The Final Empire: Mistborn Book 1
Brandon Sanderson
4.7
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter: A Cosmere Novel
by Brandon SandersonCategory
About this book
From the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time—#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson adds to his Cosmere universe shared by Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive with a new standalone novel especially for fans of fantasy romances. Narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer. There is a world. One of endless night, surrounded by an even deeper darkness. Filled with nightmares come to life, twisted shapes that slink to windows and ease open doors, sliding across floors to look down on helpless faces. There is another world. A bright world, so bright it burns. Filled with stacked stones that call forth miracles, raised by callused hands that tremble in their work, drained with each stone lifted, settled, lifted again. Between these worlds two souls connect. Collide. Entwine. A bridge. A path. A road to both worlds changing forever. Yumi has spent her entire life in strict obedience, granting her the power to summon the spirits that bestow vital aid upon her society—but she longs for even a single day as a normal person. Painter patrols the dark streets dreaming of being a hero—a goal that has led to nothing but heartache and isolation, leaving him always on the outside looking in. In their own ways, both of them face the world alone. Suddenly flung together, Yumi and Painter must strive to right the wrongs in both their lives, reconciling their past and present while maintaining the precarious balance of each of their worlds. If they cannot unravel the mystery of what brought them together before it’s too late, they risk forever losing not only the bond growing between them, but the very worlds they’ve always struggled to protect. Note from Brandon: Even for a compulsive planner like me, sometimes a story emerges like magic. Unexpected, unprompted. You build an outline in days, craft worlds during a compulsive daydream, and develop characters with a burst of imagination like the brief flash of a firework. That was Yumi and the Nightmare Painter for me. The unanticipated story of two people who find one another. May your dreams live as mine sometimes do.
Available Formats
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What readers are saying
melanie (meltotheany / jtotheimin)5/5
"this was such a love letter to stories, storytelling, art, creating, and the connections we make because of them. this book really emphasizes why we need stories, why we need books, and movies, and dramas, and video games, and our family to pass down the stories that were passed down to them. this is not only one of my favorite brandon sanderson books, but it is one of the most beautiful things ive ever read. i recommend this with my whole heart. like all the books in this secret project series so far, i personally feel like you can read this without reading any other brandon sanderson book. but you will just appreciate more things if you are caught up with the cosmere, especially if you are a little knowledgeable about his stormlight series…. with roshar and spren and investiture! this is a story about two people, from two very different worlds, who have made a connection against all odds. And when these two meet, via body swapping, they discover the lives of each other alongside the reader. This story is also very inspired from the stories of your name, final fantasy x, and hikaru no go. ☆ Yumi - from an ancient historical korean inspired world where spirits are summoned to help from rituals. yumi is a yoki-hijo who can control the spirits with her stone stacking, and since birth her life has been all honor and devotion to the people of her world who need help from the spirits. ☆ Painter - from a more modern day japanese inspired world that is set in darkness with neon lights being the light source. nightmares manifest into actual monsters in this world, and nikaro is someone who uses art to banish them and their violence away from the city i really loved both of these worlds and settings, but the noodle shop in painter’s world was everything. i mean, obviously the owner and the coatrack were perfection on their own, but just that setting was so cozy and warm and perfect to picture in my mind while reading. i really hope we get to see at least a glimpse of it again in the future. okay okay, let’s talk about the romance. i feel like i am a little in the minority with this, but i always like brandon’s romances. (truly, vin and elend are the reason i love bodyguard romances!) but i really loved the relationship in this book - its very slow burn, and it really focuses on their friendship, and them being the people they want to be, not the expectations placed on them by their worlds and circumstances. but oh my gosh i was weeping, truly weeping, at the romance in this book. i loved it completely. and i truly believe the second to last chapter in this book (i am trying to be vague hehe) is one of the best things brandon sanderson has ever written. i was also very moved with brandon really implementing discussions on ai generated art and creation throughout this book. Humans really put themselves, their experiences, the experiences passed down to them, their blood, sweat, tears, their entire existence into their art. Meanwhile, machines just take and take and take and erase and erase and erase. i feel like he incorporated this very loudly and very softly at the same time, throughout this entire novel, and it is an important conversation we all need to be having and actively trying to dismantle. and speaking of artwork, aliya chen has created some of the most beautiful pieces of art throughout this book. these illustrations truly enhanced and elevated this story to a new level and, again, really emphasizes the importance of human’s creating art and forging connections that transcend words. in conclusional gushing, you will see me holding this beautiful special edition up in my end of the year, favorite books of the year picture. i am very obsessed with this and it really was close to perfection for me. truly a reminder why i love art and reading and escaping into worlds with characters like this. ["
March 6, 2024 Verified Purchase
Sara Machado SilvaWonderful as always!
"Being a high fantasy writer, Sanderson is obviously not known for the romances on his books. Despite this, all the books I’ve read from him have a bit of romance, and while this is not the reason I enjoyed them, I always find his love stories the best ones. In his easy writing style and magical world, Sanderson always writes couples with an undeniable connection, who support and respect each other, and whom I see working on the long run, no epilogues needed to confirm it - Raoden and Sarene (Elantris), Vin and Elend (Mistborn Era 1), Dalinar and Navani (Stormlight Archive) and, the most recent, Tress and Charlie (Tress of the Emerald See) While <b>Yumi and the Nightmare Painter</b> can be considered his most romantic book, it is much more than a love story, and will certainly be appreciated by all Cosmere fans, while possibly being more attractive to new readers. <i>“I only stare”, he said, “when I see something too beautiful for my eyes to take in all at once”</i> There is much to love in this book: - It was inspired by the anime <i>Your Name</i>, which is absolutely brilliant (among other inspirations). - Relatable characters and problems: both Painter and Yumi struggles will feel close to home for a lot of readers. They are acutely lonely and isolated. More than a romance, I find this book to be about what it means to be human and the need to find connections and to have a purpose. Our ability to learn and start again, and how important it is to accept our flaws and ask for forgiveness (ours and from others) - Heavy on what I think Sanderson does best: Character and relationship development. This applies to both main and secondary characters and it really makes the story shine. - Interesting magic system and world building, with heavy connections with other Cosmere worlds - Well balanced in terms of pace - Gorgeous illustrations by Aliya Chen. I’m definitely going to buy the hardcover as well (and desperately need for someone to bring the original cover from US because the postal costs are insane) Regarding the one million dollar question: <b><i>In which order should I read this book? </i></b> While I’m a strong believer all Sanderson standalones should be good entry points, and that in no way is he expecting people to read almost 10 000 pages (count before secret projects) to pick up this book, I found it more heavily connected with the Stormlight Archive than I was expecting. The connections in this book are not as subtil as usual and don’t feel like the typical Easter eggs he plants in all his novels. I believe I would have preferred to read it after finishing SA. That said, it does not spoil anything of other books, and though I had one theory confirmed in this book, it would be absolutely indifferent if it was my first Cosmere novel. If this is the book that leaves you curious enough to start reading his works, just do it. ["
July 31, 2023 Verified Purchase
