Going into Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, I wasn’t exactly expecting much. The cover and premise didn’t initially grab me, and I had just come off of The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (which, while truly a great story, was at times difficult to follow). The thought of diving into another deep, mind-blowing and barely fathomable Sanderson universe was, quite honestly, a little intimidating. But by page three, Painter and Yumi’s world had pulled me in like a siren’s call. There were so many mysteries to unravel, so many characters to explore… I had to know what was on every single page. I loved the story so much that I awarded Yumi and the Nightmare Painter “Best World” in my Best of 2024 awards. Let’s jump into this book review!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy―comes this gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different cultures must work together to save their worlds from certain disaster.
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.
World, Character, and Plot
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter genuinely has one of the most unique, interesting fantasy worlds I’ve read in a long time. That’s definitely what stood out to me, even in the first few chapters, so that’s where I’m going to start. Sanderson has pulled off something extremely difficult. He wrote two entirely different and exciting worlds with entirely different and exciting cultures and then tied them together in one beautiful story that had me tearing up in chemistry class.
What made this particular Secret Project so unique was the idea that there were two completely unique worlds with two completely unique magic systems. Both Painter and Yumi live in universes so varied that they could have been entire books on their own.
But put the worldbuilding aside for a moment. Although (as always) Sanderson wrote a spectacular universe, the real beauty of this story was the characters. I especially feel like I need to talk about Painter, because his character was so incredibly relatable. We’ve all been in that place in our lives where we feel stuck. As a senior in high school, I really connected with his struggle to figure out what he was doing with his life. Most of all, I appreciated how Painter and Yumi were able to work through their struggles together. They don’t “fix” each other, as so many books try to present. They are simply there for each other, side by side, for support. As Sanderson writes, “Trauma doesn’t decrease with company, but it does grow easier to work through when you know someone else understands.” It really was a beautiful message, and the book did an excellent job of portraying those deep thoughts.
PAGED IN: The language in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is light, as is usual with Sanderson, but the romance is a little heavier than he usually writes. There’s nothing explicit, but younger Bookwyrms should be aware that the innuendo is stronger in this Secret Project than the others.
Conclusion
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter was about art, and I would go as far as to say that the book itself is a work of art, too. The prose and descriptions are beautifully crafted, and the story reads like an ancient folk tale filled with both tragedy and love. Most of all, this book felt real. I could relate to both characters in a way I haven’t in a long time. That truly made the story art, the kind that will stay with you long after you read the last line.
You can buy Yumi and the Nightmare Painter here.
Marie
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