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reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition
3.0
Lyrical Gritty Dystopia, 3 for me, could be a 4 or better for you.
Full Disclosure: I was fortunate to win a copy of this novel through a Goodreads giveaway.
My average rating for “Mage of Fools” derives not from a lack of quality but that it simply turned out to be a book of my taste. It is, however, a work of merit and craft.
The story follows Jasmin, a mother in a world in which a community has become a singular mechanic unit, highly regulated, after a climate disaster claims their land and a mysterious illness takes the lives of all them men of the community save their leader and the very young. Discontent with the formulaic and unbalanced nature of her life she yearns for the memories she has that are now dulled of abundance, variety, and her husband. Only the stories he taught her of with the assistance of his own genius mechanics, forbidden now, tether her to the life before. Her children a reminder of what once was. Refusing to give up these memories leads to the peeling away at the cracks and revealing the true structure of this new life she and her neighbors live.
The book is broken into short chapters, filled with prose that I'm certain would be magnificent in spoken form as they have the rhythm of being in verse. Not having a talent for poetry sometimes these were a bit too heavy for my brain to process in the flow that was intended making some of these early parts disjointed. I can't help appreciate that the author chose to embellish Jasmin's life with such intense description the more bleak her surroundings were. And yet when you reach the second act, when Jasmin reaches a location of opulence, the language becomes much more direct following a style closer to a general novel.
I also must praise how vivid the author made the environment, describing smells, sounds, and tastes.
Additionally there were some directions I did not expect and when there is an element of mystery in a setting that can be fairly familiar to genre fans, isn't always so. The antagonist is also one of the most complex I've seen. As a subject to much trauma (For those who appreciate trigger warnings: there is child abuse/neglect) it would be easy to sympathize except that they show tendencies towards corruption and vile acts before any abuse of various sorts occurs. This was difficult to swallow as a reader, but certainly makes them memorable.
What detracted me from completely investing in this novel came down to three aspects. Minimal element that follow some may consider slight spoilers to explain potential trigger warnings. In fairness I must also acknowledge that I started this book while I was already unsettled due to recent personal losses. This undoubtedly effected my reading experience.
Perhaps it was the time that had passed between entering the contest and reading this novel, but I recalled it being marketed as a dystopian-fantasy. I was not anticipating the horror genre to be included as well. Now I occasionally do enjoy horror and I love horror elements. I do not, however, care for body horror. There is an extensive segment of the novel that deals with medical experimentation which takes gruesome measures that I was very uncomfortable with.
I will say that this may have been an allusion to the atrocities done to people of color by the scientific and medical community of a time (mostly) past, as they were seen as 'not human/lesser' by those inflicting such horror, in that the subject is literally not human. however the comparison fails for me in that the subject being put through these trials was voluntarily and eagerly given. But I am not an expert on this matter or a part of the community that these real life things happened to. However, I desperately was trying to find a 'reason' as I was very disturbed but owed it to the author and this site to finish and review.
The second element is very niche, but I'd like to caution the author and readers. The antagonist who acts with great brutality is at one time referred to as 'asexual'. Now I do not think for a moment that the author intended to say that those who identify as asexual as an orientation are unfeeling or capable of these same things. It was a simple concise synonym for summary. Yet already trying to balance my discomfort with the body horror, as someone of the ace community I admit it hurt a little. I don't consider myself a very oversensitive person when it comes to books, I don't generally 'need' trigger warnings. I don't believe in self censorship in that regard, but this mix really dug into me.
The third issue was the physical and romantic relationships in the novel. There is a character that depicts jealousy over a revelation , proceeds to engage in the same behavior they're hurt by when under the circumstance that are similar to the element that hurt them, and suddenly starts yearning again, before things being unsettled again. Now, I know people act irrationally. But given how strongly and vivid the prose can be concerning one interaction the whiplash just left me irritated. I do appreciate what was agreed upon between the individuals but I remember just feeling angry at the whirlwind of it all that may have been different if the novel was longer.
Similarly, possibly due to the length, I never got a good sense of our lead character. I never got into who they were, felt the shift as their world became clearer, or a solid grasp of who they ended up being.
No matter how you react to the novel, it will be one to be remembered. I wish that I had been in a better head space before starting this journey. I am very thankful for the copy and hope others can appreciate this work more than I. It is, if nothing else, exceptionally unique. I would absolutely be interested in reading more from this author.
Full Disclosure: I was fortunate to win a copy of this novel through a Goodreads giveaway.
My average rating for “Mage of Fools” derives not from a lack of quality but that it simply turned out to be a book of my taste. It is, however, a work of merit and craft.
The story follows Jasmin, a mother in a world in which a community has become a singular mechanic unit, highly regulated, after a climate disaster claims their land and a mysterious illness takes the lives of all them men of the community save their leader and the very young. Discontent with the formulaic and unbalanced nature of her life she yearns for the memories she has that are now dulled of abundance, variety, and her husband. Only the stories he taught her of with the assistance of his own genius mechanics, forbidden now, tether her to the life before. Her children a reminder of what once was. Refusing to give up these memories leads to the peeling away at the cracks and revealing the true structure of this new life she and her neighbors live.
The book is broken into short chapters, filled with prose that I'm certain would be magnificent in spoken form as they have the rhythm of being in verse. Not having a talent for poetry sometimes these were a bit too heavy for my brain to process in the flow that was intended making some of these early parts disjointed. I can't help appreciate that the author chose to embellish Jasmin's life with such intense description the more bleak her surroundings were. And yet when you reach the second act, when Jasmin reaches a location of opulence, the language becomes much more direct following a style closer to a general novel.
I also must praise how vivid the author made the environment, describing smells, sounds, and tastes.
Additionally there were some directions I did not expect and when there is an element of mystery in a setting that can be fairly familiar to genre fans, isn't always so. The antagonist is also one of the most complex I've seen. As a subject to much trauma (For those who appreciate trigger warnings: there is child abuse/neglect) it would be easy to sympathize except that they show tendencies towards corruption and vile acts before any abuse of various sorts occurs. This was difficult to swallow as a reader, but certainly makes them memorable.
What detracted me from completely investing in this novel came down to three aspects. Minimal element that follow some may consider slight spoilers to explain potential trigger warnings. In fairness I must also acknowledge that I started this book while I was already unsettled due to recent personal losses. This undoubtedly effected my reading experience.
Perhaps it was the time that had passed between entering the contest and reading this novel, but I recalled it being marketed as a dystopian-fantasy. I was not anticipating the horror genre to be included as well. Now I occasionally do enjoy horror and I love horror elements. I do not, however, care for body horror. There is an extensive segment of the novel that deals with medical experimentation which takes gruesome measures that I was very uncomfortable with.
I will say that this may have been an allusion to the atrocities done to people of color by the scientific and medical community of a time (mostly) past, as they were seen as 'not human/lesser' by those inflicting such horror, in that the subject is literally not human. however the comparison fails for me in that the subject being put through these trials was voluntarily and eagerly given. But I am not an expert on this matter or a part of the community that these real life things happened to. However, I desperately was trying to find a 'reason' as I was very disturbed but owed it to the author and this site to finish and review.
The second element is very niche, but I'd like to caution the author and readers. The antagonist who acts with great brutality is at one time referred to as 'asexual'. Now I do not think for a moment that the author intended to say that those who identify as asexual as an orientation are unfeeling or capable of these same things. It was a simple concise synonym for summary. Yet already trying to balance my discomfort with the body horror, as someone of the ace community I admit it hurt a little. I don't consider myself a very oversensitive person when it comes to books, I don't generally 'need' trigger warnings. I don't believe in self censorship in that regard, but this mix really dug into me.
The third issue was the physical and romantic relationships in the novel. There is a character that depicts jealousy over a revelation , proceeds to engage in the same behavior they're hurt by when under the circumstance that are similar to the element that hurt them, and suddenly starts yearning again, before things being unsettled again. Now, I know people act irrationally. But given how strongly and vivid the prose can be concerning one interaction the whiplash just left me irritated. I do appreciate what was agreed upon between the individuals but I remember just feeling angry at the whirlwind of it all that may have been different if the novel was longer.
Similarly, possibly due to the length, I never got a good sense of our lead character. I never got into who they were, felt the shift as their world became clearer, or a solid grasp of who they ended up being.
No matter how you react to the novel, it will be one to be remembered. I wish that I had been in a better head space before starting this journey. I am very thankful for the copy and hope others can appreciate this work more than I. It is, if nothing else, exceptionally unique. I would absolutely be interested in reading more from this author.
onyxpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Eugen Bacon is a genius.
bookivore's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.0
A dystopian story of struggle and mystery. Wonderfully strange and original.
And yet, I struggled with it. The literary style is masterful but doesn't lend itself to extended reading. Mostly I could only tackle one chapter at a time. The descriptive prose is wonderful, but overwhelming when used to this degree in a long work.
And yet, I struggled with it. The literary style is masterful but doesn't lend itself to extended reading. Mostly I could only tackle one chapter at a time. The descriptive prose is wonderful, but overwhelming when used to this degree in a long work.
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