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Graphic: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
This is honestly one of my favorite reads in years. I now need to find Simon Jimenez’s first novel.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
As is the case with a lot of 500+ page books, this book plays the long game - you will spend a good portion of it not entirely clued into what's going on. While it starts slow and sometimes lulls in the middle, the third act is excellently crafted. Anyone who loves a gritty, deeply human fantasy would enjoy this.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Drug use
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol
Why do I think it is so special?
- There’s the way the story within the story which also contains countless other stories is told.
- Then there is a potpourri of povs and tenses and among it everyone’s (except mine’s) least favourite second person pov. The narrator changes between paragraphs or even between sentences. One has to get used to it in the beginning but this unique style adds so much to the magic of this book.
- There are different time lines, a more or less modern one where there are cars and telephones and a war, the one of The Old Country where gods and magic rule and where your life can be forfeit in the blink of an eye, and the dream sphere where both worlds meet in a play on the stage of The Inverted Theatre set between The Moon and The Water and conducted by their child.
- Our protagonists in The Old Country’s storyline are on a quest to help the escaped Moon goddess to change the ruling of the country which implies to kill off her children and grandchildren. Let’s just say with one and a half exceptions this family is a living nightmare and one can relate to her wishes pretty soon. Oh, the two guys, Keema and Jun, have got 5 days to get this accomplished. No pressure.
- Our protagonist in the modern time is more elusive and maybe one isn’t as engaged in her family tale as in the other thread running but both are and will be connected.
- Its language is vivid, its imagery vast, and it gave me the most superb fairytale vibes.
- It’s also a very gruesome and cruel book which contains descriptions of all sorts of mental and physical violence and abuse. I went in without knowing more than its summary but I’m not one to be disturbed by a fantasy setting.
That said, I can see how this is not a book for everyone. And yet I loved reading it so very much.
I can imagine that The Spear Cuts Through Water would be an amazing play or movie and - now that I know the story - is a worthwhile audiobook to listen to. Though I’m not sure it’s a good idea to try the latter from the beginning because it takes a while to get used to its style and to make the connections between its different parts.
This is a book for people who love to be surprised, who like a challenge, and who can be patient when it comes to gathering what it’s all about. You’ll be rewarded with a one-of-a-kind tale about life, love, and - yes - also about death.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Dysphoria
Graphic: Death, Violence, Cannibalism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, War
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Cannibalism
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, War
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief