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adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
☆ Fun Factor 1/5 (this is one of the most challenging things I've ever read)
☆ Writing Style 3/5 (definitely not for everyone)
☆ Characters 4/5 (a huge cast)
☆ Plot 3/5 (A relatively simple plot told in a very convoluted way)
☆ Setting 5/5
☆ Feels 3/5
☆ Spiciness 2/5
☆ Gore 5/5
If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for mild sexual situations, violence, body horror, frequent mentions of sexual assault, disturbing imagery, dismemberment, cannibalism, gore...this one goes to some really dark places
☆FOR FANS OF: Dark fairy tales; The Neverending Story
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ "You"
Review: A story of a thousand voices
This is one of the densest, hardest to read, most imaginatively told novels I've ever read. You'll know probably within the first 40 pages if this is for you or not. Every single character is purposefully given a POV even if it's just a single line, and the perspective changes from first, second, and third. All the different tenses are used. While this is incredibly cool, it can be extremely off-putting to the detriment of the story itself.
If you have the stamina to endure the way this story is being told to you, you get a very dark adventurous fantasy tale that spans literal generations of people and what's real and unreal is questionable at best. The story takes place in the Inverted Theatre, a literal theatre of dreams and nightmares, and the whole novel feels just as hazy and bizarre as trying to piece together a fever dream.
☆ Writing Style 3/5 (definitely not for everyone)
☆ Characters 4/5 (a huge cast)
☆ Plot 3/5 (A relatively simple plot told in a very convoluted way)
☆ Setting 5/5
☆ Feels 3/5
☆ Spiciness 2/5
☆ Gore 5/5
If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for mild sexual situations, violence, body horror, frequent mentions of sexual assault, disturbing imagery, dismemberment, cannibalism, gore...this one goes to some really dark places
☆FOR FANS OF: Dark fairy tales; The Neverending Story
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ "You"
Review: A story of a thousand voices
This is one of the densest, hardest to read, most imaginatively told novels I've ever read. You'll know probably within the first 40 pages if this is for you or not. Every single character is purposefully given a POV even if it's just a single line, and the perspective changes from first, second, and third. All the different tenses are used. While this is incredibly cool, it can be extremely off-putting to the detriment of the story itself.
If you have the stamina to endure the way this story is being told to you, you get a very dark adventurous fantasy tale that spans literal generations of people and what's real and unreal is questionable at best. The story takes place in the Inverted Theatre, a literal theatre of dreams and nightmares, and the whole novel feels just as hazy and bizarre as trying to piece together a fever dream.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Honestly, it did drag at some points, but overall I really enjoyed it. The writing is very meandering and poetic, I wouldn't call it purple exactly but it is a lot if you like more straightforward prose. I really really liked what the author does with the first, second and third person POV in the narrative, it was very interesting and cool and I personally haven't seen anything exactly like this before.
Parts of the book reminded me of One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I love, but more full-on fantasy epic than magical realism, although it does give that vibe. It's a bit more fairytale like, or rather folk-tale like, in a way. The world building was very unique and interesting, too, based on filipino folklore which is not something I'm very familiar with. The characters were well-built (though I wished we delved more into their interiority and their thoughts), and the ending was satisfying and I love that it's a standalone. Full conclusion in one book babey!!
Now the things I didn't like so much, yeah, it got a bit draggy at some points, especially the "final battle". The action was fine but at some points I was like. Let's get on with the story, please T_T. Also, there are long, vivid descriptions of gore and body horror that felt a bit. Much. Not in the sense that it squicked me, but more so that it got boring after a while, like, sure, yeah, piss and shit and flesh okay, now what. A bit too much like the author was trying too hard to write something shocking or gross. Idk. I just wish we spent more time with the characters instead of this.
Also the whole plot is just a lot of bad stuff happening and I felt there were not enough moments that let me breathe during the narrative. There were some, but they were few and far between and always tainted because you knew there was some shit coming, so at some point the emotional impact of things going wrong got lessened, ngl.
I'd say it's still definitely worth reading at least for what it does well and for the writing, but I understand it might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Parts of the book reminded me of One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I love, but more full-on fantasy epic than magical realism, although it does give that vibe. It's a bit more fairytale like, or rather folk-tale like, in a way. The world building was very unique and interesting, too, based on filipino folklore which is not something I'm very familiar with. The characters were well-built (though I wished we delved more into their interiority and their thoughts), and the ending was satisfying and I love that it's a standalone. Full conclusion in one book babey!!
Now the things I didn't like so much, yeah, it got a bit draggy at some points, especially the "final battle". The action was fine but at some points I was like. Let's get on with the story, please T_T. Also, there are long, vivid descriptions of gore and body horror that felt a bit. Much. Not in the sense that it squicked me, but more so that it got boring after a while, like, sure, yeah, piss and shit and flesh okay, now what. A bit too much like the author was trying too hard to write something shocking or gross. Idk. I just wish we spent more time with the characters instead of this.
Also the whole plot is just a lot of bad stuff happening and I felt there were not enough moments that let me breathe during the narrative. There were some, but they were few and far between and always tainted because you knew there was some shit coming, so at some point the emotional impact of things going wrong got lessened, ngl.
I'd say it's still definitely worth reading at least for what it does well and for the writing, but I understand it might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There’s so much to say, yet I have so many questions I want answered by Simon Jimenez.
This was so beautifully written and I’ve never had a book give me insane chills like that ever.
Though I will say, the switching of POVs is a little difficult at first especially within the first 100 pages. The best way to consume it is by annotations, but honestly, you want nothing more than to talk to this text. And it does get graphic, heed trigger warnings.
This was so beautifully written and I’ve never had a book give me insane chills like that ever.
Though I will say, the switching of POVs is a little difficult at first especially within the first 100 pages. The best way to consume it is by annotations, but honestly, you want nothing more than to talk to this text. And it does get graphic, heed trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, War
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Incest, Rape
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-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:
No
I am utterly speechless. This is the best thing I ever read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“… so instead you look about this Inverted Theater with a lost expression, your awe for your surroundings mixed with a deep longing, and unanswerable confusion, as you try to divine for what reason you might have been summoned here.
‘There is always a reason.’”
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a book of speculative fiction/fantasy truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before, the closest comparison I can draw being to N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy. The book is a wonder in creative writing, bouncing between first, second, and third POV narration and weaving together minor characters and stories in unpredictable ways. On multiple occasions, I was pulled from the story in sheer wonder of how Jimenez achieved 520 pages in this style. The writing was incredibly detailed and often times gut wrenchingly beautiful.
However, that detailed writing also led to the darker aspects of the plot of this book being inescapable and at some points nauseating for me. The gore, the cannabilism, the violence, the human despair and desecration. It was all a bit much and I almost DNFed the book. I persevered because I’d seen multiple reviewers say this was their favorite fantasy book ever and unfortunately that just wasn’t the case for me. The graphic nature paired with the “you’ll figure the writing out after the first 100 pages” paired with the fact that I actually didn’t feel invested in the main storyline that much led me to feel overall meh about this.
As someone who’s never really set a book down solely because of content warnings before I definitely say please! read the content warnings before diving into this one.
3.5 ⭐️ Rounded Up.
‘There is always a reason.’”
The Spear Cuts Through Water is a book of speculative fiction/fantasy truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before, the closest comparison I can draw being to N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy. The book is a wonder in creative writing, bouncing between first, second, and third POV narration and weaving together minor characters and stories in unpredictable ways. On multiple occasions, I was pulled from the story in sheer wonder of how Jimenez achieved 520 pages in this style. The writing was incredibly detailed and often times gut wrenchingly beautiful.
However, that detailed writing also led to the darker aspects of the plot of this book being inescapable and at some points nauseating for me. The gore, the cannabilism, the violence, the human despair and desecration. It was all a bit much and I almost DNFed the book. I persevered because I’d seen multiple reviewers say this was their favorite fantasy book ever and unfortunately that just wasn’t the case for me. The graphic nature paired with the “you’ll figure the writing out after the first 100 pages” paired with the fact that I actually didn’t feel invested in the main storyline that much led me to feel overall meh about this.
As someone who’s never really set a book down solely because of content warnings before I definitely say please! read the content warnings before diving into this one.
3.5 ⭐️ Rounded Up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, War
Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Vomit
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hey simon. id like to meet you at 8:30pm in the mcdonalds car park because WHAT WERE LAST 50 PAGES MAN
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War