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amartier's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
an1roberts's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
riskeytaker's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The narrative devices author use are one of the kind and very interesting Definitely worth a read. I do think the book could’ve been a little bit shorter. It does seem to get a bit lost in the third quarter of the book but the ending comes back in makes it very much worthwhile.
marianadoesread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
cheruphim's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
4.5
[reposted from Goodreads]
This was a blast to read!
The lore and cosmology in it is rich, and the writing lends itself elegantly from third to first to second person. I love the story that Jimenez weaves in this novel, and I can't wait to read more by this author! :)
This was a blast to read!
The lore and cosmology in it is rich, and the writing lends itself elegantly from third to first to second person. I love the story that Jimenez weaves in this novel, and I can't wait to read more by this author! :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Ableism, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Torture, Violence, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual content
izzy006's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
princessraya's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
This book is truly unique. I have never read anything quite like it, and I would highly highly recommend to any fantasy lover. The prose is exquisite and the characters feel so real. I have not listened to the audiobook but would definitely recommend the physical book if possible because layout is very important to this book.
twojays's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
tivvny's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
If there was one quote that perfectly captures the lyrical and rich prose crafted by Simon Jimenez in this novel and the magic of the story that they've created, it would be this:
We were not ourselves anymore but each other, speaking through our bodies to a wounded and grieving land. And what we said was this:
The body holds the body.
The arms hold the spear.
And the spear cuts through water.
Simon Jimenez in The Spear Cuts Through Water
Reading The Spear Cuts Through Water is not an easy task. The continuous shift between second and third person as we shift from one storyline to another, as well as the occasional first person interjections, leaves you at first disorientated and scrambling to catch up with what's happening. This narrative voice and the devices employed may not be for everyone. HOWEVER, if you just hang on for a little longer, you'll settle into the rhythm of the story and its many voices, and you will be rewarded with a profound epic fantasy that is so unique in its story and storytelling. And I promise you, this "confusion" and "messiness" is not without a purpose.
Although I wasn't necessarily as emotional as I thought I would be when reaching the end (I was expecting myself to leave with a few tears), I was definitely left in awe at Jimenez's ability to curate such a rich and compelling narrative that doesn't feel dense with its world-building or burdened by classic epic fantasy tropes (there's legit no guessing what happens next). For lack of better words, it's an inmensely fulfilling and satsifying book that reads like poetry that immerses you in its world of action, tragedy, loyalty, and love.
Here are some additional quotes that I think are worth the mention (and every bit of praise)!
Reading The Spear Cuts Through Water is not an easy task. The continuous shift between second and third person as we shift from one storyline to another, as well as the occasional first person interjections, leaves you at first disorientated and scrambling to catch up with what's happening. This narrative voice and the devices employed may not be for everyone. HOWEVER, if you just hang on for a little longer, you'll settle into the rhythm of the story and its many voices, and you will be rewarded with a profound epic fantasy that is so unique in its story and storytelling. And I promise you, this "confusion" and "messiness" is not without a purpose.
Although I wasn't necessarily as emotional as I thought I would be when reaching the end (I was expecting myself to leave with a few tears), I was definitely left in awe at Jimenez's ability to curate such a rich and compelling narrative that doesn't feel dense with its world-building or burdened by classic epic fantasy tropes (there's legit no guessing what happens next). For lack of better words, it's an inmensely fulfilling and satsifying book that reads like poetry that immerses you in its world of action, tragedy, loyalty, and love.
Here are some additional quotes that I think are worth the mention (and every bit of praise)!
There is a city within you, populated by both high- and lowborn beliefs, interjections, prayers, rantings
…the notion of the immovable Pattern, they called it the Tapestry’s Fray. They saw life, both its past and its future, as an already-completed work … The world and its timelines had been mapped, and the Tapestry’s Fray was the border of that great work. The worried edge, and the unyielding hem, that held the image together.
But though I cannot help but wish that when the world quirks and shudders, we have the wherewithal to listen, even I cannot deny how difficult it can be, to accept that sometimes, to survive, we must change our course.
phdpageturner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-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
5.0