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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
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
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An interesting book. An alternative history. Set largely in England in 1836 but a different England where empire is made stronger by translations being “inscribed “ into silver bars. The author uses this idea to write about an anti-imperialist, anti- capitalist revolution. Interesting.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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
The characters and their struggles resonate with you, that is, if you find that you've been handed the short stick in life — in terms of identity, your place in the status quo. It's as devastating as it is fascinating, and I would recommend this over and over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Death, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
adventurous
emotional
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
challenging
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
YOU'LL FEEL THE RAGE, YOUR BLOOD BOILING AND CRY.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My foremost problem with the book that it is advertised as a fantasy novel, and it is not. One might call it a historical fiction with a tiny bit of magical realism, but how magic happens here remains a mystery, and for a fantasy lover this is deeply unsatisfying and frustrating.
In fact, the book feels like a series of university lectures and textbooks (politics, linguistics, sociology) disguised as a fantasy novel; therefore, I felt tricked into this read. Being scattered with footnotes that are didactic and patronising, prevented me from the immerse reading experience I appreciate in a good fantasy fiction.
Most disappointing was the lack of personality attributed to the poorly developed characters, none of them were relatable; they were extremely simple: either good or bad with no in-between.
It took me 4 months to read this book, I resisted the urge to DNF it, and I read a total of 38 books in parallel to escape.
In fact, the book feels like a series of university lectures and textbooks (politics, linguistics, sociology) disguised as a fantasy novel; therefore, I felt tricked into this read. Being scattered with footnotes that are didactic and patronising, prevented me from the immerse reading experience I appreciate in a good fantasy fiction.
Most disappointing was the lack of personality attributed to the poorly developed characters, none of them were relatable; they were extremely simple: either good or bad with no in-between.
It took me 4 months to read this book, I resisted the urge to DNF it, and I read a total of 38 books in parallel to escape.