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Graphic: Death, Violence, Cannibalism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, Suicide
Very dark at times, but a worthwhile journey,
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, Transphobia, Vomit, Alcohol
It deleted our long review just as we finished it because of writing it on glitchy mobile...
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Abandonment
Minor: Incest
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
I think the narrative structure was unique, and I like the interspersed points of views and thoughts we get from the cast of characters (since the structure of all of this really feels like a play versus a traditional story), but by the midway point of the book, I started getting very, very frustrated by the fact that the fantasy story being told kept jumping back to the story of the boy's present experience with this story that has been passed down to him, and this abrupt change of perspective and change of time and place, often times during very interesting and tense moments of the story, was immersion-breaking, and honestly had me skimming over them just so I could get back to the story. I kept thinking: okay, we get it - this is a story being passed down orally and we, as the boy in the Inverted Theater, both hear it and live in it. Can we keep the momentum going, please? I found it very, very pace-breaking and I think the story would have been more enjoyable to me without this aspect of the narration, but I know this was not the author's vision. His narrative intent was lost on me. I thought the story being told was far more interesting than that intent, and I would probably enjoy it if this were a movie, but I didn't enjoy it as a book.
Characters. I was very invested in the relationship between Jun and Keema. I found the romance between them sweet and a nice slow-burn. Jun especially is a character who has to heal before he opens his heart up to Keema. But also the sexual frustration between them did absolutely kill me at points LOL. Besides them, the Moon Goddess, and the Three Terrors, everyone else felt like the ensemble in a play, introduced with lengthy exposition of who they are (again, pace-breaking), they would do stuff, and then they would exit the stage again. I found this approach creative but did not grip me sufficiently as a reader, because I didn't spend time with any of these other characters to care as much as the story probably wanted me to.
The Three Terrors were all so very different and I felt sorry for them in different ways. They were monsters and they were abominations - but their terrible, inhuman upbringings - deprived of a mother and abused by their father, made monsters of them all. I found the differences between all of them so interesting, and it made me care for them as villains. They were incredibly frightening and powerful. The Second Terror in particular was insane, and I found myself repulsed and terror-stricken by his power and what he was capable of doing. I was most sympathetic toward the Third Terror, and mixed on the First Terror. I would say the story was at its strongest during the Siege at the Bowl. It was full of action, suspense, loss, terror... the stakes were high and I wondered if the heroes would get out of this alive. It was WONDERFUL.
Setting and world. Incredibly unique and incredibly bizarre! I just wish that there was some sort of appendix included because I quickly lost track of what was what and who was who, as there are many different names for different armies from the Five Families. Again, I wish a little more time was spent with describing this world a little more to me. It's a nitpick but I prefer worlds that I can clearly envision in my mind and this one... I struggled to conjure up a clear image and I was not particularly attached to it.
All in all, this book has some great stuff going for it - I just absolutely dislike how the author chose to tell this story. I understood the vision, and I understand that there was a theme of legacy here, but I found that that framing and the story being told just seemed to fight each other at every turn for me, and it did not feel as harmonious as I thought it would be, considering I've heard two booktubers I deeply respect praise it for the way it tells its story. I found The Spear Cuts Through Water unique and well worth the read - if you can tolerate the switching points of view. Your mileage may vary from my own, but by the time I had 20% left to go, I felt so drained by this book that I had to read something else before finding the will to push through to the end of it.
I liked the dark tone of the story. I loved the villains. And I loved Jun and Keema's journey a lot. Everything else to me was pretty forgettable.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Alcohol
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury
I wish I could say something more interesting than this: it's beautiful. It's a rich tapestry of each life and their connections to each other and the world, weaving together each moment into something at once eternal and fleeting. It's melodic and intimate, utterly profound, transformative. And best of all, it's queer.
I won't forget this book anytime soon. Thank you, Simon, for writing it.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 4.5 stars
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol