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hauntedtesty's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_lyon_reads_tonight's review against another edition
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is really a 3.5 overall for me rather than a 3. The writing her is really lovely and lyrical but the story was just too all over the place for me. There were narrative switches, selective switches, timeline switches, planet switches….it just became very complicated. The story found it’s way especially once it got to what was the center of the story for me which was Tempest. I loved that Bacon was telling the story of this boy but from the perspectives of the women in his life. I wish it was a little more simplified but overall, it was still a good read, just one that took a lot more focus and space.
ticcygrace's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Strong concepts, incredibly poor execution. It was written like I would have the entire knowledge of geography and politics of this alternate earth that has alien connections. I did not receive this knowledge. The book also attempted to create a strong story by showing generations of alien hybrids but it felt stilted and that there were too many characters, as a result they felt lumped together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Child death, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Slavery, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, and Grief
Minor: War, Rape, and Incest
thistle_and_verse's review against another edition
4.0
Combining science fiction and literary fiction, Bacon's novel Claiming T-Mo meanders through the lives of several generations of the titular character's family. It's like an orchestral arrangement where several instruments riff on the same notes but with staggered entrances - certain themes and experiences reappear in the lives of each of the characters but resolve when all the characters gather at the end. This is a world of magic and alien life where neither is explained in any depth. The story focuses on the characters' relationships and experiences. There's a funny scene where T-Mo brings his wife Salem alien produce, and she cooks it L'Alchemista style.
I was confused about the division between T-Mo and Odysseyus. Bacon provides a magical explanation for the personality change, but it seemed more likely to me that it was a response to the abusive household he was raised in. Novic is the closest thing this story has to a villain, and the effects of his parenting are felt in every corner of the book, even though he's never confronted about it. T-Mo's mother Silhouette was a child bride, married to Novic at 11, and Novic was physically abusive. I didn't think it was a stretch that Novic would abuse T-Mo too and that would account for T-Mo's mood swings.
The elements that reverberate through the lives of each of the cast are the prison planet Shiva, absentee parents, murder, and disability. I'm still parsing out why Bacon chose those elements.
I was confused about the division between T-Mo and Odysseyus. Bacon provides a magical explanation for the personality change, but it seemed more likely to me that it was a response to the abusive household he was raised in. Novic is the closest thing this story has to a villain, and the effects of his parenting are felt in every corner of the book, even though he's never confronted about it. T-Mo's mother Silhouette was a child bride, married to Novic at 11, and Novic was physically abusive. I didn't think it was a stretch that Novic would abuse T-Mo too and that would account for T-Mo's mood swings.
The elements that reverberate through the lives of each of the cast are the prison planet Shiva, absentee parents, murder, and disability. I'm still parsing out why Bacon chose those elements.
eloiseinparis's review
2.0
Not what I was expecting from a Jekyll/Hyde story. Maybe if the world building was better I would've been able to get into it.
dawnvogel's review
4.0
(This review was originally published at Mad Scientist Journal.)
Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon is a multi-generational tale of otherworldly beings, superpowers, and the complexity of families. With a sweeping scope across time and space, it features elements of fantasy and science fiction blended together in a way that makes both seem utterly plausible within the world Bacon has constructed.
The narrative flows through the generations, beginning with T-Mo’s mother, Silhouette, and his wife, Salem, who carry the bulk of the story. In the later chapters, additional characters pick up the threads of the story. And much of the story is these interwoven threads, all related to one another but telling the story from a variety of perspectives. In this way, they pull together a richly woven tapestry of the story, supplemented by the gorgeous and lush language.
The voices of each of the multitude of characters are distinct and evocative, painting an entire picture of each character within a few brief pages of their introduction. And while many of the events of the book are clearly from the realm of speculative fiction, the story is told in such a way that it all seems real.
It should be noted that there are characters who exhibit a variety of abusive behaviors in the course of this novel, which may make it difficult for some to read. Despite this, I found Claiming T-Mo to be a wonderfully well-written book that I enjoyed reading on the whole.
The publisher provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon is a multi-generational tale of otherworldly beings, superpowers, and the complexity of families. With a sweeping scope across time and space, it features elements of fantasy and science fiction blended together in a way that makes both seem utterly plausible within the world Bacon has constructed.
The narrative flows through the generations, beginning with T-Mo’s mother, Silhouette, and his wife, Salem, who carry the bulk of the story. In the later chapters, additional characters pick up the threads of the story. And much of the story is these interwoven threads, all related to one another but telling the story from a variety of perspectives. In this way, they pull together a richly woven tapestry of the story, supplemented by the gorgeous and lush language.
The voices of each of the multitude of characters are distinct and evocative, painting an entire picture of each character within a few brief pages of their introduction. And while many of the events of the book are clearly from the realm of speculative fiction, the story is told in such a way that it all seems real.
It should be noted that there are characters who exhibit a variety of abusive behaviors in the course of this novel, which may make it difficult for some to read. Despite this, I found Claiming T-Mo to be a wonderfully well-written book that I enjoyed reading on the whole.
The publisher provided us with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
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