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ollyie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bradleysambrook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
viktorvaughn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
absolutechaos's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What a book. It definitely accomplishes political intrigue and feels very clever, but I think it was maybe too dark for my personal tastes. Huge trigger warning for homophobic conversion and torture. This will probably be my funniest pride month read. Diversity win.
nclcaitlin's review against another edition
4.0
Baru’s home is taken over by the Imperial Rebukic, the Masquerade. A mechanism of rule building itself from the work of so many million hands. Remorseless not out of cruelty or hate but because it was too vast and too set on its destiny to care for the small tragedies of its growth.
Baru vows to play their game, learn their secrets. But it would only ever be a mask. If the Masquerade could not be stopped by spear or treaty, she would change it from within.
Baru passes the civil service exam with flying colours and becomes the youngest Imperial Accountant in decades, sent to the Federated Province of troubled Aurdwynn and its thirteen treacherous dukes. A test? An exile? Or has Baru being thrown to the wolves?
”The tide is coming in," he said. "The ocean has reached this little pool. There will be turbulence, and confusion, and ruin. This is what happens when something small joins something vast. But—" Later she would hold to this moment, because it felt that he had offered her something true and grown-up and powerful rather than a lie to shield her. "When the joining is done there will be a sea for you to swim in."
Baru is incredibly astute, but struggles with the practises of the overreaching power and control of the Masquerade. Her province is considered backwards filled with diseases of tribadism and sodomy must be eradicated from the body and the bloodline. However, Baru grew up in a loving family with two fathers and a huntress mother.
This takes imperialism to the extreme, reeducating, conditioning, and even controlling populations through controlled games of heredity and eugenics. Reparatory childbearing. Women confiscated and sown like repossessed earth.
In this system, everyone is someone else's instrument and Baru must become entirely devoted, outside and in. Able to hide any emotion, pretend to be anyone.
To save her home, she must lose herself. Is this a worthy price to pay?
Was it really slavery if the slave was grateful? If that gratitude had been hammered into the alloy of his being?
This is a book where I highlighted so many things.
I was astounded, touched, enraged, enlightened. I was awed. This book will stay with me for a while.
If you enjoyed The Goblin Emperor, The Hands of the Emperor, or Orconomics, I would recommend this or vice versa!
Baru vows to play their game, learn their secrets. But it would only ever be a mask. If the Masquerade could not be stopped by spear or treaty, she would change it from within.
Baru passes the civil service exam with flying colours and becomes the youngest Imperial Accountant in decades, sent to the Federated Province of troubled Aurdwynn and its thirteen treacherous dukes. A test? An exile? Or has Baru being thrown to the wolves?
”The tide is coming in," he said. "The ocean has reached this little pool. There will be turbulence, and confusion, and ruin. This is what happens when something small joins something vast. But—" Later she would hold to this moment, because it felt that he had offered her something true and grown-up and powerful rather than a lie to shield her. "When the joining is done there will be a sea for you to swim in."
Baru is incredibly astute, but struggles with the practises of the overreaching power and control of the Masquerade. Her province is considered backwards filled with diseases of tribadism and sodomy must be eradicated from the body and the bloodline. However, Baru grew up in a loving family with two fathers and a huntress mother.
This takes imperialism to the extreme, reeducating, conditioning, and even controlling populations through controlled games of heredity and eugenics. Reparatory childbearing. Women confiscated and sown like repossessed earth.
In this system, everyone is someone else's instrument and Baru must become entirely devoted, outside and in. Able to hide any emotion, pretend to be anyone.
To save her home, she must lose herself. Is this a worthy price to pay?
Was it really slavery if the slave was grateful? If that gratitude had been hammered into the alloy of his being?
This is a book where I highlighted so many things.
I was astounded, touched, enraged, enlightened. I was awed. This book will stay with me for a while.
If you enjoyed The Goblin Emperor, The Hands of the Emperor, or Orconomics, I would recommend this or vice versa!
jasmaurelia's review against another edition
Dnf 48% - really not vibing with the writing style and the mc has no personality
yunaca's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cesarcg's review against another edition
4.0
wow! this book has to be one of the wildest things i’ve ever read
owenhoover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.75
This is one of the most heartbreaking book series I’ve read. I’ve come back to it 3 times now, and each time the characters and world building draw me in. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone willing to brave the darker elements.