Book Review: The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee

I chose to read The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Lee after the new Avatar live action series debuted on Netflix! While the show revolves around Aang, Katara, and their closest allies, this book focuses on young Kyioshi, an Avatar many years before Aang. 

When the story begins, Kyoshi is not the Avatar. She's just a homeless teen working as a servant in Avatar Yun's mansion. She has a few friends (Yun included), an airbending mentor named Kelsang, and a trunk of random stuff her parents gave her before she never saw them again . . .

After a series of events that I won't spoil, Kyoshi finds herself on the run, discovering her bending abilities, and training (with criminals) to take her true place as the Avatar. What happens with Yun is something you'll just have to read about.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it within a few days. The unique cast of characters and fast-past writing kept me interested and eager to finish. It was fun to read having knowledge of the Avatar world, like the different kinds of benders, the cities, and random characters, but you don't have to know any of that to enjoy reading. 

I'd recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in Avatar: The Last Airbender, fantasy-lovers, and teens who love reading a series. I only read book #1, but it looks like there's another Kyoshi book and a few more books about other Avatars set in the same world. 

- Nora H., Grade 10