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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
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
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Classism
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
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
“This is a love story to its blade-dented bone.”
If this book is what 5/5 is for me then I may need to reevaluate every other rating I’ve given. While it took me several months to get back and finish this book, I can’t even remember why I paused reading in the first place. The Spear Cuts Through Water is such a vivid and lush story. We follow Jun and Keema along in this tragically violent, beautiful, mysterious, and magical world. But it’s also a moving picture of repressed desire, queerness, and disability. Truly, truly gorgeous. That ending had silent tears running down my cheeks. I think Jimenez may have written what will one day be known as a fantasy classic.
Note: This is likely a difficult read if you are inexperienced with a second person narrative or frequent narrative switching. The audiobook is GREAT and I highly recommend it. But I think having an ebook or physical copy to follow along with is a good idea.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Genocide, Gore, Violence
Graphic: Child abuse, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Kidnapping
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual content