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sarahskorupa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
crowlandrew's review against another edition
4.0
Manages to simultaneously rebuke and revere Lovecraft, offering an alternate viewpoint of his world that fits seamlessly within even as it promotes an inclusiveness that would shake Howard's tender xenophobic sensibilities. My only complaint would be the system of magic, which pushed an otherwise grounded story a little too close to conventional fantasy for my tastes. Lots of plots unresolved, here's hoping for a series.
adelheid's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
dhlunique's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting conceit. Difficult for me to follow at times - multiple names for many character. Overall fairly good.
hank's review
3.0
Really a 3.5 stars. My overall complaint is that is was a bit dull and slow. There was much sitting around and discussing/lamenting the world as it was without much new insight. The magic, mystery and general chasing around parts were good and the Lovecraftian aspects were also good. It just did not leave much of an impression.
qteabeans's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Maybe if I was more into Lovecraft this would have been a bigger hit for me. I liked the nuance of the characters but when most obstacles are simply bigotry, that gets taxing for me. Also, I felt like we didn't resolve the primary mystery of the book. The ending made sense and it reflects the messy and unclear world we exist in but it was a bit limp for me. A good read and I deeply loved the character Aphra.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Aphra and Caleb Marsh, survivors of the government's raid on Innsmouth in 1928 and the internment camp that followed, head to the east coast to find the lost books of their people. Will Miskatonic University give up its secrets? And what of the rumors of Russians researching body-swapping magic?
After reading Litany of the Earth in [b:Cthulhusattva: Tales of the Black Gnosis|30221708|Cthulhusattva Tales of the Black Gnosis|Scott R. Jones|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463568533s/30221708.jpg|50675444], I was intrigued by Ruthanna Emrys' tale of the plight of the survivors of the government's raid on Innsmouth and wanted more. Tor turned me down for an ARC of this but good old Richard came through.
The Marsh siblings, the last known People of the Water, or Deep Ones, left on land, head east to reclaim their birthright, the accumulated knowledge once housed in the homes and libraries of Innsmouth. With a couple friends in tow, and a couple more new friends met on the way, they rediscover their lost heritage and cross paths with magic most fowl.
I love what Ruthanna Emrys has built atop the foundation that HP Lovecraft laid a long time ago. Her bricks aren't mortared with hate, however. By mirroring the experiences of the Innsmouth survivors and the interned Japanese Americans in World War II, she humanizes the Deep Ones quite a bit and gives a much greater depth to their culture. The book has a message of tolerance throughout, something the world could use more of in this day and age.
The relationship between Aphra and her students, the confluence, drive the story, making it much more nuanced than I thought it would be going in. You wouldn't think a book that's primarily people researching magic would be this gripping. I love the magic system and the way Emrys wove Lovecraftian concepts with her own ideas.
There's not a lot I didn't find fascinating about this book. If I had to pick one gripe, it would be that there wasn't a big showdown at the end, though the end was pretty satisfying and felt truer to the rest of the book than a monster smackdown would have.
As I've said many times before, I like the concepts HPL created better than works by Old Howie himself. Ruthanna Emrys uses those concepts better than most. Four out of five stars.
After reading Litany of the Earth in [b:Cthulhusattva: Tales of the Black Gnosis|30221708|Cthulhusattva Tales of the Black Gnosis|Scott R. Jones|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463568533s/30221708.jpg|50675444], I was intrigued by Ruthanna Emrys' tale of the plight of the survivors of the government's raid on Innsmouth and wanted more. Tor turned me down for an ARC of this but good old Richard came through.
The Marsh siblings, the last known People of the Water, or Deep Ones, left on land, head east to reclaim their birthright, the accumulated knowledge once housed in the homes and libraries of Innsmouth. With a couple friends in tow, and a couple more new friends met on the way, they rediscover their lost heritage and cross paths with magic most fowl.
I love what Ruthanna Emrys has built atop the foundation that HP Lovecraft laid a long time ago. Her bricks aren't mortared with hate, however. By mirroring the experiences of the Innsmouth survivors and the interned Japanese Americans in World War II, she humanizes the Deep Ones quite a bit and gives a much greater depth to their culture. The book has a message of tolerance throughout, something the world could use more of in this day and age.
The relationship between Aphra and her students, the confluence, drive the story, making it much more nuanced than I thought it would be going in. You wouldn't think a book that's primarily people researching magic would be this gripping. I love the magic system and the way Emrys wove Lovecraftian concepts with her own ideas.
There's not a lot I didn't find fascinating about this book. If I had to pick one gripe, it would be that there wasn't a big showdown at the end, though the end was pretty satisfying and felt truer to the rest of the book than a monster smackdown would have.
As I've said many times before, I like the concepts HPL created better than works by Old Howie himself. Ruthanna Emrys uses those concepts better than most. Four out of five stars.
aleffert's review against another edition
4.0
Continuing my woke Lovecraft reinterpretations kick, here is a novel from the perspective of the fish people of Innsmouth. This is a really well done serious take on fish people, which I am definitely here for. The characters are well drawn and sympathetic and the way they were integrated into history was really interesting (having them interned in what eventually became the Japanese internment camps of World War II was very clever). The mythology is well developed. The plot is pretty shrug and seriously lagged in the middle, but I enjoyed it all the way through. This is a book one, but it's reasonably self contained.
greyhairedkid's review against another edition
3.0
I loved Litany of Earth, the prequel novella to this, and I wish I could say I loved this. Instead I kinda liked it.
Way too cozy for anything Lovecrafty - nothing in the novel evokes the creeping awfuls (e.g. the classic from Haunter in the Dark “I see it — coming here — hell-wind — titan blur — black wings — Yog-Sothoth save me — the three-lobed burning eye”) as well as Lovecraft did. Bringing the elder Deep Ones onstage as proud parents may have been a mistake, methinks, and a Yith (powerful amoral aeon-spanning bodysnatchers) as a landlady/schoolmarm was worse.
That said, it’s quite well done for what it is... Just too cozy for me.
Way too cozy for anything Lovecrafty - nothing in the novel evokes the creeping awfuls (e.g. the classic from Haunter in the Dark “I see it — coming here — hell-wind — titan blur — black wings — Yog-Sothoth save me — the three-lobed burning eye”) as well as Lovecraft did. Bringing the elder Deep Ones onstage as proud parents may have been a mistake, methinks, and a Yith (powerful amoral aeon-spanning bodysnatchers) as a landlady/schoolmarm was worse.
That said, it’s quite well done for what it is... Just too cozy for me.