I loved the aspects of Japanese folklore that were included throughout the text. In addition to being informative, they were a wonderful addition to the plot. The story describes how Miuko, the main character, learns to be comfortable with herself and gains confidence. I thought the overall execution was well-done, but some aspects had a heavy-handed emphasis--the points about being underestimated and suppressed were clear enough without the extra explanation.

The story is split into two parts, and the dividing line between them is not what I was expecting. The plot was not predictable in terms of the end outcome. I liked the use of the characters--none of them were extraneous, and even though it seemed like we might have seen the last of some of the more minor characters, they would then come back in unexpected ways.

Overall, this book is heartwarming and leaves the reader with a sense of inspiration. Miuko is a compelling protagonist and her story is worth reading.

This book brought me so much joy!

Miuko is the only child of an inn keeper in the country of Adawa. She is too clumsy, too loud, too opinionated, too restless to be a desirable daughter or wife. Her father, however, embraces her as she is. One day on an errand outside the village she is cursed by a demon. When the villagers and priests and her father realize she is now a demon they cast her out. In an effort to return to her home she sets off on an adventure to rid herself of the demon’s curse. She journeys through the physical and spirit world, making friends and make deals with humans, spirits, and gods. Forced outside of the constraints of society she discovers who she is, who she can be, and how much she has to offer to the world.

I was enchanted by Miuko and her journey and the friends she found along the way. The world building is superb and the writing is captivating. Highly recommend!

5 stars

For years I’ve been searching for a book that captures the spirit and feel of my favourite film of all time, Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke. Friends also looking for such a book, you would be delighted to know that I have finally found such a book: A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee, a young adult Japanese-inspired dark feminist fantasy that follows a young girl named Miuko who is cursed by a demon and is forced on a journey to reverse the curse - before the curse takes over – and become human once more.

A Thousand Steps into Night takes its reader on a sweeping journey across the land of Awara, a land with Japanese-inspired folklore and culture where power beings, gods, demons, and humans exist side-by-side. The worldbuilding is rich and immediately immersive. Footnotes at the end of each chapter provide definitions and pronunciation guides, in a way that doesn’t otherise its world but feels more like a storytelling tool, almost like a pocketbook ‘Guide to Awara’ that readers have on their journey.

The feminist lens of A Thousand Steps into Night and its thematic exploration of power go hand in hand. The story explores what it means to be a girl in a patriarchal society where girls are expected to be quiet, obedient, and escorted by their male family or husbands. Powerless yet defiant to the whims of these oppressive norms and expectations, Miuko’s quiet rage is fuel to the demon voice within her. Yet, as her curse turns her more into a demon than human, Miuko must grapple with what it means to possess power – does she relinquish herself to her demon curse and be powerful, or will she choose to be a human girl and be powerless?

But this is not just a story about what it means to be powerful. At the midpoint of A Thousand Steps into Night, the story subverts its own trajectory, wherein Miuko herself must confront that what matters is not possessing power but what one does with the power that we do possess. How the story culminates, particularly in how Miuko wields her power juxtaposes with the antagonist’s approach to power, elevates the story to a fantasy adventure with welcome complexity that challenges readers and their own perceptions of power.

Despite its oftentimes dark and solemn themes, the character-driven nature of A Thousand Steps into Night will spark joy as Miuko discovers a world beyond her ordinary, no-where village. Geiki, a magpie spirit who can’t help but steal every shiny thing, is a shining star of Miuko’s story, and her unexpected allies are delights in their own way. Indeed, A Thousand Steps into Night highlights that journeys are not simply about the destination but also about the people that we meet along the way.

Indulgent in its worldbuilding, magnificent with its storytelling, and thoughtful in its questions about power, A Thousand Steps into Night is an incredible fantasy adventure that has no parallel. An effortless fantasy favourite of not just 2022 but of all time.

I loved Traci Chee's previous book We are Not Free, and I was very excited to hear she would be writing in a totally different genre. This book is a really interesting combination of historical fiction and fantasy. I tend to love books that are influenced by folktales and fairy tales, and this book is a great example. It's got a great protagonist in Miuko--she brings life to the story and grounds it in a reality readers can connect with. All and all a great read!

Miuko is an innkeeper’s daughter in her small village, and she is resigned to living an ordinary life. That is, until one day, when she is cursed by a demon and she starts to transform from human to demon. Thus begins her quest for answers to reverse the transformation. She is accompanied by a chatty and thieving magpie, and both a demon hunter and prince are close at her heels.

I found this book to be slow-paced and convoluted, aka the opposite of what I had expected from a high-stakes adventure that is targeted to young adult readers. I could appreciate the journey to find oneself, friendships made along the way, and infusion of Japanese culture/language. However, I also got the sense that the author had a cornucopia of elements that she wanted to cram into the story but their purpose got lost in translation. It didn’t help that there was a long list of characters and some had 2-3 names/nicknames each. Moreover, I was not a fan of the immature characters and bland dialogue. Ultimately, this was not for me. That being said, perhaps this would better suit a young teen. Or, you might enjoy this book if you liked Unravel the Dusk!

TWs for murdered and mutilated girls, and two unsolicited kisses.

Thank you to Clarion Books, Traci Chee, and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun fantasy with a very beautiful/literary voice! Wonderful worldbuilding and characters that grab onto you from the very beginning!

This is what it feels like to take an epic fantasy novel and combine it with your favorite Miyazaki films. I felt vibes of Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Howl's Moving Castle throughout, just to name a few. Throughout, this Japanese-inspired fantasy felt real, not watered down for the average consumer. We had pronunciation guides in the footnotes as well as some fun etymology. Plus I absolutely loved Geiki and the entire cast of spirit characters. There's a lush landscape of worldbuilding that Traci Chee lovingly constructed, fun mythology to explore, and an adventure that will keep you captivated. What else could you want?

*Thank you to Clarion Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Traci Chee’s A Thousand Steps Into Night is a Japanese-influenced fantasy about Miuko, an ordinary girl from a failing village who is suddenly thrust into a world of demons and gods. After we meet Miuko, she finds herself alone, afraid—and cursed—within the space of a day. She's forced to leave everything she’s known behind and find a way to break her curse. She meets many friends along the way and navigates the challenges that come with her newfound freedom and incredible power.

This book had a really strong start. I was immediately captivated by Miuko as a character and I love how Chee wove a world together based on Japanese mythology. There will probably be conflicting opinions on this, but I wished the Japanese terms were defined within the text vs. footnotes—it did distract the flow of my reading when I had to look ahead to understand what a term meant and it broke the spell in some ways. I found myself zoning out a bit during the second half—the book was certainly packed with action, but the pacing was almost too fast. I wanted to process Miuko’s trials and witness the gradual change in her and the evolution of her relationships. But everything moved so fast it almost lost it’s feeling of authenticity and the magic and mystery I felt so strongly in the beginning. I will say the book was full of surprises in the best way. There were twists and turns that I couldn’t have predicted, and ultimately, I felt like the ending was really successful and satisfying.

Overall this was an imaginative, entertaining read about a compelling heroine. I absolutely loved the Japanese influences and the book introduced me to a new world of folklore and myth that I haven’t yet seen in other books. So excited to see what Chee comes up with next!

I really enjoyed this unusual fantasy/horror/adventure. The world-building was fascinating but never too difficult to imagine, the characters interesting and there's a great plot-twist at the midpoint that I genuinely didn't see coming. I got a little lost in the second half of the book as there are time shift elements that perhaps I lost track of but there was so much action that I was carried along by that.

Traci Chee's A Thousand Steps Into Night is an adventurous story dealing with demons, prince's, and a whole myriad of monsters and creatures that are truly out of this world. In a world where humans meet the supernatural, a simple girl like Miuko never would have expected to bridge the gap. With a demonic curse slowly taking over her body, Miuko would have to break the traces of malevolence before its too late.
Through the help of friends that she meets along the way, Miuko may or may not just come out unscathed.

First of all, I would like to express my sheer admiration for Traci Chee's writing. I immediately fell into the book because of how easily the words seemed to flow page after page that kept me going until the very end.
Before reading this book, I barely knew anything that involved Japanese mythology which made things confusing for me at first. But after a while, I got used to the names and terms that were used throughout the book.

I liked the book a lot at first. I thought it was really interesting. But after a while, the pacing ended up feeling a bit off for me. Things seemed to move too fast and it didn't feel like I was given enough time to let scenes and plot twists sink in before another big turn of events came about.
The characters however, especially geiki, kept things exciting for me. I absolutely loved their sense of humor and they gave me a lot of tpw jiang ziya energy. They were just so carefree and saw life in a different way and I love characters like that.

For some reason, it felt like too much was cramped into one book. It may have been better if the story was executed in two books instead of one so that things wouldn't seem a bit too tight knit.
In the end, Miuko's adventure came to a logical close. I love the ending that was given to her and I can't wait for more adventures to come her way.

I've read, and loved, Traci Chee's previous book, The Reader, though I still need to continue the series, so I was extremely excited when my request for an advanced copy of this book was approved. The synopsis seemed like exactly my sort of thing, and I couldn't wait to dive in!

I adored this book, and it kept growing on me more and more as I went on, and as the story shifted forms. Each time the story shifted, I found something new to love, and I loved how it was ever-changing, keeping me on my toes and constantly guessing what could possibly come next. This carried an aura of fairy tales whilst still feeling a step apart from other fairy tale style stories or retellings I've read before.

I also really enjoyed how many creatures and monsters and spirits were involved in every page of this book, and I thought the footnotes giving some of them quick explanations were a nice touch. It allowed curious readers to learn more about the creatures on page without bogging down the writing and storytelling with possibly repetitive introductions to creature after creature. I honestly really loved how small a role humans seemed to play in the story overall, and that so many of the characters seemed imbued with magic somehow, either through being a spirit themselves or having some connection to them. It made the story feel richer overall, and I loved meeting them all, whether they were names I had encountered in other stories before or not.

Miuko's journey was also an intriguing one, and I found it so hard to decide what to wish for for her, in terms of an ending. Did I want her to free herself of the curse, a dream she so determinedly clung to? Or did I want her to embrace this new side of herself, even if it came at the cost of her humanity? The answer to this was ever-shifting, as Miuko's journey proceeded and more information came forth, about both options. Miuko herself wavered on this specific decision many times as well, and I found this internal journey a perfect complement to the external one she was taking alongside it. The villain also played an intriguing role, even if, as time went on, he became a clearer and clearer villain. I enjoyed the fuzziness around his morality at first, and part of me still wishes the book had perhaps followed the route of them joining up, not to necessarily burn the world down and remake it, but rather for both of them to find their wishes in each other. I wished for this less and less as the story went on of course, and it became clearer that the villain was not redeemable, but I definitely could have seen this side of the story as well, from some parts at the beginning.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book, and cannot wait to pick up a copy for myself when it releases. If you love magical spirits, strong-willed heroines, and tricky side characters that aren't quite human, this is a perfect read to start off 2022 with!

Told in a style reminiscent of old, translated folk tales A Thousand Steps into the Night is an easy and important read. Demons and gods, spirits and tricksters make you not want to put this down. I'm in love

First of all thank you to Netgalley for letting me read and review an ARC of this book!

I honestly don’t want to say too much so i’ll just say that I really enjoyed this book. The first chapter pulled me in and I actually finished this in one day. If you like the anime Inuyasha you definitely will like this. I seen someone else also talk about it being similar to Inuyasha and overall I loved the the concept of this book. The main character Miuko was such a good lead and I also really liked the fantasy elements in this novel. In all this was a 5/5 and I recommend to everyone for when it comes out on March 1!

Thank you author Traci Chee, publishing company Clarion Books, and NetGalley for providing A Thousand Steps into Night ARC for me to read. I really enjoyed reading the book and would highly recommend to anyone who likes fiction, fantasy, Asian themes, adventure, strong female protagonists, feminism, and time travel.

The story's main female protagonist is Miuko, who lives in a small town ruled by a very patriarchal kingdom that restricts and forbids females from doing anything that's remotely independent or free. She is aware that her socially acceptable role is to become a housewife and bear children, which she isn't happy about but she accepts it since it's the only thing she knows. Deep down inside, she questions those expectations and takes any and all opportunities to go against those norms. One day, her father tells her to go out and bring home some new teacups, and on her way home she took longer than expected and ends up outside during nightfall. The evening time is dangerous in her town because there are ghosts, spirits, and demons that prey on humans if they aren't protected. On that fateful night, Miuko encounters a demon and gets cursed when the demon kisses her. Thus begins her adventure to reverse the curse that is spreading through her body by turning her skin bright blue and a demonic voice inside her head telling her to kill anything and everything.

I love this magical world filled with all sorts of creatures and spiritual worlds. It was so fun reading about each type of creature, their magical powers, and their personalities. Throughout the book, almost all the way until the end, we meet new characters and places. Also, I love how they all played an important role in Miuko's adventure and not all of them were super friendly and helpful either. The great thing about this story is not everything happens as planned. Miuko isn't a fairytale princess that gets helped by male characters and she also doesn't have unrealistic luck where everything goes her way. She encounters so many trials and failures, and yet she learns to challenge her stamina and pushes herself to keep going and keep trying. I love her persistence and how she motivates herself to help her family and friends despite setbacks. She's a great protagonist and an amazing role model for girls who read this book.

The only thing I found a little inconsistent with the writing was the back and forth between the English terms and the Awaran. I would have liked it if the author chose to stick with one term for the whole story. I did like how the Awaran words were explained and had footnotes. In the ebook version, it was hard to go back to the reading spot after clicking on the footnote, but this won't be a problem for the printed book.

Thank you again for letting me read this story! I don't think the end of the story alluded to a sequel, but I would love to read other stories that take place in this world!

**3.75 rounded up!**
**I received an e-arc through NetGalley!**

A Thousand Steps Into Night focuses on Miuko, an innkeeper's daughter, living a safe, ordinary, and restricted life in the realm of Awara. But one night, she is cursed and begins a transformation into a demon with a deadly touch. Forced out of her village, she embarks on an adventure to remove her curse and return to her normal life. Along the way, she is joined by a thieving but friendly magpie spirit and is also thwarting the efforts of a demon prince trying to lure her into giving in to the curse and becoming a full demon. With her transformation providing her with strength, powers, and freedom she had never dreamed of, she will have to make a choice and decide if saving her soul is worth going back to an ordinary and restricted life that no longer fits her, and maybe never did.

Overall, I found this story to be pretty enjoyable but did find the first half to be a bit slower than the second half. It took me a little bit to really become invested in the story and the characters, which is why I have this at a 3.75 instead of a 4. I thought that the character development of Miuko was wonderful, and really brought out the themes of knowing your worth and expressing who you are instead of hiding yourself. Geiki was a fantastic side character and his relationship with Miuko was amusing and heartwarming. I also thought the demon prince was a great villain; I liked the way that Traci portrayed him and it was very easy to see how his influence could destroy entire villages. The twist that occurred was one that I wasn't even in the realm of considering, but it made perfect sense once everything fell into place. The story was weaved together incredibly well and brings up a lot of really important questions about fate, self-expression, independence, and freedom.

I rarely ask for ARCs by authors I've never read before because I don't want to take the risk of not liking it. But once I saw the synopsis for this, I knew I had to read it. And TC has now become a must-read author for me!

I loved the how this story has a very fairytale-esque vibe. The east asian fantasy stories I've read have always had more of a folktale feel to them, but this feels very whimsical and magical like fairytales do. It's a story that features an epic journey with a lot of different side quests, various gods and spirits, and some pretty great characters (Geiki the magpie spirit steals whatever scene he is in - I love him!). And although I thought the ending was a bit rushed, I liked the writing overall and thought the story was wrapped up nicely.

What I also really enjoyed were the annotated footnotes that provided definitions, pronunciations, and some commentary for all the Japanese terms and translations. I can't tell how much more convenient it is to look at the bottom of the page rather than flip to a glossary in the back. I really hope this is a feature that is included in the final publication.

So what a great introduction to TC's storytelling. I can't wait to read more of her books and see what she comes up with next!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book. Ugh, I shouldn't be so proud of myself for FINALLY getting to an ARC before it's actually published, but here I am, feeling like I actually accomplished something amazing here.

I am more than a little torn on my rating for this book; I keep going back and forth between 3.5 and 4 stars.

On one hand, I LOVED the character development. Miuko in particular is such a well done lead female. As readers, we see her start out as just a meek servant girl working at her family's inn with her father, and she just becomes so much more than that. She always knew she was too loud, too unremarkable, and just did not fit in, and I love that for her. Her journey, not just through the world, but also the self-discovery that takes place internally, is just really inspiring and super well done. This story also has everything I love in fantasy books. There were demons, fantastical creatures and magical elements, a plot that didn't rely on mediocre romance, and friendships that felt REAL and not out of necessity, forced, or didn't make much sense.

But on the other hand, the second part of the book just felt rushed- specifically the ending. I guess what I mean, without spoiling the book, is that the first half of the book occurs within twelve days, and we spend so much time in those twelve days, on a quest and getting to know Miuko, Gieki and a few other characters. It seems well paced and none of the action feels unexplained. However in the second half, it is a LONGER span of time but nothing is super fleshed out. Fight scenes pass quickly, magic is just used without being super in depth, and the final battle scene doesn't even take up more than a few pages. Since we spent so much time leading up to that scene, I wanted more from the two demons. I don't know, maybe that's just me though. I just didn't expect it to be over so quickly or not as well detailed as I would have liked.

All in all, I had preordered this book before I got the copy from NetGalley and I plan on keeping it and reading it again when my finished copy gets here because I did really enjoy the story.

I received an advanced reader copy of A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee for my honest review.
Let me begin by saying that this is an amazing book. The story kept me gripped until the very end. I finished the book within a couple of hours, I just could not put it down. The storytelling is superb and very imaginative. I really liked the character of Miuko. You could see her character development throughout the story. I was sorry to have the story end and felt like I was missing dear friends. I will be buying a physical copy when it comes out!

Traci Chee has once again shown her skill at character and world building. From the onset, the characters in this novel become fast friends of the reader and as they choose their adventures, I found myself cheering Miuko and Geiki on, and trying to will them into and out of their various decisions while I was reading. The world building is beautiful as it is so natural to the story itself that, as a reader, I did not even realize the world was being built, but could still map it in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Rating 4.5

I really enjoyed this story. The development with the characters was so good. It has little to no romance, which is a nice change. The ending was perfect. There were a few times where it moved a little slower, but it wasn’t anything drastic. A Thousand Steps Into Night was original and refreshing. I’ll definitely be buying myself a copy.