Scan barcode
dottiewankenobi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
a quote from my live reading notes: "the demon was extremely freaky but the heart and soul and emotion of this book. holy fuck."
elder race made me bawl. this book features two main characters who struggle deeply with their personal feelings and how others see them, and the author did an amazing job of infusing human life in them. the world building was very interesting and there were so many lines that stood out to me as I read that I want to come back to again. I honestly would love to talk to the author and just listen to him speak about this world, any bit of it -- there's so many questions I have, so many things I would love to know
there were a few tiny things that felt shaky I guess but overall my feelings for this book are extremely positive and I'm so glad I added it to my TBR and that my friend decided for us to read it during our book club
elder race made me bawl. this book features two main characters who struggle deeply with their personal feelings and how others see them, and the author did an amazing job of infusing human life in them. the world building was very interesting and there were so many lines that stood out to me as I read that I want to come back to again. I honestly would love to talk to the author and just listen to him speak about this world, any bit of it -- there's so many questions I have, so many things I would love to know
there were a few tiny things that felt shaky I guess but overall my feelings for this book are extremely positive and I'm so glad I added it to my TBR and that my friend decided for us to read it during our book club
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Mental illness
seually's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I heard a lot of good stuff about Adrian Tchaikovsky's works, and so happened that this writing appeared on my TBR. I'm so overwhelmed with emotions. And my next read going to be Shadows of the Apt. I liked Adrian Tchaikovsky's writing style and vivid descriptions~~
I find the ending very sad. And the theme through the book was depressive. I was immersed in the writing and felt connected and sympathetic to the characters.
I find the ending very sad. And the theme through the book was depressive. I was immersed in the writing and felt connected and sympathetic to the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Body horror
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Colonisation
English is not my first language, so there were a couple of times I'd look into the dictionary.anna_hepworth's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Reading this was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Warrior (Lynesse Fourth Daughter) goes to ask for help from the Sorcerer In The Tower, who is actually no such thing, but an anthropologist, left behind. And the threat, described as 'demon' for half the book, is a creeping eldritch horror that was more convincingly awful than many I've read in more explicitly horror books. And there is a strong element of body horror in the way that this presents.
This is a novella, so there isn't anything complicated in b-plot. But there doesn't need to be. The world building is lush, and complex. The exploration of how the past/future are alien to us was done really well, particularly in the chapter where two stories are told together in separate columns--this is a stylistic choice I've seen done a few times, often to juxtapose the colonial and colonised perspectives--which really highlighted the way that language can shift.
The characterisation is strong, but some what difficult to relate to. Given that one of the viewpoint characters spends a lot of time actively (and effectively) suppressing all sensation of emotion, this is probably a necessary side effect of an accurate portrayal of the inside of their mind.
This is a novella, so there isn't anything complicated in b-plot. But there doesn't need to be. The world building is lush, and complex. The exploration of how the past/future are alien to us was done really well, particularly in the chapter where two stories are told together in separate columns--this is a stylistic choice I've seen done a few times, often to juxtapose the colonial and colonised perspectives--which really highlighted the way that language can shift.
The characterisation is strong, but some what difficult to relate to. Given that one of the viewpoint characters spends a lot of time actively (and effectively) suppressing all sensation of emotion, this is probably a necessary side effect of an accurate portrayal of the inside of their mind.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, and Mental illness
More...