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rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Seanan McGuire does an incredible job of mixing the fantastical and the alchemical with real life settings in 'Middlegame.' One of my favorite genres is fantasy that takes the real world and makes it that much more fascinating or disturbing through the use of fantastical elements. Seanan McGuire does that to a near perfect degree in 'Middlegame.' I think it helps to go into this book without knowing too much about it but from a very basic point, this is a story about two people, Rodger and Dodger, who discover a connection between them and unravel what this connection means. It's a very dark book with bright spots of hope and it deserves to be discovered in the reading process.
One of my favorite things about this novel is how Seanan McGuire uses a fictional text within the book to help illuminate and obscure what is really happening. She does this masterfully and I am excited that she had the opportunity to write and publish this book within a book as its own text so that we can read more about it and use it to better understand Middlegame.
It's hard to describe this book without spoilers but I will say, if you are looking for something a little spooky that includes alchemy, coming of age stories, and books within books, Middlegame just might scratch your itch.
One of my favorite things about this novel is how Seanan McGuire uses a fictional text within the book to help illuminate and obscure what is really happening. She does this masterfully and I am excited that she had the opportunity to write and publish this book within a book as its own text so that we can read more about it and use it to better understand Middlegame.
It's hard to describe this book without spoilers but I will say, if you are looking for something a little spooky that includes alchemy, coming of age stories, and books within books, Middlegame just might scratch your itch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, and Self harm
Moderate: Torture and Violence
tqlikesbooks's review against another edition
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)spoth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, and Violence
caidyn's review against another edition
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
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
5.0
So... wow. I’ll have to gather my thoughts before I can write a proper review. This is an odd book. A perfect story. (Not necessarily a perfect book, but a perfect story. And no, this is not a contradiction.)
I hope it remains a standalone. I think putting Roger and Dodger through more stress might break me.
Update: I thought of a way to describe the plot, but it's rather spoilery. It doesn't give everything away, just the mechanics of things.
You know in Avengers: Infinity War how Doctor Strange says that there are thousands of possible futures, but only one where we win? This book is like watching many of those possible futures play out until you find the winning combination. It's also a bit like the characters are playing out a Choose Your Own Adventure book while you watch.
Lastly, I feel I must include a trigger warning for this book. There is a suicide attempt, and while we don't see it directly, it is discussed. I didn't find it to be graphic or upsetting, but I can see where someone might have issues stumbling across it without warning. Also, the person survives (not really a spoiler, for reasons that you'll have to trust me on) and there is discussion later about how it was a learning experience. I thought it was handled well, but it's still potentially triggering.
I hope it remains a standalone. I think putting Roger and Dodger through more stress might break me.
Update: I thought of a way to describe the plot, but it's rather spoilery. It doesn't give everything away, just the mechanics of things.
Lastly, I feel I must include a trigger warning for this book. There is a suicide attempt, and while we don't see it directly, it is discussed. I didn't find it to be graphic or upsetting, but I can see where someone might have issues stumbling across it without warning. Also, the person survives (not really a spoiler, for reasons that you'll have to trust me on) and there is discussion later about how it was a learning experience. I thought it was handled well, but it's still potentially triggering.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Violence
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