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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"I'm going to tell you a story. And, like so many stories, this one starts with a body.”
This book was difficult to read. Not in a bad way, but in a way that required all my attention at any given time. It was artfully written; poetic and intense as it questioned what it meant to be alive, accepted, and to find meaning in found family. It didn't shy away from the harsh reality of rejecting something different or misunderstood. I was shaken by the descriptions of the hate crimes that took place in the initial aftermath of the fracture. It reminded me too much about lynchings and witch hunts, which I suppose is the point.
The book nailed the willful ignorance that society can fall prey to. Most of the world did not want to admit that there were monsters out there and, when given the opportunity to ignore it, they did. But it also showed what happens when people take a stand and come to the aid of those who need it. Many are targeted and fall prey to fear but those who stand firm make it easier for others to do the same. It was a beautiful parallel between the LGBTQ+ movement's effort to be heard and the hardships and hate crimes that they are still facing today. Also, this quote has stuck with me for days:
“A march is not just a voice against violence and trauma, but also a reminder that even in a cause that is stacked against them, no one is alone.”
There is something eerie about discovering that conspiracy theorists were right all along about monsters and secret societies. I found it hard to believe that it was just Rebecca and her pack that had revealed the existence of monsters to the world, and finding out that it was the Order of Asha all along was unsettling. Why now? If it were part of the effort to introduce monsters to the general public, why let Rebecca and her pack take the blame and not protect them from other societies? Everything was just so orchestrated.
The narration style was the main reason I continued this book. It was so different and jarring that I had to keep reading to find out who it was. They were telling a story but at the same time were part of the events that were unfolding. It made the reveal all the more powerful. And I have so many questions!
The cast of characters was diverse and allowed for a rounded view of the events that played out.
The characters all came from broken homes and did what they could to make the most of it. From Ridley being a trans man to Lincoln who struggled with past sexual and drug abuse, to Rebecca who had a rocky relationship with a father who was only doing his best.
Gender identity and sexual orientation were underlying factors among the characters. Ridley was an asexual trans man in an open relationship. His wife's girlfriend was a werewolf. Melku used they/them pronouns.
Ridley and Laina were humans among monsters. Laina had her brother and girlfriend who were werewolves but Ridley is almost on the outside looking in. When approached with the idea of helping monsters, he was not quick to object. He seemed willing to listen. Maybe this is because he has faced alienation from others before due to his gender identity and his sexual orientation. I also found the author's choice of having the queer group open their arms to monsters both ironic and powerful. Who else but those who have been ostracized for who they are?
Dragon was a sweetheart and seeing the world through his eyes while the narrator provided explanations was so cute. But how powerful is he? Why was he ordered to eat hands??? I really hope he gets to have a normal life for a while. And that he and Harry become friends despite the missing appendage.
The narrator was one of my favourite characters. Every time it skipped between a character's thoughts to Calvin's I was on the edge of my seat. And were the others ever aware? Laina seemed to be at the beginning. I sat there in shock when their power was revealed. Which timeline is the main one? Why is he so interested in this one? Can he change any of it? And what was with the god at the end of the book? Seriously, I need the next book!
I did have some issues with No Gods, No Monsters. It was a little all over the place at times with a wide cast of points of view. I was woefully confused at points and had to go reread sections to understand what was happening. The switch between past and present was also confusing but I think the author pulled it off well.
This book is a poem just waiting to be pulled apart. There were so many layers and underlying messages that need more than one read-through to unpack. It's not for everyone but I have no doubt that it'll find its way into the hands of people who need it.
Verdict: Four stars
Fav characters: Calvin, Ridley, and Dragon
This book was difficult to read. Not in a bad way, but in a way that required all my attention at any given time. It was artfully written; poetic and intense as it questioned what it meant to be alive, accepted, and to find meaning in found family. It didn't shy away from the harsh reality of rejecting something different or misunderstood. I was shaken by the descriptions of the hate crimes that took place in the initial aftermath of the fracture. It reminded me too much about lynchings and witch hunts, which I suppose is the point.
The book nailed the willful ignorance that society can fall prey to. Most of the world did not want to admit that there were monsters out there and, when given the opportunity to ignore it, they did. But it also showed what happens when people take a stand and come to the aid of those who need it. Many are targeted and fall prey to fear but those who stand firm make it easier for others to do the same. It was a beautiful parallel between the LGBTQ+ movement's effort to be heard and the hardships and hate crimes that they are still facing today. Also, this quote has stuck with me for days:
“A march is not just a voice against violence and trauma, but also a reminder that even in a cause that is stacked against them, no one is alone.”
There is something eerie about discovering that conspiracy theorists were right all along about monsters and secret societies. I found it hard to believe that it was just Rebecca and her pack that had revealed the existence of monsters to the world, and finding out that it was the Order of Asha all along was unsettling. Why now? If it were part of the effort to introduce monsters to the general public, why let Rebecca and her pack take the blame and not protect them from other societies? Everything was just so orchestrated.
The narration style was the main reason I continued this book. It was so different and jarring that I had to keep reading to find out who it was. They were telling a story but at the same time were part of the events that were unfolding. It made the reveal all the more powerful. And I have so many questions!
The cast of characters was diverse and allowed for a rounded view of the events that played out.
The characters all came from broken homes and did what they could to make the most of it. From Ridley being a trans man to Lincoln who struggled with past sexual and drug abuse, to Rebecca who had a rocky relationship with a father who was only doing his best.
Gender identity and sexual orientation were underlying factors among the characters. Ridley was an asexual trans man in an open relationship. His wife's girlfriend was a werewolf. Melku used they/them pronouns.
Ridley and Laina were humans among monsters. Laina had her brother and girlfriend who were werewolves but Ridley is almost on the outside looking in. When approached with the idea of helping monsters, he was not quick to object. He seemed willing to listen. Maybe this is because he has faced alienation from others before due to his gender identity and his sexual orientation. I also found the author's choice of having the queer group open their arms to monsters both ironic and powerful. Who else but those who have been ostracized for who they are?
Dragon was a sweetheart and seeing the world through his eyes while the narrator provided explanations was so cute. But how powerful is he? Why was he ordered to eat hands??? I really hope he gets to have a normal life for a while. And that he and Harry become friends despite the missing appendage.
The narrator was one of my favourite characters. Every time it skipped between a character's thoughts to Calvin's I was on the edge of my seat. And were the others ever aware? Laina seemed to be at the beginning. I sat there in shock when their power was revealed. Which timeline is the main one? Why is he so interested in this one? Can he change any of it? And what was with the god at the end of the book? Seriously, I need the next book!
I did have some issues with No Gods, No Monsters. It was a little all over the place at times with a wide cast of points of view. I was woefully confused at points and had to go reread sections to understand what was happening. The switch between past and present was also confusing but I think the author pulled it off well.
This book is a poem just waiting to be pulled apart. There were so many layers and underlying messages that need more than one read-through to unpack. It's not for everyone but I have no doubt that it'll find its way into the hands of people who need it.
Verdict: Four stars
Fav characters: Calvin, Ridley, and Dragon
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings
This is a confused, jumbled mess of a story, but then it isn't really a story at all. It is just an introduction. Meet the characters who are presumably going to entertain you for the next umpteen number of volumes. This technique might work if there is a stand alone story encapsulated within the larger narrative or if that narrative is exceptionally engrossing so that I don't mind being left hanging with nothing resolved and very little explained. Unfortunately, this book fails on both fronts. Presumably more will be elaborated upon in the next volume, whenever that appears, but I won't be there to see it. I also found the frequent tense switching to be quite jarring.
Grateful for the opportunity to catch this emerging trilogy. Excited about seeing the preview and buildup for its release-- and then the initial immediate raving about it-- I finally had the chance to dive in. What a read. What a ridiculously-packed layered story. So much touched on in politics, social issues, race, human nature, and... throwing in magic, mystical beings, parallel universes... and one would think this is going to be a jumbled mess of a ride. And while it IS timeline-hopping, reality-shifting, back-and-forth, frustratingly fast-paced-- and at the same time, frustratingly banal-- it not only WORKS, but it is done by a masterful artist who somehow pulls it all together. In all honesty, I was frustrated most of the way through it. Wishing it made some sense. Hoping for things to find its mark... in fantastical Sci-Fi/Fantasy, fictional realism, and/or social commentary... and it never does. It thrives in this mix of 'mess.' Jason Sheehan's line in his NPR review of this novel hit home hard: "It is both beautifully fantastical and wondrously mundane."
Asking myself, many times, whether I could finish the story due to my ongoing frustration, I kept turning pages. Eagerly. Pulled forward through the shifting incomprehensible threads of human travails. Not anyone can balance a monster story in a setting that is real. The magic Turnbull has in making so many emotive moments within this whirling molasses flow is worth all the raving. Still, this reader is not sure whether the investment is worth pushing through 2 more upcoming frustrating adventures. Knowing myself though, I'll gripe to myself all the way through the magical moments.
Asking myself, many times, whether I could finish the story due to my ongoing frustration, I kept turning pages. Eagerly. Pulled forward through the shifting incomprehensible threads of human travails. Not anyone can balance a monster story in a setting that is real. The magic Turnbull has in making so many emotive moments within this whirling molasses flow is worth all the raving. Still, this reader is not sure whether the investment is worth pushing through 2 more upcoming frustrating adventures. Knowing myself though, I'll gripe to myself all the way through the magical moments.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.75/5
This was decent for me, but it was a little difficult to get invested in at first.
What starts out as the story of a man gunned down by police turns into the story of "monsters" and their fight to be recognized as beings worthy of the right to live their lives as they see fit.
This is a complex story weaving in so many themes, with civil rights at the forefront. It is so relevant to the fight that so many people who have been "othered" are facing today.
It was well done, but the reason I had an issue with it is the style of the telling. There are so many POVs, and the story jumps between them before you really get a sense of who is who and what's going on.
The story was decent, though, so I will be continuing this series.
This was decent for me, but it was a little difficult to get invested in at first.
What starts out as the story of a man gunned down by police turns into the story of "monsters" and their fight to be recognized as beings worthy of the right to live their lives as they see fit.
This is a complex story weaving in so many themes, with civil rights at the forefront. It is so relevant to the fight that so many people who have been "othered" are facing today.
It was well done, but the reason I had an issue with it is the style of the telling. There are so many POVs, and the story jumps between them before you really get a sense of who is who and what's going on.
The story was decent, though, so I will be continuing this series.
This book is complex, and unapologetically layered. No Gods, No Monsters drops you into a world where monsters are real and so are conspiracies, secret societies, and deep systemic fear... so basically current day society. The non-linear storytelling did take some adjusting to, but once I let go of needing to understand everything, I really got into the rhythm of it.
What really stood out to me was how Turnbull weaves political resistance and issues of morality and humanity into a story about the supernatural. It’s not just about monsters, it’s about who gets labeled one, and why. The commentary on power, surveillance, oppression, and collective action is so smart and so relevant. I love when speculative fiction doesn’t shy away from real-world stuff, and this book leans all the way in.
It’s the kind of story that challenges you and rewards you for sticking with it. Mind turning in all the right ways, like a puzzle you’re still mulling over in your head after the last page.
And by the end, you’re left wondering: who REALLY are the monsters?