AWESOME STUFF OF NOTE

--throughout the book, Kai's relationship with Kishi is very complex exploring sisterly love as well as relationship strains that can only come from being attached to a sibling.
--this book has amazing imagery! examples: hair being compared to the color of squid ink
--atmosphere while inspired by Japanese culture also has a lot of Moana vibes when exploring Kai's pearl diver history
--description of bakekujira and other horror-esque things are a huge strength; book in general is good at touches of eerie
--vivid prose, clear and for the most part concise
--mythology especially explained from the viewpoints of different regions is compelling
:--i love the instances where the characters establish the concept of requiring consent for even non-sexual physical touch
--horse names (burden and encumbrance) are great and kai's sense of humor is accessible and familiar
--such as with general takagi's compound the descriptions of everyday Japan living are beautiful and the imagery is clear even to those unfamiliar with the culture
-throughout, general takagi was very well written in terms of being physically intimidating and mentally terrifying and ambiguous as well, the second conflict with him at sky mountain was excellent
--im glad the book stuck with kai having a crush on ren, it was really innocent and relatable
--loved all the mini quests while kai was trying to get to sky mountain. she escaped the obstacles very well but most of them didn't feel too easy. she's not a mary sue which is great
--fave quote among themes of self assuredness, womanhood and autonomy: "i won't be somebody else's wife
--vulnerable conversation between ren and kai in the woods was one of the best in the whole book. beautiful humanity and reflections on siblings and grief
--something of note: second eastern-centered novel i've read (other one being rf kuang's the poppy war) that uses poppy as a psychedelic for interacting with the magical world
--strongest quote in the whole book: "...Kai wondered, too, if it was possible to truly know someone if you didn't understand their silences"
-i like the treatment of kai's androgyny a lot
-nice twist regarding ren at the fox gathering towards the end
-lol, are these foxes using pearls as butt plugs? wtf haha
-AMAZING SEQUENCE WITH KAI AND DAKINI. illusory magic is always beautifully done in this
--the cut from ren's scene there to kai reflecting on her grandmother is very nice
--final scene with encumbrance: incredibly powerful. transitioning to a new place of life, the wrong thing vs. the right thing, relationships with ren and hamako
--interesting choice how the dragon king's castle was fantastical and bright whereas benzaiten's was grimdark
--beautiful resolution of the sister-searching plotline--setup for next novel was smooth
--there was a teenage crush element but familial bonds were more prominent
--book in general tied up all characters' stories very nicely and sentimentally for now

GENTLE CRITIQUES
--some misuse of capitol vs capital
--somewhat unclear how old they are
--a little surprising how quickly the initial conflict is resolved but the breadth of the book explains it later
--i would love if a map were included in a final copy, would add a little more cohesion to the long journeys
--some chapters like 2 and 3 could perhaps been separated or broken down a little differently when introducing a new character
--would love to know from where the magic pearls draw their power
--what is the target demographic of this book? I love the prose but it might be a little loft for younger readers (not necessarily a bad thing though)
--some of the magic items seem to be born of convenience but they are cool
--I don't like the casual su*cidality of Kai and the instances where it's mentioned flippantly. it's in alignment with certain historical elements of Japan but for a young adult/younger audience it needs to be more delicate from a specific angle to make it more gentle and well-explained, not necessarily normalized
--occasionally some redundancy in sentences, but no biggie (example: "walking where he walked"
--names like ren and rin etc are used in basically everything nowadays...
--i need an explanation as to how Kai learned flying acrobatics in like two days considering how difficult it was at first lol
--the fox fist game with little nene maybe didn't need to be so play by play
--infrequent passages where sentences do not flow/are very choppy but it doesn't really distract from the voices
--not sure the archery contest (not the ones Kai is in i don't think or i might be remembering incorrectly) was really necessary to contribute to main plot, cute sidequest though but i wish it characterized people more
--not a fan of inclusion of arranged teen marriage...some things could be not so historically realistic maybe
--i wish chapter 12 was split up, there's so many changes in setting that it almost drags a little bit even though everything is exciting
--chapter 13: do NOT refer to a disability or physical impairment as a handicap
--i feel like we didn't really need that closure on doi
-i thought the journey between the freshwater sea and sky mountain was like two weeks without the cloak so what's that about
--not gonna lie i did not like the last 2 sentences. not enough about other kinds of magic was explained in order for this to be a good hook instead of "wtf".

OVERALL: an excellent read, took me about two days, only 1 star removed for some reasons that could be refined. a great depiction of a family bond, resilience, and creativity.

A precious story full of adventure, perseverance, and sisterhood that is sure to warm the hearts of young and adult readers alike. The Pearl Hunter is unique from many recent fairy tale releases in that it doesn’t feel like a retelling—it has many fairy tale elements but feels fresh.

tl;dr
A fun adventure that reads like a fable, featuring a determined young heroine.

About
Kai and Kishi are twin sisters who have done everything together. But while Kishi is the well-behaved daughter, Kai finds herself constantly pushing the limits of the rules around her. When Kishi is taken by a bakekujira (a ghostly whale spirit), Kai strikes a deal for her sister's life that will send her on an otherworldly adventure.

Thoughts
What an adventure! I've always liked reading fairy tale amalgam type books - the kind where you can see traces of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty all rolled into a new story. This is one of those books, except with Japanese fables firmly front and center. That being said, this book utterly stands on its own, and no familiarity with the original fables is necessary (many, in fact, are recapped within this very book for your reading pleasure). Kai's journey to rescue her sister combined with her personal journey of growth are interwoven very cleanly, and the story moves in a very fable-like manner from one event to the next. There are lot of big action moments, and Kai's hard work and cleverness shines through in those moments. I appreciated the focus on the bonds between family members, but also learning to accept that people sometimes grow apart, and that's not always a bad thing. A lot of Japanese terms are woven in so seamlessly that they don't break up the story at all. I was surprised that most food presented was translated, though (e.g. sliced raw fish instead of sashimi, and tofu pouches instead of inari). The ending is purposefully unclear, mimicking the dreamlike outcome of the fables it's inspired by, which might be frustrating to some readers. Hopefully it just means a sequel! Overall, a great adventure for young readers with a strong-willed lead and a lot of action.

A spirited and beautifully woven debut that takes readers on a fantastical journey from the first word to the last. If you're looking for an exciting read for a younger audience, this is the book for you.

Kai and Kishi are twins, they do everything together, including following in their family's footsteps to become pearl divers. On the day of Kai's first solo dive, things go wrong when the mythical Ghost Whale appears, swallowing her sister Kishi whole and killing her. In her grief, Kai desperate seeks a way to save her sister, eventually meeting the Dragon King and a Goddess of the sea who send her on a journey to steal a pearl from a fox spirit. Along the way, Kai runs into new friend Ren and a bunch of trouble, as is typical for this sort of story. I thought the characters were really good, Kai is a wonderful main character that carries the story well, and there's a lot of morally grey characters actually done right. The plot dragged for me in places, and some of the events felt like more of a means to get the plot moving, and not necessarily something that was important or even needed. The end surprised me, I wasn't expecting it and I feel like it sets up a sequel nicely, which I would love to see.

Wow, Miya T. Beck has a great future in the writing field. I enjoyed reading this book so much, the characters were what I wanted from this type of book. I loved the Japanese culture etched into the book and the plot this book was really well done. I knew it was going to be a great story and it left me excited for more from Miya T. Beck.

"Every so often, Kai glanced over her shoulder. If anyone could survive a violent bird attack, it would be General Takagi. She fretted about the birds and what would happen to them, if they would go back and join the Crows of the Eternal Night, or if whatever spell that had created the cloak had been broken and they would each go their separate ways. She hoped they stayed together."