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Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn
The mythical Island of Mayatte was never meant to be discovered by anyone, and its natives are about to find out why.
When a ship of foreigners crashes along the coast, everyone but Naña is wary of their inexplicable arrival. While others are suspicious and fearful, Naña is curious and even helpful, especially when one of the outsiders becomes gravely ill. But her goodwill might be a fatal flaw that puts the entire island in jeopardy.
While she grows closer to the foreigners, they discover something that could revolutionize the outside world. A resource so powerful, they’re compelled to harvest it at any cost. Naña is now pit against forces that could wipe her people from existence. How can she stop an enemy that’s more powerful than any of them can handle?
Mayatte’s Catharsis is a bittersweet tale of humanity in all its madness. Follow Naña through mystic battles, political unrest, and acts of kindness with magic leading every step of the way.
When a ship of foreigners crashes along the coast, everyone but Naña is wary of their inexplicable arrival. While others are suspicious and fearful, Naña is curious and even helpful, especially when one of the outsiders becomes gravely ill. But her goodwill might be a fatal flaw that puts the entire island in jeopardy.
While she grows closer to the foreigners, they discover something that could revolutionize the outside world. A resource so powerful, they’re compelled to harvest it at any cost. Naña is now pit against forces that could wipe her people from existence. How can she stop an enemy that’s more powerful than any of them can handle?
Mayatte’s Catharsis is a bittersweet tale of humanity in all its madness. Follow Naña through mystic battles, political unrest, and acts of kindness with magic leading every step of the way.
- GenresFantasy
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2022
5 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 19, 2023
*I received a free eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
The fantasy novella Mayatte's Catharsis introduces us to a new, intriguing, but underdeveloped world. The writing is beautiful, and I love the small glimpse we get of Mayatte. Despite how good it is, the book feels incomplete. All the elements of a 5-star read are here. It just needs to be fleshed out more. The pacing felt a little rushed, and I found the ending unsatisfying. It would be fantastic if the novella were expanded into a full novel. I'm curious about the island's inhabitants, and I'm intrigued about what happens next. The novella contains great potential for further exploration, and I think the idea would be well served with more detail and context.
The fantasy novella Mayatte's Catharsis introduces us to a new, intriguing, but underdeveloped world. The writing is beautiful, and I love the small glimpse we get of Mayatte. Despite how good it is, the book feels incomplete. All the elements of a 5-star read are here. It just needs to be fleshed out more. The pacing felt a little rushed, and I found the ending unsatisfying. It would be fantastic if the novella were expanded into a full novel. I'm curious about the island's inhabitants, and I'm intrigued about what happens next. The novella contains great potential for further exploration, and I think the idea would be well served with more detail and context.
January 16, 2023
15 January 2023
3.5 stars!
Okay, so I liked this; I really did. However, I wish I liked it more, but I just attribute that primarily to its very short length. With only 20k words, Jack E. Mohr packs a lot into Mayatte's Catharsis: A Feathered Serpent Reborn, and it is honestly very well done.
For as short as it is, the whole novella worked well. Nonetheless, it lacks some of the complexities and nuances you can get from longer works. However, I do not believe that the length works to the novella's detriment.
You still get incredible world building, great character development and growth, a solid plot, and great writing. What you don't get is additional detail, greater complexities, and answers for everything. Still, these unanswered questions add depth to the novella; in fact, I could see this being read in a high school ELA class, as it's got plenty in it for students to consider all while being just 6 chapters (plus a prologue).
Let's get into the full review, and we'll discuss more. Heads up, though, I'm going to be kinda picky! ;)
Okay, so world building is two parts — the building of the literal world and the building of the magic and religion systems.
In terms of the literal world building, I think JEM did a fantastic job of creating such an interesting world. What's more, he did it over the course of the novella, without having a boring info dump at the beginning. Because Mayatte's Catharsis is so short, the info dump would have been a great disservice. The descriptions are just magical, and it adds to the whole mythical aura surrounding the island of Mayatte. While I kinda would have liked to know physical location for Mayatte, I think not having that further adds to the magic.
If I had to give a number rating for this portion of world building, I'd probably give it about 8/10.
As for the magic and religion systems, well, I wanted more. I get that Mayatte's Catharsis is short, so there's only so much that can be included. I also get that the vagueness was intentionally there to add to the mystery. Still, I wanted more to give me an indication of why the island people revered Mayatte, why they were also called Mayatte, or what Mayatte did to earn their reverance. I guess this really isn't a fatal flaw, but I couldn't help but want just a bit more.
Nonetheless, I will say that the whole religion system was interesting, and it seemed very much like an allegory for Christianity or some other modern religion — or at least, that's what I got from it. Some of it seemed more like a blatant nod toward Christianity, but other parts were vague enough to be more applicable to a wider range or religions and belief systems. I'm still not 100% sure about this, but I just find it very interesting and compelling. This allegory really is the main reason as to why I thought Mayatte's Catharsis would be so good for a high school ELA class; it very much reminds me of some of the books I read myself in my high school ELA classes.
I'm a bit picky with this sub rating because I wanted more, so my number rating for this portion of world building is about a 5.5/10.
Because I see both physical world and magic and religion systems as being weighted evenly, I'm just going to take the average of both sub ratings to get 6.75/10, which I round to 7/10 since I only use ratings in increments of 0.5.
So, the characters. I actually liked them. I just didn't love them. Don't get me wrong; they are incredible characters. The lack of a deeper connection is simply a result of book length, my tendency to read late at night, and the resulting sleep deprivation. 🤣
In all seriousness, I really did like the characters. Overall, they were well described, unique, and realistic (for the most part, or as "real" as a mythical people can be). I do kinda wish we got more of Morchato and the rest of the Mayatte people. And actually more of Sir Gallahan and Clarkston, for that matter. I am, however, quite happy with what we saw of Naña and Zeke; Zeke's honestly kind of my favorite character . . . I think. Nonetheless, from what we got out of all the characters with the page count, I'm rather happy with what we got.
~Naña~
Since Naña is the MC, I'll focus a bit more on her for a bit.
She is a very interesting character as we don't get much on her backstory other than that her mother disappeared. Quickly, we see that she is rather trusting, albeit just a tiny bit skeptical at first. Throughout the course of the novella, we also get to see her strengths, her weaknesses, and all the effects and consequences of trusting in Mayatte.
I think, just in general, her growth was incredible — I mean, it wasn't Zuko level growth, but it was still good. 😂 She started out as a slightly naive girl with a blind faith in Mayatte, but by the end she was a trusting but not as naive girl with a tested yet stronger faith in Mayatte. This growth really is attributed to her character, and it shows. It makes her for a pretty compelling character, and I really enjoyed reading from her POV (even though it was more 3rd person omniscient at other times).
Now, the plot is kind of laid out in the summary, but there is still more to it such that you still won't know what will happen until it does. For only six chapters and 20k words, a lot happens. No spoilers, but Naña has to go on a fair number of short journeys with Zeke to help a certain ill comrade and to "do Mayatte's will." True, the entire plot is basically summarized in the book blurb. (Gosh, I feel old saying "blurb" [I'm not] — who even says that? Oh, that's right, me. 😒🤦♀️🙄🤣🤣🤣) Still, a lot of the journey happens between the main events from the blurb (don't say anything), and without those events, all we'd be left is the blurb (shut up), which would make for a pretty boring book.
You're probably getting bored of my dumb humor, so I'll close out this section with saying that I don't really have that much of an issue with plot. Overall, it was good, although at different points, it did seem a bit simplistic or too easy for Naña. I'm just not sure the stakes were quite high enough. Sure, death was a very real outcome, but my heart wasn't beating out of my chest and I wasn't screaming at the characters to hurry up. As harsh as that may seem, I will say that I was 100% concerned that the characters wouldn't get out of their predicaments in time; I just wasn't killing myself out of concern.
Okay, so the relationships are pretty much nonexistent. Sure, Sir Gallahan, Clarkston, and Zeke have a camaraderie, and yeah, Zeke and Naña have something as travel buddies, but there's nothing for me to specifically dedicate a fancy subsection to (like with some of my other reviews). Instead, you're getting it all together.
I think the camaraderie the three have is quite interesting. To me, it didn't seem like there was a clear leader amongst them, but rather that they were all fairly equal. Now, I don't know what this really has to do with the novella as a whole, but it was something interesting I noticed.
With Zeke and Naña, their adventures were really interesting (as I've mentioned before), and I think Zeke started to like Naña. Their dynamic was interesting because of this, but again, I didn't really see their relationship playing into the novella as a whole but just something that happened.
Finally, Naña's relationship with the rest of her tribe, especially Morchato and her father Papayette, were rather interesting. Contrary to the previous two relationships I touched upon above, I think these interactions really served to help build the world, as it highlighted the Mayatte people's culture.
Overall, I didn't really see the relationships serving a grand purpose (and they didn't necessarily need too), save for Naña relationship with her community, but they did make the book interesting. I've opted for a harsher rating here because I think the relationiships could have been more meaningful, especially since Mayatte's Catharsis is so short. Nonetheless, don't let that make you think that the relationships were poorly executed; they weren't. I just would have preferred for a slightly bigger (and perhaps more explicit or obvious) purpose, but that's just me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wasn't sure at the beginning, but JEM's prose ended up being very good! Sure there were a few grammatical errors, but for an indie author, I'm not at all upset. Also, his prose may not have flowed right off the page as with other authors', but his prose creates this incredible vibe that fits so well with the themes of the novella.
Pacing wise, I'm not sure how much I can really say since Mayatte's Catharsis is only a novella and not a full–length novel. However, for what it is, I'd say that the pacing is overall quite good. It's not that fast, but it's not at all slow. I'm not sure if it should have moved faster, but I don't really think "slower" would have been good, even if more was added to it.
As always, this Spoiler Section is going to have spoilers. (Shocking, I know.) Proceed with caution.
Overall, I am quite pleased with Mayatte's Catharsis. It works, and it's certainly done well. I'm just not completely in love with it. If I had to add it to my indie tier ranking, I think I'd have to add it to Tier 4, as it's definitely a solid read but it's just not a favorite.
I've opted to round down from 3.5 stars to 3 (since Goodreads still doesn't allow half stars 🙄) for the main reason that I "liked it" but not "really liked it." My feelings on this novella, which is a major factor in my starred ratings, simply align better with how Goodreads defines their 3 star reviews. May I remind you though that 3 stars is still good, and this novella is still good.
However, I have my own tastes in books, and you have your own tastes. They will differ, so if it sounds interesting, I recommend giving Mayatte's Catharsis a shot!
3.5 stars!
Major thanks to the author for the free eARC, in exchange for an honest review
--------------------------------------------------
15 December 2022
*Currently Reading*
I was provided a free eARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review
~~~~~
Want more bookish stuff?
・ Comment below to discuss this book more. I'd love to hear what you think!
・ Send me a private message on Goodreads to discuss this book and other books!
・ Join Book Nerds Unite to get involved in all things bookish with fellow book nerds!
・ Like this review, and follow me for more book reviews.
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Happy Reading!
3.5 stars!
Okay, so I liked this; I really did. However, I wish I liked it more, but I just attribute that primarily to its very short length. With only 20k words, Jack E. Mohr packs a lot into Mayatte's Catharsis: A Feathered Serpent Reborn, and it is honestly very well done.
For as short as it is, the whole novella worked well. Nonetheless, it lacks some of the complexities and nuances you can get from longer works. However, I do not believe that the length works to the novella's detriment.
You still get incredible world building, great character development and growth, a solid plot, and great writing. What you don't get is additional detail, greater complexities, and answers for everything. Still, these unanswered questions add depth to the novella; in fact, I could see this being read in a high school ELA class, as it's got plenty in it for students to consider all while being just 6 chapters (plus a prologue).
Let's get into the full review, and we'll discuss more. Heads up, though, I'm going to be kinda picky! ;)
World Building ~ 7/10
Okay, so world building is two parts — the building of the literal world and the building of the magic and religion systems.
In terms of the literal world building, I think JEM did a fantastic job of creating such an interesting world. What's more, he did it over the course of the novella, without having a boring info dump at the beginning. Because Mayatte's Catharsis is so short, the info dump would have been a great disservice. The descriptions are just magical, and it adds to the whole mythical aura surrounding the island of Mayatte. While I kinda would have liked to know physical location for Mayatte, I think not having that further adds to the magic.
If I had to give a number rating for this portion of world building, I'd probably give it about 8/10.
As for the magic and religion systems, well, I wanted more. I get that Mayatte's Catharsis is short, so there's only so much that can be included. I also get that the vagueness was intentionally there to add to the mystery. Still, I wanted more to give me an indication of why the island people revered Mayatte, why they were also called Mayatte, or what Mayatte did to earn their reverance. I guess this really isn't a fatal flaw, but I couldn't help but want just a bit more.
Nonetheless, I will say that the whole religion system was interesting, and it seemed very much like an allegory for Christianity or some other modern religion — or at least, that's what I got from it. Some of it seemed more like a blatant nod toward Christianity, but other parts were vague enough to be more applicable to a wider range or religions and belief systems. I'm still not 100% sure about this, but I just find it very interesting and compelling. This allegory really is the main reason as to why I thought Mayatte's Catharsis would be so good for a high school ELA class; it very much reminds me of some of the books I read myself in my high school ELA classes.
I'm a bit picky with this sub rating because I wanted more, so my number rating for this portion of world building is about a 5.5/10.
Because I see both physical world and magic and religion systems as being weighted evenly, I'm just going to take the average of both sub ratings to get 6.75/10, which I round to 7/10 since I only use ratings in increments of 0.5.
Characters ~ 7/10
So, the characters. I actually liked them. I just didn't love them. Don't get me wrong; they are incredible characters. The lack of a deeper connection is simply a result of book length, my tendency to read late at night, and the resulting sleep deprivation. 🤣
In all seriousness, I really did like the characters. Overall, they were well described, unique, and realistic (for the most part, or as "real" as a mythical people can be). I do kinda wish we got more of Morchato and the rest of the Mayatte people. And actually more of Sir Gallahan and Clarkston, for that matter. I am, however, quite happy with what we saw of Naña and Zeke; Zeke's honestly kind of my favorite character . . . I think. Nonetheless, from what we got out of all the characters with the page count, I'm rather happy with what we got.
~Naña~
Since Naña is the MC, I'll focus a bit more on her for a bit.
She is a very interesting character as we don't get much on her backstory other than that her mother disappeared. Quickly, we see that she is rather trusting, albeit just a tiny bit skeptical at first. Throughout the course of the novella, we also get to see her strengths, her weaknesses, and all the effects and consequences of trusting in Mayatte.
I think, just in general, her growth was incredible — I mean, it wasn't Zuko level growth, but it was still good. 😂 She started out as a slightly naive girl with a blind faith in Mayatte, but by the end she was a trusting but not as naive girl with a tested yet stronger faith in Mayatte. This growth really is attributed to her character, and it shows. It makes her for a pretty compelling character, and I really enjoyed reading from her POV (even though it was more 3rd person omniscient at other times).
Plot ~ 8.5/10
Now, the plot is kind of laid out in the summary, but there is still more to it such that you still won't know what will happen until it does. For only six chapters and 20k words, a lot happens. No spoilers, but Naña has to go on a fair number of short journeys with Zeke to help a certain ill comrade and to "do Mayatte's will." True, the entire plot is basically summarized in the book blurb. (Gosh, I feel old saying "blurb" [I'm not] — who even says that? Oh, that's right, me. 😒🤦♀️🙄🤣🤣🤣) Still, a lot of the journey happens between the main events from the blurb (don't say anything), and without those events, all we'd be left is the blurb (shut up), which would make for a pretty boring book.
You're probably getting bored of my dumb humor, so I'll close out this section with saying that I don't really have that much of an issue with plot. Overall, it was good, although at different points, it did seem a bit simplistic or too easy for Naña. I'm just not sure the stakes were quite high enough. Sure, death was a very real outcome, but my heart wasn't beating out of my chest and I wasn't screaming at the characters to hurry up. As harsh as that may seem, I will say that I was 100% concerned that the characters wouldn't get out of their predicaments in time; I just wasn't killing myself out of concern.
Relationships ~ 5.5/10
Okay, so the relationships are pretty much nonexistent. Sure, Sir Gallahan, Clarkston, and Zeke have a camaraderie, and yeah, Zeke and Naña have something as travel buddies, but there's nothing for me to specifically dedicate a fancy subsection to (like with some of my other reviews). Instead, you're getting it all together.
I think the camaraderie the three have is quite interesting. To me, it didn't seem like there was a clear leader amongst them, but rather that they were all fairly equal. Now, I don't know what this really has to do with the novella as a whole, but it was something interesting I noticed.
With Zeke and Naña, their adventures were really interesting (as I've mentioned before), and I think Zeke started to like Naña. Their dynamic was interesting because of this, but again, I didn't really see their relationship playing into the novella as a whole but just something that happened.
Finally, Naña's relationship with the rest of her tribe, especially Morchato and her father Papayette, were rather interesting. Contrary to the previous two relationships I touched upon above, I think these interactions really served to help build the world, as it highlighted the Mayatte people's culture.
Overall, I didn't really see the relationships serving a grand purpose (and they didn't necessarily need too), save for Naña relationship with her community, but they did make the book interesting. I've opted for a harsher rating here because I think the relationiships could have been more meaningful, especially since Mayatte's Catharsis is so short. Nonetheless, don't let that make you think that the relationships were poorly executed; they weren't. I just would have preferred for a slightly bigger (and perhaps more explicit or obvious) purpose, but that's just me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Prose & Pacing ~ 8.5/10
I wasn't sure at the beginning, but JEM's prose ended up being very good! Sure there were a few grammatical errors, but for an indie author, I'm not at all upset. Also, his prose may not have flowed right off the page as with other authors', but his prose creates this incredible vibe that fits so well with the themes of the novella.
Pacing wise, I'm not sure how much I can really say since Mayatte's Catharsis is only a novella and not a full–length novel. However, for what it is, I'd say that the pacing is overall quite good. It's not that fast, but it's not at all slow. I'm not sure if it should have moved faster, but I don't really think "slower" would have been good, even if more was added to it.
Spoiler Section ~ not rated
As always, this Spoiler Section is going to have spoilers. (Shocking, I know.) Proceed with caution.
Overall
Overall, I am quite pleased with Mayatte's Catharsis. It works, and it's certainly done well. I'm just not completely in love with it. If I had to add it to my indie tier ranking, I think I'd have to add it to Tier 4, as it's definitely a solid read but it's just not a favorite.
I've opted to round down from 3.5 stars to 3 (since Goodreads still doesn't allow half stars 🙄) for the main reason that I "liked it" but not "really liked it." My feelings on this novella, which is a major factor in my starred ratings, simply align better with how Goodreads defines their 3 star reviews. May I remind you though that 3 stars is still good, and this novella is still good.
However, I have my own tastes in books, and you have your own tastes. They will differ, so if it sounds interesting, I recommend giving Mayatte's Catharsis a shot!
3.5 stars!
Major thanks to the author for the free eARC, in exchange for an honest review
--------------------------------------------------
15 December 2022
*Currently Reading*
I was provided a free eARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review
~~~~~
Want more bookish stuff?
・ Comment below to discuss this book more. I'd love to hear what you think!
・ Send me a private message on Goodreads to discuss this book and other books!
・ Join Book Nerds Unite to get involved in all things bookish with fellow book nerds!
・ Like this review, and follow me for more book reviews.
・ Subscribe to my blog, Adventures with Asia Minor! https://www.adventureswithasiaminor.com/
・ Follow my bookstagram, @asia.booknerd117!
Happy Reading!
December 11, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of Mayatte’s Catharsis for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Not only do I love fantasy, I’ve been awarded the opportunity to review a lot of fantasy books, presenting their own worlds within their own subgenres. It’s a broad genre that can be used in many different ways, although it’s not often that one offers something so different that it genuinely surprises me. Mayatte’s Catharsis is one such rarity, a take on the genre that is truly different.
Mayatte’s Catharsis is a novella told within just six chapters and a prologue. In the small amount of space, the author takes readers to a secluded island containing an element that can heal people, as well as into deeper mysteries, while telling a story about the threat of colonialism that weaves an awe-inspiring fantasy with plenty of heart. The plot involves western forces landing on the island, and protagonist Naña providing assistance when one of them falls ill. To provide more detail would spoil the novella’s journey.
Although the novella is named Mayatte’s Catharsis, I wasn’t prepared for what a cathartic experience it would be. The author tells a richly layered story full of beauty and resonant themes. As the story progresses, it is a journey that unveils more of the world and the mystery surrounding its characters.
Through these characters, the reader sees how wonderful humanity can be, but also its self-interest. This is shown throughout the story’s rich characters, exemplified by the protagonist Naña, whose journey the reader follows, and “outsider” Zeke. These two characters play against each other beautifully. They hail from completely different cultures with different worldviews, but the humanity between the two of them shines brightly. The other characters are enjoyable, but given the book’s length, they’re not explored in any depth and fit within their archetypes.
The dialogue, unfortunately, doesn’t always ring true. The characters all sound distinct from one another with clear voices. Naña’s dialogue, and that of the other characters from her culture, sings. It flows beautifully and gives a wondrous sense of character. The outsiders’ dialogue doesn’t flow as naturally, and on occasion, long conversations between them are a little difficult to follow.
I was struck by the author’s prose,which feels like a fable passed down through the generations. Although squarely set within modern times, it presents a timeless quality that captures not only the magic contained within the book’s fantastical elements, but the magic of storytelling. At points, the prose doesn’t run as cleanly as I would have liked. There aren’t any major issues with this, but another round of edits could have smoothed out its rougher edges.
The timeless feel of the prose fits perfectly with the story. As much as that reads like a fable, so does the story. It features outsiders who modern, western audiences will recognise, yet their inclusion doesn’t detract from the classic feel. A large part of this is that it’s told from Naña’s perspective, and these characters are outsiders, strangers to the world that she knows and loves. As the story weaves through its plot and introduces its fantastical elements, it’s reminiscent of ancient myths. The titular Mayatte’s mythic nature only amplifies this feeling.
While some of the dialogue and prose aren’t as grand as the rest of the book, Mayatte’s Catharsis remains a wonderful experience that offers a thing of beauty, evocative of ancient myths while looking at humanity, for better and worse.
My full review will be available on my website from 30 December 2022. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
Not only do I love fantasy, I’ve been awarded the opportunity to review a lot of fantasy books, presenting their own worlds within their own subgenres. It’s a broad genre that can be used in many different ways, although it’s not often that one offers something so different that it genuinely surprises me. Mayatte’s Catharsis is one such rarity, a take on the genre that is truly different.
Mayatte’s Catharsis is a novella told within just six chapters and a prologue. In the small amount of space, the author takes readers to a secluded island containing an element that can heal people, as well as into deeper mysteries, while telling a story about the threat of colonialism that weaves an awe-inspiring fantasy with plenty of heart. The plot involves western forces landing on the island, and protagonist Naña providing assistance when one of them falls ill. To provide more detail would spoil the novella’s journey.
Although the novella is named Mayatte’s Catharsis, I wasn’t prepared for what a cathartic experience it would be. The author tells a richly layered story full of beauty and resonant themes. As the story progresses, it is a journey that unveils more of the world and the mystery surrounding its characters.
Through these characters, the reader sees how wonderful humanity can be, but also its self-interest. This is shown throughout the story’s rich characters, exemplified by the protagonist Naña, whose journey the reader follows, and “outsider” Zeke. These two characters play against each other beautifully. They hail from completely different cultures with different worldviews, but the humanity between the two of them shines brightly. The other characters are enjoyable, but given the book’s length, they’re not explored in any depth and fit within their archetypes.
The dialogue, unfortunately, doesn’t always ring true. The characters all sound distinct from one another with clear voices. Naña’s dialogue, and that of the other characters from her culture, sings. It flows beautifully and gives a wondrous sense of character. The outsiders’ dialogue doesn’t flow as naturally, and on occasion, long conversations between them are a little difficult to follow.
I was struck by the author’s prose,which feels like a fable passed down through the generations. Although squarely set within modern times, it presents a timeless quality that captures not only the magic contained within the book’s fantastical elements, but the magic of storytelling. At points, the prose doesn’t run as cleanly as I would have liked. There aren’t any major issues with this, but another round of edits could have smoothed out its rougher edges.
The timeless feel of the prose fits perfectly with the story. As much as that reads like a fable, so does the story. It features outsiders who modern, western audiences will recognise, yet their inclusion doesn’t detract from the classic feel. A large part of this is that it’s told from Naña’s perspective, and these characters are outsiders, strangers to the world that she knows and loves. As the story weaves through its plot and introduces its fantastical elements, it’s reminiscent of ancient myths. The titular Mayatte’s mythic nature only amplifies this feeling.
While some of the dialogue and prose aren’t as grand as the rest of the book, Mayatte’s Catharsis remains a wonderful experience that offers a thing of beauty, evocative of ancient myths while looking at humanity, for better and worse.
My full review will be available on my website from 30 December 2022. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
December 21, 2022
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.
This is a short fantasy novella that takes place on a mystical island that is hidden from the present day world by the will of Mayatte. Mayatte is a an entity that the inhabitants of the island worship and in turn she protects those under her care. Our main character Naña is young and training to be a full fledged member of society in her village and has not gone through all of the trials of her people but she has full faith in Mayatte. This comes into play when 3 outsiders show up on the island, which is normally hidden from the sight of those not in service to Mayatte. Naña quickly notices that they are in need of help and trusts that Mayatte has a plan for all of them. This leads to a very interesting adventure that almost feels like it might be a dream. As she tries to save the men, she must also save her home from those that would destroy it for profit. She must trust in Mayette to guide her to do what is right to save her home and her people.
Because this is only around 90 pages we don't get the full background and mythology that we would have gotten in a full length novel, and because I'm a huge fan of that type of stuff I would have liked more of that. Given that this is a shorter story, we get great world building and only a glimpse of the culture and belief system of Naña and her people. That left me with some questions and confusing moments but it wasn't enough to take me out of the story. The author does a wonderful job describing the islands and the creatures we encounter along Naña's journey.
If you are looking for a unique, fast paced fantasy that you can read in a sitting or two go check this out. I enjoyed the almost poetic writing style and the journey we go on with Zeke and Naña to explore both the good and bad of humanity.
This is a short fantasy novella that takes place on a mystical island that is hidden from the present day world by the will of Mayatte. Mayatte is a an entity that the inhabitants of the island worship and in turn she protects those under her care. Our main character Naña is young and training to be a full fledged member of society in her village and has not gone through all of the trials of her people but she has full faith in Mayatte. This comes into play when 3 outsiders show up on the island, which is normally hidden from the sight of those not in service to Mayatte. Naña quickly notices that they are in need of help and trusts that Mayatte has a plan for all of them. This leads to a very interesting adventure that almost feels like it might be a dream. As she tries to save the men, she must also save her home from those that would destroy it for profit. She must trust in Mayette to guide her to do what is right to save her home and her people.
Because this is only around 90 pages we don't get the full background and mythology that we would have gotten in a full length novel, and because I'm a huge fan of that type of stuff I would have liked more of that. Given that this is a shorter story, we get great world building and only a glimpse of the culture and belief system of Naña and her people. That left me with some questions and confusing moments but it wasn't enough to take me out of the story. The author does a wonderful job describing the islands and the creatures we encounter along Naña's journey.
If you are looking for a unique, fast paced fantasy that you can read in a sitting or two go check this out. I enjoyed the almost poetic writing style and the journey we go on with Zeke and Naña to explore both the good and bad of humanity.
December 12, 2022
I received an ARC copy of Mayatte’s Catharsis in exchange for an honest review.
In the beginning I got major Pocahontas meets Moana vibes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just made the story start off feeling slightly familiar.
The author was able to build an entire hidden island and culture, in detail without skimping over any crucial notes on the environment, the village dynamics, and the world the three outsiders found themselves in. Fantasy novels have the tendency to either under describe or go overboard on world building, but giving the length of the novella, I think the author was spot on with the amount of details that were provided for readers to experience and feel immersed in the island of Mayatte.
The FMC, Naña went through a lot for this story to be a novella, which overall gave me a feeling of the storyline being a bit rushed to fit everything in.
But Naña is a very strong MC and I found her pretty relatable. She has her fears and her doubts, like anyone else, but her unwavering faith in Mayatte was the basis behind all of her decisions and seemed to give her the strength, curiosity, and confidence she needed to do unthinkable things that everyone else shied away from. I would have loved to see her journey and this story as a full novel and definitely think the dynamic between her and Zeke (one of the outsiders) could be amazing if given time to grow.
Naña has all of the makings of being an epic FMC, and given the chance, I would definitely read a full novel about her and her journey.
In the beginning I got major Pocahontas meets Moana vibes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just made the story start off feeling slightly familiar.
The author was able to build an entire hidden island and culture, in detail without skimping over any crucial notes on the environment, the village dynamics, and the world the three outsiders found themselves in. Fantasy novels have the tendency to either under describe or go overboard on world building, but giving the length of the novella, I think the author was spot on with the amount of details that were provided for readers to experience and feel immersed in the island of Mayatte.
The FMC, Naña went through a lot for this story to be a novella, which overall gave me a feeling of the storyline being a bit rushed to fit everything in.
But Naña is a very strong MC and I found her pretty relatable. She has her fears and her doubts, like anyone else, but her unwavering faith in Mayatte was the basis behind all of her decisions and seemed to give her the strength, curiosity, and confidence she needed to do unthinkable things that everyone else shied away from. I would have loved to see her journey and this story as a full novel and definitely think the dynamic between her and Zeke (one of the outsiders) could be amazing if given time to grow.
Naña has all of the makings of being an epic FMC, and given the chance, I would definitely read a full novel about her and her journey.
December 15, 2022
I received an ARC of Mayatte's Catharsis from the author in exchange for my honest review.
This story was different from what I was expecting. When the author reached out to me and asked me to review it, I was intrigued by the synopsis and the fact that it was a short story. It seemed like a lot to fit into something considerably less than novel length, but I was ready to see how it turned out.
And turned out it did. I quite enjoyed the story, and it very much was the adventure it promised it would be. The characters and setting were interesting, and I enjoyed the continual references to the Bermuda Triangle, as that lends a mysticism to the story. I have yet to read many fantasy stories that use the Triangle, and I think it's underused as a fantasy-esque element.
While I enjoyed the story, it was a little rushed. There was so much that the author was trying to fit in that some of the details got lost in the process. I needed help understanding the characters' motivations for what they were doing. While it was stated on the page why they were doing what they were doing, I didn't feel I could understand. I wasn't in their head enough to definitively say, "Yes, I could 100% see this person making this decision." I was also confused about the power structure of the island residents and who, exactly, Mayatte was. There were so many similar-sounding and similarly written names that I got lost in who was who.
Overall, this was a great, short fantasy experience that I wished was longer because of that ending.
This story was different from what I was expecting. When the author reached out to me and asked me to review it, I was intrigued by the synopsis and the fact that it was a short story. It seemed like a lot to fit into something considerably less than novel length, but I was ready to see how it turned out.
And turned out it did. I quite enjoyed the story, and it very much was the adventure it promised it would be. The characters and setting were interesting, and I enjoyed the continual references to the Bermuda Triangle, as that lends a mysticism to the story. I have yet to read many fantasy stories that use the Triangle, and I think it's underused as a fantasy-esque element.
While I enjoyed the story, it was a little rushed. There was so much that the author was trying to fit in that some of the details got lost in the process. I needed help understanding the characters' motivations for what they were doing. While it was stated on the page why they were doing what they were doing, I didn't feel I could understand. I wasn't in their head enough to definitively say, "Yes, I could 100% see this person making this decision." I was also confused about the power structure of the island residents and who, exactly, Mayatte was. There were so many similar-sounding and similarly written names that I got lost in who was who.
Overall, this was a great, short fantasy experience that I wished was longer because of that ending.
December 13, 2022
Jack E. Mohr’s original young adult story has the feel of a folk tale. It is set on a mythical island inhabited by people who prefer to keep themselves – a lesson they have learned from history.
When shipwrecked explorers wash up on the island’s shore, the curiosity of youth has Naña and her friend Morchato greeting the strangers. One of the strangers becomes ill, so Naña takes it upon herself to give aid. A cure may be possible, but it will mean a dangerous undertaking to obtain it.
Naña will encounter dangerous travel conditions, vicious creatures, and the magic of a goddess while being helped – and hindered – by one of the strangers. This is very much a coming of age mission for Naña, one that will be the stepping stone to greater things.
As often happens in these types of stories, Naña’s kindness toward the island’s visitors is met with the stranger’s greed, sparking yet another very important transformational mission for Naña.
The story ends quite abruptly (and frustratingly), leaving the reader to imagine how Naña becomes the savior of her people and a great leader.
Steeped in mysticism, emotion, bravery and discovery, Mayatte’s Catharis will appeal to young readers of fantasy.
Thanks to the author who provide a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.
When shipwrecked explorers wash up on the island’s shore, the curiosity of youth has Naña and her friend Morchato greeting the strangers. One of the strangers becomes ill, so Naña takes it upon herself to give aid. A cure may be possible, but it will mean a dangerous undertaking to obtain it.
Naña will encounter dangerous travel conditions, vicious creatures, and the magic of a goddess while being helped – and hindered – by one of the strangers. This is very much a coming of age mission for Naña, one that will be the stepping stone to greater things.
As often happens in these types of stories, Naña’s kindness toward the island’s visitors is met with the stranger’s greed, sparking yet another very important transformational mission for Naña.
The story ends quite abruptly (and frustratingly), leaving the reader to imagine how Naña becomes the savior of her people and a great leader.
Steeped in mysticism, emotion, bravery and discovery, Mayatte’s Catharis will appeal to young readers of fantasy.
Thanks to the author who provide a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.
January 9, 2023
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸: Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn 📚
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Jack E. Mohr ✍️
.
.
🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn written by the author Jack E. Mohr is a novella in the fantasy genre. The main character of the story is Naña. She is an intriguing character. When Zeke's ship was wrecked, he and the other explorers ended up on a mysterious island shore. They are waiting for help and need a place to lodge until the help arrives.
They were greeted by Naña and her friend Morchato. When one of the strangers fell ill, Naña considered it as her duty to help the stranger. Both Naña and Zeke are my favorite characters from the story. Naña's kindness touched my heart and taught us a lesson of humanity.
The story is interesting but it ended abruptly. It would be good to have Book2. The storyline is unique and I enjoyed reading this book. Those who love reading fantasy or fiction stories should get their hands on this one.
• 𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5
★ Book Is Available On Amazon
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Jack E. Mohr ✍️
.
.
🚀 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn written by the author Jack E. Mohr is a novella in the fantasy genre. The main character of the story is Naña. She is an intriguing character. When Zeke's ship was wrecked, he and the other explorers ended up on a mysterious island shore. They are waiting for help and need a place to lodge until the help arrives.
They were greeted by Naña and her friend Morchato. When one of the strangers fell ill, Naña considered it as her duty to help the stranger. Both Naña and Zeke are my favorite characters from the story. Naña's kindness touched my heart and taught us a lesson of humanity.
The story is interesting but it ended abruptly. It would be good to have Book2. The storyline is unique and I enjoyed reading this book. Those who love reading fantasy or fiction stories should get their hands on this one.
• 𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5
★ Book Is Available On Amazon
December 13, 2022
Please note in an exchange for an honest review, I received a copy from the author. Thank you!
To see my full review, view it on my blog!
Mayatte's Catharsis is a novella that you can finish in a sitting that will leave you admire the main protagonist's resolve in her beliefs. It is a quick and easy read that in the end teaches you not only about the kindness possible by humans but also its worst qualities.
Do I recommend it? Yup! If you're short on time and want something different but still want to get that fantasy itch, read it! My only complaint is that I think it could have had a few more pages for the ending as I felt like it ended abruptly.
The quick bullet points:
- The world is interesting.
- Naña is a well written main character.
- The romance (or the lack thereof) was great.
- I wish there was just one more chapter.
To see my full review, view it on my blog!
Mayatte's Catharsis is a novella that you can finish in a sitting that will leave you admire the main protagonist's resolve in her beliefs. It is a quick and easy read that in the end teaches you not only about the kindness possible by humans but also its worst qualities.
Do I recommend it? Yup! If you're short on time and want something different but still want to get that fantasy itch, read it! My only complaint is that I think it could have had a few more pages for the ending as I felt like it ended abruptly.
The quick bullet points:
- The world is interesting.
- Naña is a well written main character.
- The romance (or the lack thereof) was great.
- I wish there was just one more chapter.
December 31, 2025
Mayatte's Catharsis is a poignant and compelling YA fantasy novella that explores the devastating impact of discovery on an isolated, mythical island. The story begins when a ship of foreigners mysteriously crashes on the shores of Mayatte, an island never meant to be found. While the native islanders react with fear and suspicion, young Naña is driven by curiosity and compassion, especially when one of the outsiders falls ill.
This initial kindness becomes the catalyst for tragedy. The outsiders soon discover a powerful, revolutionary resource on the island, a resource they are determined to harvest at any cost. Naña's goodwill inadvertently pits her against forces far more powerful than her people have ever known, forcing her to confront a terrifying question: How can she stop an enemy that could wipe her people from existence?
This initial kindness becomes the catalyst for tragedy. The outsiders soon discover a powerful, revolutionary resource on the island, a resource they are determined to harvest at any cost. Naña's goodwill inadvertently pits her against forces far more powerful than her people have ever known, forcing her to confront a terrifying question: How can she stop an enemy that could wipe her people from existence?
December 14, 2022
From the beginning, I was drawn onto Naña’s island and into her world. An island that seems to be in the middle of an ocean and perhaps within a Bermuda triangle-type vortex. Naña and her fellow islanders hide from any visitors, and only show themselves when they feel safe. So, when survivors of a shipwreck land on the island, they initially seem to be on a deserted island.
We are soon thrown into a world of fighting monsters and characters fighting for their lives whilst trying to save each other.
I enjoyed this short novella, but I felt that it could have done with a final edit to iron out the few errors I found. I would also appreciate some world-building to understand more about what is happening and why. There is definitely scope for further, perhaps full-length books and I would like to see what the author comes up with next.
Thank you to Jack E. Mohr for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Mayatte’s Catharsis.
We are soon thrown into a world of fighting monsters and characters fighting for their lives whilst trying to save each other.
I enjoyed this short novella, but I felt that it could have done with a final edit to iron out the few errors I found. I would also appreciate some world-building to understand more about what is happening and why. There is definitely scope for further, perhaps full-length books and I would like to see what the author comes up with next.
Thank you to Jack E. Mohr for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Mayatte’s Catharsis.
December 21, 2022
This book is set on a hidden island that is, in my opinion, the show's real star. The author does an excellent job of world-building in this book with the many interesting characters to meet., and there are so many interesting characters to meet. creating a rich and detailed landscape that feels real and alive. The characters are complex and interesting, and the plot kept me engaged throughout. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.
It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book, but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.
It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book, but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.
February 3, 2023
This story is interesting. I liked the the interactions and mysteries of the island. The characters unique but, the story is too short to really feel anything about the village mentioned and the people. I do wonder about the tribesmen and Nana on appearance. One thing that really got me confused were the sudden injuries she sustained at one point and why that happened. I do wish there was more clarity about the other warriors, creatures and magic but the story stayed on point and got things done.
January 3, 2023
Good start
This book needs a follow-up. Book 2. It ends abruptly, leaving you wanting. The writing is good. However, the descriptive text is hit and miss at times. The use of unique and uncommon adjectives works in some places, but at other times, it left me scratching my head. Great story otherwise. Please write a follow-up.
This book needs a follow-up. Book 2. It ends abruptly, leaving you wanting. The writing is good. However, the descriptive text is hit and miss at times. The use of unique and uncommon adjectives works in some places, but at other times, it left me scratching my head. Great story otherwise. Please write a follow-up.
January 20, 2023
A good mix of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action, and Spiritualism!
A great short story that had me wondering what was going on. Unexplainable and extraordinary events kept happening; building the intrigue. The descriptive aspects were easy to visualize, and I couldn’t help but like Nana, the main character. She had genuine intestinal fortitude! I was rooting for her all the way!
A great short story that had me wondering what was going on. Unexplainable and extraordinary events kept happening; building the intrigue. The descriptive aspects were easy to visualize, and I couldn’t help but like Nana, the main character. She had genuine intestinal fortitude! I was rooting for her all the way!
February 28, 2023
Title: Mayatte’s Catharsis: A Feathered Serpent Reborn
Author: Jack E. Mohr
Genre: Fantasy
Format: ebook from the author
Series: NA
Star Rating: 4 stars
A special thank you goes to Jack E. Mohr for giving me a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.
tw: sickness, assault, death, gun violence, invasion
I am so in love with this book. I am also so bummed that it was so short being a novella. Of course, I knew that going in, as Mohr did let me know that, but still. Luckily, that was the only disappointment I had with this book. I never wanted this book to end. Everything about it was so amazing. The world was interesting. The main character was a badass. Even the plot was interesting.
I think what sucked me in was the writing. The writing was so beautiful. It reminded me of the author Roshani Chokshi, who wrote The Star-Touched Queen. I feel like the author made sure each and every sentence was crafted with love. Every word was in the right spot and there were no unneeded descriptions. I feel the need to go reread this book even though I just read it.
Nana was a fantastic main character. I loved her spirit. She was willing to nearly kill herself to save a few strangers. She didn’t let people walk all over her but she also knew when to back down. I could write about how awesome she was all day but then this review would be really long. Let’s just say she truly was one of the best main characters I’ve read about.
Overall, this was a really good book, in case that wasn’t obvious. I truly loved it. It was written so beautifully. The main character was impressive. The plot was interesting. Everything about this book was just so great. I can’t wait to read more works by this author. Maybe we will get lucky and get a sequel.
Author: Jack E. Mohr
Genre: Fantasy
Format: ebook from the author
Series: NA
Star Rating: 4 stars
A special thank you goes to Jack E. Mohr for giving me a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.
tw: sickness, assault, death, gun violence, invasion
I am so in love with this book. I am also so bummed that it was so short being a novella. Of course, I knew that going in, as Mohr did let me know that, but still. Luckily, that was the only disappointment I had with this book. I never wanted this book to end. Everything about it was so amazing. The world was interesting. The main character was a badass. Even the plot was interesting.
I think what sucked me in was the writing. The writing was so beautiful. It reminded me of the author Roshani Chokshi, who wrote The Star-Touched Queen. I feel like the author made sure each and every sentence was crafted with love. Every word was in the right spot and there were no unneeded descriptions. I feel the need to go reread this book even though I just read it.
Nana was a fantastic main character. I loved her spirit. She was willing to nearly kill herself to save a few strangers. She didn’t let people walk all over her but she also knew when to back down. I could write about how awesome she was all day but then this review would be really long. Let’s just say she truly was one of the best main characters I’ve read about.
Overall, this was a really good book, in case that wasn’t obvious. I truly loved it. It was written so beautifully. The main character was impressive. The plot was interesting. Everything about this book was just so great. I can’t wait to read more works by this author. Maybe we will get lucky and get a sequel.
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