5 reasons to dive into F.C. Yee’s ‘The Shadow of Kyoshi,’ an Avatar: The Last Airbender novel

The Rise of Kyoshi may have detailed the origins of Aang’s most interesting predecessor, but F.C. Yee’s The Shadow of Kyoshi sees her coming into her power.

With so much hype surrounding Avatar: The Last Airbender since its return to Netflix, it’s only natural fans would want to remain in the Four Nations for as long as possible. And although The Legend of Korra is arriving on the streaming platform next month, there are plenty of other ways to keep up with the Avatars and their companions, through comics and even YA novels.

F.C. Yee’s The Rise of Kyoshi detailed the origin story of Aang’s most interesting predecessor (sorry, Avatar Roku). The latest book carries on that narrative, showing us what became of Kyoshi after discovering she was the Avatar and seeking justice for those she lost along her journey.

The Shadow of Kyoshi shows the young Avatar in her element, still growing but much further along than she was in Rise. Readers are thrown into the political morass of the Fire Nation and learn more about Kyoshi’s past. They follow the Earth Avatar as she attempts to quell these problems and fulfill her duty to her people.

All in all, the novel proves a satisfying conclusion to Yee’s story, giving Kyoshi the story she deserves and fans a well-crafted ending. For anyone still on the fence about picking this book up, though, here are a few reasons it’s worth the read:

Kyoshi Comes Into Her Power

Fans looking to see the adventures and battles of the great Avatar Kyoshi hinted at in The Last Airbender may not have found what they were looking for in The Rise of Kyoshi. The first book in Yee’s series focuses more on Kyoshi’s childhood and the discovery that she’s the Avatar than on her later achievements.

And while Kyoshi no doubt still has growing to do in The Shadow of Kyoshi, her character is much closer to what fans remember from the animated series. The opening sequence of the novel sees the Avatar using her Bending abilities and war fans to capture criminals and save the vulnerable — and her badassery doesn’t stop there.

Readers will also get to see Kyoshi take on the political challenges of bringing peace to the Fire Nation, master her connection to the Spirit World, and defeat an enemy that poses a threat to everything she holds dear. She’s busy in this installment, and it makes for a compelling and action-packed narrative fans won’t want to put down.

More Worldbuilding

Although we’ve seen the Fire Nation before, it’s mostly been through brief visits, many of which involved battles between the Fire Nation army and the rest of the characters.

The Shadow of Kyoshi gives fans a bit more time to take in the clans and customs of what will one day become Zuko’s kingdom, and it’s extremely satisfying for those who value worldbuilding. Through Aang, we’ve gotten history lessons about the Airbenders, and we’ve seen how the Water Tribes conduct themselves through Korra. In The Rise of Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom gets its time to shine, and finally, the Fire Nation does too.

In addition to delving more deeply into the Fire Nation, The Shadow of Kyoshi offers readers more insight into the Avatars that came before Kyoshi. Aang never goes back quite that far, so getting to learn about Kuruk and Yangchen is interesting stuff.

Refreshing Romance

Readers excited to dive into The Shadow of Kyoshi for more scenes between Kyoshi and Rangi won’t be disappointed. Theirs is a refreshing take on YA romance that demonstrates what a healthy relationship should look like. Sure, the two have disagreements, but their arguments and miscommunications don’t drive the whole of the story, or the while of their relationship.

It’s also nice to finally see a sapphic romance play out in the Avatar world. Sure, Korra and Asami technically met that need first, but fans only truly got to see their relationship develop in the comics. For anyone who hasn’t read those yet, Kyoshi’s romance with Rangi will seem much more fleshed out.

Wrapping Up Loose Ends

Anyone wondering what became of Yun after The Rise of Kyoshi — and anyone wishing to fill in the many blanks of Avatar Kuruk’s past — will find the sequel a satisfying addition to Kyoshi’s story, as it ties up the loose ends from book one.

The Shadow of Kyoshi lets its main character make peace with her past, overcoming it in the physical and metaphorical sense. Any threads left hanging are neatly tied up in, allowing fans to make sense of mysteries from The Rise of Kyoshi and giving each of the characters introduced in this series a proper send-off.

Nods to the Original Series

It’s hard to write a prequel without including a few nods to the original story, and The Shadow of Kyoshi features several well-placed acknowledgments of what’s to come. Whether it’s mentioning the Air Nation Avatar that will come two cycles later or questioning when the Fire Nation will be united under one benevolent leader, the novel does a solid job of rounding out its story by tying it into the future of this world.

But the book also avoids leaning too hard on references to the original series, standing on its own as a conclusion — a balance that can often be difficult for spinoffs to strike.

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