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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
‘This is indeed a love story, down to its blade-dented bone.’
It certainly is. It’s a love story to storytelling traditions, everything layered and interwoven beautifully, joining and separating again like a tapestry. It’s a love story to folklore, a tale of gods and myth and creation and death. It’s a love story to place, to family, of belonging to somewhere, to someone, through time and tradition and culture, of self discovery as you realise what it means to be both of a land and not. Mostly, it’s a love story to humanity, with no character feeling more important than any other and even the unnamed given a chance to speak, to express themselves, to take their place in the narrative, however briefly.
What Jimenez has does with The Spear Cuts Through Water is truly remarkable. I’ve never read anything like this before - his approach to storytelling is so unique you almost feel as if you’re a part of the dream you’re reading about. The multiple tales in one and the constant switching between first, second, and third person does take some getting used to, but it’s absolutely worth it. This story will stick with me for a long time.
It certainly is. It’s a love story to storytelling traditions, everything layered and interwoven beautifully, joining and separating again like a tapestry. It’s a love story to folklore, a tale of gods and myth and creation and death. It’s a love story to place, to family, of belonging to somewhere, to someone, through time and tradition and culture, of self discovery as you realise what it means to be both of a land and not. Mostly, it’s a love story to humanity, with no character feeling more important than any other and even the unnamed given a chance to speak, to express themselves, to take their place in the narrative, however briefly.
What Jimenez has does with The Spear Cuts Through Water is truly remarkable. I’ve never read anything like this before - his approach to storytelling is so unique you almost feel as if you’re a part of the dream you’re reading about. The multiple tales in one and the constant switching between first, second, and third person does take some getting used to, but it’s absolutely worth it. This story will stick with me for a long time.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is definitely one of those standalones that I really enjoy! Some standalones rush themselves, but TSCTW takes its time, and I love it for that. Every moment comes full circle. This is definitely a book that's not for everyone—the opening pages (and what follows further in the pages) is different from other styles. I love the usage of second person, as well as the intermission of individual's thoughts—it adds something to the store when you're allowed into the headspace of side characters. It's wordy, in a good way. Once you lock in on the story, it goes by fast, and as your looking at the pages, you're wondering if its going to be enough, and it is.
challenging
dark
tense
Loved the story and would’ve been ranked higher but i just had a hard time catching on. The way the story was being told to you as the reader is interesting and very unique, don’t get me wrong. It’s just a me problem really. I like not having a hard time when im reading lol
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was definitely an interesting read! i found the story compelling and the characters interesting. this book is a mix of a moving storyline and an ode to connection and familial relationships and history. in particular, i found it fascinating when things would converge and you would get to see how they connected together (the spear, the theater conversation, etc). i liked the overall world building and the way it built up throughout the book.
however, im not sure the writing style or the constant perspective changes were my absolute favorite. i struggled to follow it at first and only really found my rhythm with it a few sections in. i understand that the purpose is to have you, as the reader, be the audience member looking in on the stage but it made it sometimes difficult to follow. other than that though it was a beautiful book.
however, im not sure the writing style or the constant perspective changes were my absolute favorite. i struggled to follow it at first and only really found my rhythm with it a few sections in. i understand that the purpose is to have you, as the reader, be the audience member looking in on the stage but it made it sometimes difficult to follow. other than that though it was a beautiful book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the most unique books I have ever read. The story gets told as if in a theater, looking over someone's shoulder, and by the end YOU are in the theater. No longer spying on someone else.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel was such a delight to read. The prose was beautiful and honestly some of the most interesting use of second person I've seen. The inclusion of "NPC" thoughts throughout was also a unique touch that really added to the realness of the world. The banter and relationship between the two main characters had me laughing at times and sobbing at others.
Truly a story about love and its ability to cultivate and destroy.
Truly a story about love and its ability to cultivate and destroy.