Uncharacteristically, I don't want to discuss the topic. This isn't a bright point in my career, and I would rather the attention be on other less statuesque people for the duration of the narrative. That said, I know it's going to distract some of you unless I explain at least a tad.”

In contrast met het serieuze verhaal staat onze verteller, wederom onze favoriete Cosmere wereldhopper Hoid.
Net als bij Secret Project #1 voelt Hoid zich gedwongen om bepaalde dingen aan ons uit te leggen, op zijn gebruikelijke dwaze manier, wat voor een komische en luchtige noot zorgt. Zijn stem was in dit verhaal echter een stuk ingetogener dan in Tress of the Emerald Sea, wat heel goed bij dit introspectieve verhaal paste.
Zijn algehele rol in het verhaal is ook vrij minimaal, aangezien hij bevroren vastzit als een standbeeld dat functioneert als kapstok in een noedelwinkel, terwijl zijn spren Design de show steelt met het runnen van de bovengenoemde noedelwinkel.

“It's a common mistake to assume that someone is weak because they are accommodating”

Over het algemeen vond ik Yumi and the Nightmare Painter echt wel een leuk boek, ondanks zijn traagheid en mijn moeilijkheid om erin te komen.
Ik hield van de duidelijke inspiratie uit de Aziatische media en het gebruik van een paar welbekende tropen hieruit. Ik hield ook van de onmiskenbare Aziatisch-geïnspireerde setting, eenmaal ik de hersenkracht hervond om die te visualiseren. Ik vond het fijn om zowel Painter als Yumi langzaam te leren kennen, maar emotioneel was ik nooit ten honderd mee. Ik vond de magie weer subliem gevonden. En ik vond de hints naar de Cosmere opnieuw leuk om te herkennen, maar soms wel onnodig, omdat het wegnam van het verhaal.

Dus zeker en vast weer een goed boek, maar voor mij althans overtreft het Tress of the Emerald Sea niet.

“Stories explain us. You want to define what makes a human different from an animal? I can do it in one word or a hundred thousand. Sad stories. Exultant stories. Didactic morality tales. Frivolous yarns that, paradoxically, carry too much meaning.We need stories.”

En om dit af te ronden, wil ik het even over het einde hebben, dus opgepast SPOILER voor dit boek en de Cosmere!
Kijk, ik hield echt van Yumi en ik ben zo blij voor haar dat ze eindelijk echt mag leven, maar het voelde ook een beetje als terugkrabbelen?!Ik weet niet, met wat we ook weten over Kelsier, voelt het alsof Sanderson zijn personages niet kan laten sterven. Gaan we Wayne dan ook terug zien?Tegelijkertijd weet ik dat deze opmerking een beetje hypocriet is van mij. Ik denk oprecht dat het einde aangrijpender zou zijn geweest met het bitterzoete einde, maar ik zou waarschijnlijk ook ongelukkig hiermee geweest zijn, lol

3.50/5.00

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is an enjoyable story. To me, this marks a dangereous turn for stories set in the cosmere. I see this as experiementation from Sanderson. He is clearly writing YA novels set in the cosmere, which does not have the same impact that his adult fantasy book did. I like romance, I liked YA romance, but YA romantacy is not my thing. I recoginze that many enjoyed this book, and it does have its good qualities. Plot & character work is decent.

I will put this down as an average read, that I would not have read if it was not for the cosmere. I hope that the return of the Stromlight Archive will help me forget this phase of Sanderson.

Emotional Impact -> I liked the romance to a certain extent. The imagery of the world, the absurdity of the frozen narrator and the ending was very good, just as expected. I loved Painter's background story, and the interseting dynamic between him and his friends. While world changing events happen in the story, I found it less engaging than it should be. I just wanna get back to SA. LOL. Characters -> Painter, yes. Yumi, good. Others, okay. Desgin, nicely done.Plot -> This is the best part of the book. Sanderson manages to subvert the plot for a while using the "daystar" which kept me unfocused. The twists and revelations were very good. Respectable Sanderson Plot. Prose -> Similar to Tress. Better writing, I liked this tone more than Tress. I still am not vibing with Sanderson's Hoid voice. He should go back to regular third person POV. Mistborn and SA please. Worldbuilding -> Good. Not as good as Tress, but good. Great subversions. What the heck are Hion lines ? These are still unexplained in the book. How does the awakened machine create energy ? If you can destroy an awakened machine by starving it of Investiture, then why does Nightblood have the same issue ? Maybe it does! I don't know.

TITLE Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
AUTHOR Brandon Sanderson
Genre Fantasy
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Emotional Impact 7
Characters 8.5
Plot 5.5
Worldbuilding / Magic System 7
Dialogue / Prose 7.5
Official Rating 7.08
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 1/4/2024
Date Finished 1/14/2024
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NOTES Cute romance from Sanderson, I thought it was enjoyable and I liked their relationship but would probably look elsewhere for Romantasy, still high rating because the book was good!

Meh. Ha sido lo más flojo que he leído de Sanderson. “Your Name” + “Final Fantasy X” + “Cosmere” suena como fórmula ganadora, pero simplemente no fue para mí. Lo sentí bastante lento, y cuando empezó a agarrar impulso, ya se había terminado. El principio, el final y el arte salvan para mí este libro.