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unassignedreading's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
tqlikesbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“They were supposed to grow up with their hands in each other’s pockets, compensating for one another’s weaknesses, encouraging one another’s strengths.”
Having only read one other book by McGuire, the first book in her Wayward Children Series, I was not sure what to expect from Middlegame. I have also seen very mixed reviews; generally people who adored her other books seem not to enjoy Middlegame, and those who did not seem to like Wayward Children seem to love this. As I loved listening to the audiobook of Every Heart a Doorway, I was not if I would 'get' this book. However I truly enjoyed this.
Essentially, Middlegame follows a set of twins, created to embody a mysterious doctrine by a man who seems to be modelled on both Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The twins are split up shortly after their creation and sent off to different families, though as they grow, they find a way to communicate with each other and fate seems to bring them together.
What gripped me most about Middlegame was the writing itself. It was otherworldly, creative and clever while still being accessible. The story was so unique and imaginative; I loved the nods to the Wizard of Oz and various bits of folklore and fairy tales, and how McGuire blended these elements with lots of high-logic based mathematics and science. Although I can see why this certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea as it was confusing at times and there are many questions left unanswered by the end.
I found I particularly loved the story of Roger and Dodger, their connection and how they complemented each other and seemed to find their missing halves in each other.
Dark, timeline-twisty and magical- for me Middlegame encompasses all the best elements of sci-fi and fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Suicide, Gore, and Self harm
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Drug use
natural disaster (earthquake)sheerpoetry's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book destroyed me. I put off reading it for a good while because of the size. And then it took me so long (well, for one of Seanan's books, at least) because I had to keep stopping and do breathing exercises and recover enough to keep going.
It was amazing. I was thoroughly stressed out for most of it, but was so glad I kept going and finished it. It was definitely an experience and not just a book. I have no idea what we can expect from the sequel, but I am both terrified and excited.
[I will say, as a person with depression, that this book hurt at times. And I personally found Dodger's suicide attempt fairly graphic, even though it didn't depict the actual act from her point of view. But the descriptions of her feelings and reactions to being tired and left and lonely are so incredibly real and accurate. I cried. A lot.
I will also say I was (pleasantly) surprised that it didn't just end with "and they lived."
It was absolutely a wild ride and I was stressed beyond belief reading it, but I'm so glad I did. It was worth it, in the end. (Not that I doubted it!) And, as always, Seanan keeps you guessing. Just when you think you may have figured out something, it takes a turn. Like I said, a WILD, emotional, beautiful ride.
It was amazing. I was thoroughly stressed out for most of it, but was so glad I kept going and finished it. It was definitely an experience and not just a book. I have no idea what we can expect from the sequel, but I am both terrified and excited.
I will also say I was (pleasantly) surprised that it didn't just end with "and they lived."
It was absolutely a wild ride and I was stressed beyond belief reading it, but I'm so glad I did. It was worth it, in the end. (Not that I doubted it!) And, as always, Seanan keeps you guessing. Just when you think you may have figured out something, it takes a turn. Like I said, a WILD, emotional, beautiful ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
caidyn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
This review can also be found on my blog!
I received this ARC from Tor in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5
CW: self-harm, suicide attempt, murder, gore, and death
Y’all. Like, y’all.
I cannot believe this book because I came into it with very little knowledge — it sounded interesting from what I’d heard and I knew that I’d probably love it because it’s Seanan McGuire — and I was not disappointed.
While I went into this thinking that it was fantasy, it was definitely sci-fi. There’s alchemy and creating people for scientific purposes. Twins yet not twins. (Aka, Roger and Dodger.) Separated from birth to see what might happen. Yet, they can contact each other remotely without even knowing how they’re doing it or their relationship.
I loved how this book covered the breadth of their lives. It started from when they were children and kept following them into their late-twenties or early-thirties. And, throughout it, you get to see a peek of what is to come.
It’s an incredibly impressive work. When I got my hands on this ARC, I wasn’t expecting the size. It’s around 530 pages, which is huge compared to the Wayward Children series that I’m familiar with. But, I’m so glad that I was finally able to see how McGuire writes a novel, not a novella.
The main characters are incredibly compelling. I kept wanting things to go differently and that opening??? Damn. It starts with disaster at the end and then you’re left wondering how the hell you’re going to get there. Which only gets more confusing as the book unfolds and you find out more.
But, let me backtrack a bit rather than just gush about how much I enjoyed this book. Roger is the twin that is gifted with language. And language isn’t just words. It stretches further than that and shows the full breadth of what language is, even though we don’t consider it so. Then, there’s Dodger. She’s the twin gifted with math. Numbers are everything to her, the only thing that matters… besides Roger.
The book really starts out with their childhood and how they “meet”. Then we follow them as they grow up. At one point, there is a major suicide attempt and hints of self-harm, which gets remembered throughout the story. It wasn’t easy to read, but it was well-handled.
Also in the book is the science-y stuff that helped make them. Personally, I found that side less compelling. I wasn’t that interested in what the “bad guys” were doing or anything like that. While I found it interesting to read and it added to the story, I just wasn’t that compelled by it. I wanted to know more about the relationships, not the numbers/science.
Which is kind of why I took a half star off my total. I just didn’t feel the science side of the story was as well fleshed out as the characters were. There were some terms used that I vaguely understood — as in, I knew what McGuire was getting at, but I didn’t quite know what it meant at the same time — and even when I finished the book I wasn’t that sure.
However, I never wanted to put this book down. I just wanted to keep reading it because I had to know what crazy things were going to happen next.
Original review:
WELP.
I just need this book.
I received this ARC from Tor in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5
CW: self-harm, suicide attempt, murder, gore, and death
Y’all. Like, y’all.
I cannot believe this book because I came into it with very little knowledge — it sounded interesting from what I’d heard and I knew that I’d probably love it because it’s Seanan McGuire — and I was not disappointed.
While I went into this thinking that it was fantasy, it was definitely sci-fi. There’s alchemy and creating people for scientific purposes. Twins yet not twins. (Aka, Roger and Dodger.) Separated from birth to see what might happen. Yet, they can contact each other remotely without even knowing how they’re doing it or their relationship.
I loved how this book covered the breadth of their lives. It started from when they were children and kept following them into their late-twenties or early-thirties. And, throughout it, you get to see a peek of what is to come.
It’s an incredibly impressive work. When I got my hands on this ARC, I wasn’t expecting the size. It’s around 530 pages, which is huge compared to the Wayward Children series that I’m familiar with. But, I’m so glad that I was finally able to see how McGuire writes a novel, not a novella.
The main characters are incredibly compelling. I kept wanting things to go differently and that opening??? Damn. It starts with disaster at the end and then you’re left wondering how the hell you’re going to get there. Which only gets more confusing as the book unfolds and you find out more.
But, let me backtrack a bit rather than just gush about how much I enjoyed this book. Roger is the twin that is gifted with language. And language isn’t just words. It stretches further than that and shows the full breadth of what language is, even though we don’t consider it so. Then, there’s Dodger. She’s the twin gifted with math. Numbers are everything to her, the only thing that matters… besides Roger.
The book really starts out with their childhood and how they “meet”. Then we follow them as they grow up. At one point, there is a major suicide attempt and hints of self-harm, which gets remembered throughout the story. It wasn’t easy to read, but it was well-handled.
Also in the book is the science-y stuff that helped make them. Personally, I found that side less compelling. I wasn’t that interested in what the “bad guys” were doing or anything like that. While I found it interesting to read and it added to the story, I just wasn’t that compelled by it. I wanted to know more about the relationships, not the numbers/science.
Which is kind of why I took a half star off my total. I just didn’t feel the science side of the story was as well fleshed out as the characters were. There were some terms used that I vaguely understood — as in, I knew what McGuire was getting at, but I didn’t quite know what it meant at the same time — and even when I finished the book I wasn’t that sure.
However, I never wanted to put this book down. I just wanted to keep reading it because I had to know what crazy things were going to happen next.
Original review:
WELP.
I just need this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
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