The second volume of the 'Tales of the Magatama' is darker and a lot more mature in tone than the first volume, both of the main characters had suffered a lot. Anyway, to me it's one of the best Japanese Creation Myths retelling stories.

Classic Noriko Ogiwara...though I don't think I was drawn to this type of story vs. its' prequel, Dragon Sword and Wind Child. I think it had a lot to do with not being able to understand Oguna's character well, which was really important to tying in the whole story. It seems he was an easy plot device, able to be bent at will when the story needed him to be strong, vs. weak, but she made a note that the character he was based on from folklore also had these qualities. So she may have been succe...

promising opening. characters were wishy washy (also not that interesting) and plot felt like it dragged on and on.

There is such a thing as "standard Western fantasy" and sufficiently experienced readers will, at some point or another, get pretty sick of it. There are only so many reluctant Chosen Ones destined to possess the Magical McGuffin that will bring defeat to the Forces of Evil that you can take before all these stories start to feel like the same damn thing.Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince does have a Chosen One and a Magical McGuffin, but it manages to read very different in spite of it. Part is sim...

This tale was rather interesting, a look into Japanese folklore by the same author. As well as imagining them as quite different.The story is like a folktale, which at times captured me for the way it was structured, and also written. But sometimes lost me as well. Some of it really eluded me while others continued to make a very good impression.I don’t have any idea what is the actual story about. But nonetheless this was well crafted to say the least, such as the relationship between Toko and

Ben bu kitabı yıllar yıllar önce, daha dolar 1.75 falanken çizgi roman olduğunu düşünerek getirtmiştim. 10 sene falan olmuştur. O zaman bir elime alıp okumayı denedim ama olmadı. Şimdi de olmadı. Artık pes ettim.Birinci sebep, konu yeni ve ilginç değil. Fantastik roman dünyası oldukça rekabetçi ve yeni şeyler yazmak zor. Bu yüzden yazarlar eski mitleri devşiriyorlar. Buna itirazım yok ancak bu kadar sıkıcı yapılmasına var. Hikaye hiçbir şekilde kendine bağlamıyor, öylesine yorucu bir anlatımı va...

Set centuries or millenia later than the first book, whose events are now only the substance of legends. There's still plenty of magic and mythology here, but it feels grittier, more historical, and the characters at least start out more down-to-earth. Toko and Oguna are childhood friends who are parted when she gets old enough to assist the shrine maiden and he is sent off to become the "shadow" of Prince Oh-usu, his stand-in in ceremonies and times of danger.So far both of Ogiwara's male "hero...

Though I enjoyed it (and literally couldn't put it down until I'd finished it) the story is very much in the same pattern as the first and in that sense I was a bit disappointed. The biggest difference between the two is the importance of the supporting characters. Compared to "Wind Child," it is here that they are more fleshed out and complex. While the first book had some dark elements, the themes within "Mirror Sword" are certainly more grown up and sad. Some of which is very relatable.

Not as good as the first (Dragon Sword and Wind Child) in this companion series, but it was good nonetheless! The pacing was a bit off for me in this book and it felt sluggish at times. I did thoroughly enjoy the characters and the overarching plot which resulted in a satisfying ending. I really wish the 3rd book in this saga would get translated so I can read it! Or maybe I need to work on my Japanese!

"Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince" is a sequel to "Wind Child and Dragon Sword", though you don't necessarily need to have read both to enjoy "Mirror Sword...". Both are based on Japanese folklore and myth, and are fun and interesting reads. I thoroughly enjoyed "Wind Child and Dragon Sword" and so had high expectations when coming into "Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince." However, I would say that this did not quite live up to the first book. Both are well translated, and very interesting stories, b...

Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is a retelling of the story of Yamato Takeru, a legendary Japanese hero. However, even if you've never heard of the name 'Yamato Takeru' before, you could still enjoy this book. Of all the three books from Tales of the Magatama series, 'Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince' is my favourite. The main characters are more well developed than the first book (Dragon Sword and Wind Child) and the stories are well crafted and are much deeper in details. I also love the romance

This book is a sequel to "dragon sword and wind child".And this world is several hundred years after the"dragon sword and wind child".I read it in Japanese. May be Japanese is the best to read it I think.Author Ogiwara...she uses really beautiful Japanese. Book is so~thick,but if you finished read it,you would feel you want to read more!

Ive been waiting forever for the second volume to be translated so i was overjoyed when this came out. i still think the first book was best but this story had its own charms too. Now i just have to wait for the third to be translated...hopefully soon

Darn, now I wish Usobeni Tenyou was also translated!!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but I don't think that I liked it as much as "Dragon Sword and Wind Child" (this may be due to nostalgia). I hope that the third book gets translated to English.

wish i could make a manga of this

3 1/2 stars. Whew, this book was kind of... exhausting. It's not only chunky, but packed - there's so much happening with very little breathing room. Much like Dragon Sword and Wind Child, it's eerily compelling despite its flaws. These books are based on Japanese myth, but they also seem to tap into a sort of proto-mythological vein - the motifs all seem so familiar, and are played out with such deep dream-logic, that it gives one a spooky, distant-memory sort of feeling. That said, I thought t...

Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is the second book of the Tales of the Magitama series, and takes place many centuries after the events of Dragon Sword and Wind Child.We are first introduced to a girl named Toko Tachibana, and her adopted brother Oguna. Toko’s family are the guardians of one of four (originally five) powerful “magatama,” magical stones that had originally been strung on a necklace belonging to a goddess. Toko is very close to her adopted brother, and a great deal of the opening a...

Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is the sequel to the Japanese fantasy novel, Dragon Sword and Wind Child. However, it is set centuries or even millennia after the first book and so could be read independently. The main thread that ties the books together is the shared mythology and setting.Oguna and Toko have grown up together, but Oguna has never known who his parents are. When the emperor’s son comes to their village, Oguna goes with him to train as the prince’s shadow. But when Oguna awakens a...

I would say this is a better book than the first. Love development can use more work but it doesn't feel like it's dropping outta nowhere anymore. The main character girl is strong-willed though most of the time it was fueled by wrong reasons. All aspects of story are quite balanced. Character growth, relationships, plot and moral questions. I'm glad the size of the book doesn't make the story rushed. This was a very nice reading. I'd love to read her next book of this series once they published...