From StoryGraph: Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?

This book is like Freaky Friday meets astral projection, set in the Cosmere. It’s wild and beautiful and I loved every second of it. Sanderson has such fascinating ideas. I mentioned before that this is one of the two books from the kickstarter that I’ve been most looking forward to, and it didn’t disappoint. Sure, there were a few things I could have lived without, like any book, but they were nbd. There were too many similes that could have used editing out, particularly noticeable in audio format. I’m also still not the hugest fan of Hoid as a narrator, though he was more tolerable here because 1) he wasn’t as present in the narrative, and 2) he talks to the reader as if they’re from Roshar, the planet in the Stormlight Archive, with references back to that series and planet. Those parts were delightful. Plus I loved seeing a bit more of Design, Hoid’s companion (no more to be said on that, lest I give away spoilers for other books!).

This is the best kind of book, standalone but with so many other references to Cosmere-related things to allow those of us invested (ha!) in the Cosmere to really dig in. Even if you don’t care about the world or other books, though, this one is a fascinating story that never reveals where it’s going beforehand. I didn’t have a clue what was going to happen next, or how this was going to resolve. Even after finishing, I couldn’t look back and see what foreshadowing had been there (and Sanderson usually gives a truckload of foreshadowing that we all still manage to miss every time!). It’s definitely a book that needs a second read, for me at least. I plan to reread in print form, because while the audiobook (Michael Kramer and Kate Reading) was awesome, the print has illustrations that I want to go through! Note: Once I received the book, I found out all the illustrations are in a gorgeous anime-inspired style that is sooooo perfect!

And in case you think this is just a book I love for the story, nah. Sanderson always has thematic elements that add depth to his stories. There were his usual themes of friendships and interpersonal relationships, but this one also delved into trans issues (very obliquely), nepotism, free will vs duty, and the potential problems with AI development. Among others. It was *chef’s kiss* delightful!