Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson | Worth a Read? (Spoiler-Free Review) 

I realized while editing that I was fairly negative with most my points in this review, but I did actually really like this book! What did you think? Which secret project is your favorite so far?

My favourite secret project. Definitely worth a read. I love romance.

This is definitely my favorite of the secret project books so far. I agree that Hoid is definitely toned down in this one and it helps. As someone who has watched a decent amount of anime (I especially love Your Name and the other movies by Makoto Shinkai), the influences definitely stood out to me, but I really appreciated them. I personally loved the slow build of the relationship because I am used to that sort of thing from anime and while that can get annoying in a show where it drags on for 20+ episodes, in a movie (or in this case, book) setting, it lets the relationship happen super organically in my opinion. Yes, it's obvious from the outset that these two characters will end up together, but the joy comes from seeing the steps along the way. My favorite thing about the book was Painter's world that he lives in. The image of a city that is always at night lit up by these neon lines of turquoise and magenta gives me HUGE retro synthwave vibes and I absolutely loved that mental picture it evoked. I was less excited by Yumi's world, but I think that was because it was in juxtaposition with Painter's world and so anything next to that would seem lackluster to me. Also, you should definitely play through all of FFX at some point, it's up there in terms of my favorites, both with the story and the sphere grid system. Although FFIX will always be my favorite.

Thank you for the video! I was almost crying hearing about the reference of Your Name (Rewatching this movie NOW for the nth time, love it!) 🥺. I have not read Tress, but will eventually. Just by Yumi's cover I loved, when I heard about the story, just felt deeper in me. So I downloaded the preview and the writing goes more and more good for me. Once the book is launched in Brazil, because I do not have enough money to buy it in the hardcover with original cover, I will make sure to prioritize the reading 🥰.

I recently purchased all the secret project books, I only read elantris, but I trust that reading the secret project books in any order is fine. I was most excited about book 3 since i love your name and FFX.

Thank you for this review! I’ve only read Tress of the Emerald Sea by him, and I really liked it! So I’ll buy this one as well!

I could see how somebody could feel weird about the bathing scenes. They are a super common trope in Japanese media and, even to this day, Japanese people engage in public bathing, so this was Sandersons attempt to both recognize and utilize, in his own unique way, some of the more popular tropes of anime and manga as a way to pay homage to the medium he is aping as well as to give it that special feeling only those sorts of works can give you. I believe he mentioned this in some interviews and maybe in the postscript as well.

I read it in a day, while I was working. It was so damn good. Didn't drag for me at all, I really enjoyed the slow burn of the relationship and the mystery unfolding.

After reading the first few chapters, i really wasn't sure i was going to enjoy the book, but it turned out to be excellent. Went through it in no time. Looking forward to Sunlit man now. :)

The cover for the release in OCT is beautiful! I backed his ebook tier of the kickstarter...but I may be buying that physical copy. Going to try to read it first.. I'm thinking I'll love it though.

Probably my second favorite of all of Sanderson’s cosmere books! An amazingly good read!

This book was good. The theme and the cosmere characters we great. I like how the mix of old tech and new, and how everything interlocked together at the end. It was a worthwhile read!!

It is definitely up there as one of my favorite Cosmere novels! Top five for sure!

I read and really enjoyed Tress. Thank you for the referral. Now I plan to read Yumi.

I actually didn't like the ending and thought it was poorly written. (Speaking of the epilogue not the climax) spoiler alert. I felt that Brandon forced a Happ ending that didn't make sense. Like how could she survive when she had destroyed the machine that kept her alive? She just wills herself to be resurrected because she "deserves love" . Sorry but not buying it. I felt first half was drawn out. Enjoyed the last third. The rushed happy ending just felt like Brandon didn't have the heart to do the sad ending even though it was far more powerful. I found there relationship really cute and sweet towards the end, but the way she survived makes no sense to me.

New Captured in Words video, very poggers

11:13 i mean he was kinda aware of the fact that he is an edgelord so...i guess that's y i don't mind it all that much....

I only just finished Tress last week. It was ok. Almost too whimsical. I really want to read Yumi though.

15:56 thank you for saying this is a great stand-alone and good entry point. As someone who really wants to enter Sanderson’s works, but finds them incredibly unapproachable. I love FFX, grew up on Anime, and just want to find the beauty I see expressed so much by Sanderson’s fans. I’ve not read anything entirely by him-I actually have a bit of a reading disorder-but I think this one just may be the start.

Tress of the emerald sea was amazing!

Awesome book.Absolutely loved it! ❤

You need to read Doors of Stone

yay

This was my favorite cosmere book so far

Hello I am Ali.I like your channel but you ever read the spirit animals series

Yes!! I was in a reading slump for a couple months and this book brought me out of it. The plot is amazing and it’s filled with crazy “What?!” Moments and plot twists that you won’t see coming. Although, it’s definitely not the best Cosmere book. Words of Radiance, the way of kings and all the era 1 books are better written and simply better books.

I didn't dislike the book, but I don't really understand why this is being consider Sanderson's best work. I think the big twist/reveal was a major let down, and confusing. It's doesn't help that Hoid had to give a 2 chapter exposition/explanation to explain what was going on.

Final Fantasy X was an inspiration? Damn. I'm going to read this a lot sooner than I was planning on lol. You should absolutely playthrough FFX.

What's the verdict? Because I'm not in a place to watch it at this time.

Hi, your videos are amazing, i really wanna share this, am i allowed to translate into Ukrainian and post on my channel (of course with giving credits to you?) I won't use your video, I'll only retell your text in my language

Second

So I read all of Sanderson before I went to the internet to see what people thought of it. My biggest surprise was how unliked the funny, goofy, silly characters are, Lift, Wayne, The Loopen. I didn't think these characters would be fan favorites, but certainly not bottom of the barrel the way they seem to be considered. Wayne does one ridiculous thing in the beginning of era 2 book 2 that I didn't like, Its just so ridiculous, but everything else I'm fine with

Banana Cake :p great vid btw

Worth the read, but I liked Tress better

Ouch two thingsi don't like to see too much in my fatasy books : romance and manga/anime. Oh no and then you mentioned that weeb game ff14 ... sigh. You tempered my enthiousiasm a bit for the third book.

Final fantasy ten?

I don’t want to make a second comment but RU-vid won’t let me edit the first so 🤷 It shows a bit that you aren’t used to romances. Hell, I’m not either, but saying that Painter was an annoying edge lord at the beginning and he was, therefore, annoying….. like yeah, my guy. That’s the point, lol. I think why you noticed that here or rather why it bother you here and not in Sandersons other books is because in his other works there is a lot of action or mystery going on in the foreground. So, even though a lot of his characters also start out as annoying little gits, normally you have a whole bunch of other stuff to grab on to or that can distract you from that fact, whereas, here, in a Romance, the focus is the characters who they are and their growth over the story with nothing else up front to distract you. I do understand the complaint but if painted didn’t start out so edgy I’m not really sure where they would have had to go with his development, hence I’m not even sure where they could have taken the story as a whole. Especially in a romance this simple, the characters really need some glaring edges at the start that they can help each other sand down over time, ya know? Hope this doesn’t come off too negative. I love your channel and your reviews. Thanks for covering Sanderson and promoting his works to more people! It always puts a smile on my face, especially the way you do it. : )

I don't get the criticism... I hate romance (especially in fantasy settings)

It wasn't for me. 😢

I jus can’t get Into Sanderson, his writing style is like if AI tried to write fantasy , like even the word cosmere, just sounds generic. I’ve read all of way of kings and a bit of mistborn. Way of kings , shallan is ok but the rest of the characters seem one dimensional, like an AI pretending to be human but forgetting how messy us humans are.

Bruh Final Fantasy "Ex"? Come on now 😂