Reviews

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

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sylvilel's review against another edition

5.0

Since Baru was a very new experience for me in both plot and writing style, I was anxious to see where it headed. Turns out, all my expectations came true, and with them came the utter THRILL of a concept well executed.

«The Traitor Baru Cormorant» displays a political powerplay of magnitudes, in painstaking detail and never-relenting suspense. It provides the constant feeling that things can take any direction at any time.

As a child, Baru is taken from her home in Taranoke by invading imperial forces and indoctrinated into the Masquerade.

As she grows and learns, she wows to avenge her family and home, by claiming power from within the imperium. Every step of the way provides another challenge, another test to pass, until finally, she is appointed Imperial Accounant.

Except soon, Baru learns that the test has only just begun. Will her loyalty and resolve be enough to get her what she wants? To beat the imperium at it’s own game?

It can be argued that the book is commenting on social norms and LGBT+ as an institution, but frankly I don’t feel like that’s the main focus. To me this is more a picture of the individual struggle, and how being forced to do something completely out of one’s nature can sometimes turn a person into the very same monster one is fighting.

cynicgirl's review

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5.0

Low fantasy, high politics. An amazing, complex story with deep, interesting characters. Incredible world building, and I guarantee you will read the last hour of this book with your jaw hanging open.

The reviewer who said “It makes Game of Thrones look like Jackanory” pretty much has it spot on.

Best book I’ve read all year.

rmakenzie's review

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2.75

This book was tedious and difficult to get through. I did see the ending coming, so I can’t say I was terribly surprised by it. Lots of telling, but not a ton of showing. It kind of felt like reading a history book? I do love the idea of the book, though. I just wish I gelled with the writing more. There were multiple times that I almost DNF’d this book. A fine book overall! I wish I had the intense connection to this book that other readers seemed to have.

Tain Hu was the best part of this book to me.

toriamos's review

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

illiteracy's review against another edition

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4.5

LMFAO.

abookishtype's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Baru Cormorant’s life changed forever when she was a small child. Her recollections of life with her hunter mother, shieldbearer father, and blacksmith father sound idyllic. Her mother taught her about the birds that lived on their island. Her fathers taught her about tradecraft and keeping her ears open. But when the Empire of Masks arrived with their paper money—and, later, their plagues and schools and “hygiene”—her childhood was obliterated. Years later, Baru Cormorant walks a fine line between obedience and treachery in Seth Dickinson’s powerful novel, The Traitor Baru Cormorant...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.