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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Intricate worldbuilding and a naive POV make this dense book challenging to start. The supporting characters add depth and interest and the plot ramps up toward a lengthy conclusion. Quite enjoyed it, end of day, and the dragon aspect was sparse and compelling.
This book read like if Shakespeare had written literary fiction. I picked it up because I was promised dragons but after the first chapter there is ONE more scene with the dragon eye in the whole 40% I read through. 2 references does not a dragon-book make! But I still tried to keep reading...and eventually gave up. Davico and Celia's journeys will continue without me.
All the repetitive dialogue of the Shakespearan plays " 'I bite my thumb at you.' 'Did you bite your thumb at me?' 'I did so sir.' 'How dare you bite your thumb at me!' and on. But then also add the long, incredibly detailed descriptions of Jacqueline Carey or Diana Gabaldon or Terry Goodkind. Except those authors also had PLOT and MOMENTUM.
This story moves along at an incremental snail pace because our teen narrator--wait, he's reflecting as an older man--has to list all the noble houses, all the gods, all the plants, all the animals, etc. That would've been a SHORT list in this book.
There were a few intriguing moments with his adoptive sister's intrigues, our narrator trying his hand at political meetings, and a party. I would read a book about Celia's challenges post-familial disgrace, but Davico was just dull. Only wanted to play in the fields and not live up to all the training and family legacy. Old news.
All the repetitive dialogue of the Shakespearan plays " 'I bite my thumb at you.' 'Did you bite your thumb at me?' 'I did so sir.' 'How dare you bite your thumb at me!' and on. But then also add the long, incredibly detailed descriptions of Jacqueline Carey or Diana Gabaldon or Terry Goodkind. Except those authors also had PLOT and MOMENTUM.
This story moves along at an incremental snail pace because our teen narrator--wait, he's reflecting as an older man--has to list all the noble houses, all the gods, all the plants, all the animals, etc. That would've been a SHORT list in this book.
There were a few intriguing moments with his adoptive sister's intrigues, our narrator trying his hand at political meetings, and a party. I would read a book about Celia's challenges post-familial disgrace, but Davico was just dull. Only wanted to play in the fields and not live up to all the training and family legacy. Old news.
dark
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
This book was incredible. It crept up on me slowly - it took a lot longer to read that books usually do. It wasn’t a book that made me want to rush through it; it was one I wanted to put down after each chapter to think about and just let seep in. The story isn’t very complicated but Davico’s character and his conflict caught me.
The Di Regulai family have, in a few generations, risen to become the most powerful bankers in the city-state of Navola, where merchant deals are everything and the people are said to be “twisty.” Davico’s father is the ultimate Navolese, a man who has built a financial and political empire by being impossible to predict, able to say one thing while meaning another, ruthless against his enemies and careful with his friends. Which is a problem, because Davico, his only child and heir, is… not any of that. Sensitive, anxious and kind, Davico is drawn to nature, to animals and wandering in the woods and studying with the local healer, who teaches him about plants and their uses. His childhood has moments of bliss and accomplishment, as he learns to move through the woods so silently that even experienced hunters can’t track him, but as he gets older, the pressure to someday be his father’s successor builds. Despite his father’s love and confidence, Davico is sure he can’t manage it. His only solace is in his relationship with Celia di Balisco, his foster-sister and closest friend, a girl who does have all those qualities the Navolese admire most. But when the two are in their teens, feelings begin to develop between them that could threaten the future of the Regulai empire and Davico and Celia find themselves pushed towards a future that isn’t the one they want.
Davico is one of the most sympathetic protagonists I’ve read recently. I found him incredibly appealing. He’s a gentle, sensitive, kind kid who wants to do the right thing for those he cares about, but who is under impossible pressure because he genuinely is not suited to the life that’s been prepared for him. This isn’t a case of a young protagonist who grows up to overcome the odds and be everything the people around him doubted he could; Davico knows, even when those around him try to encourage him, that he isn’t suited for life as the head of the Regulai family, and he’s right. He isn’t deceptive, he isn’t capable of hiding his feelings, he doesn’t want to be dishonest or tricky. He has dreams of his own, of living close to nature and becoming a healer, and the audience knows all along they are out of his reach. At the same time, this also isn’t the story of a young protagonist rebelling against his elders. I’m always sympathetic to someone being forced into a life they don’t want, but that’s not precisely what Davico is - he does love his family and his city and want to do well by them, and the confidence that his father and mentors have in him only make his situation worse. Most of the story is taken up with Davico’s slow coming of age as he is trained to take over for his father and sent on missions to make alliances for the Regulai, and there is a sense of dread that hangs over all of it. Part of this is due to the narrative device of having Davico tell this story from the future when, he tells us, he is no longer as soft or forgiving. All the time we are watching a kind, well-intentioned kid grow up, we know he won’t always stay that way.
The world of Navola is also complex in such interesting ways. There are no black and white heroes and villains in this story, just politics, messy and brutal. The Regulai are a loving family - Davico’s father is devoted, not only to him but to his foster sister and close friend, Celia. But Celia is also part of the family because the Regulai destroyed her own; she is essentially a hostage, though one being given opportunities she never would have had otherwise. Davico’s father and his advisors seem to want the best for Navola, but astute readers will realize that their actions aren’t always legal or just. And then there is the magic system. Magic isn’t a big part of the world of Navola, but there are hints that it was in the past, the greatest of which is the artifact Davico’s father keeps on his desk, the enormous preserved eye of a long-dead dragon. From a young age, Davico feels drawn to the eye, which still carries some remnant of life and malice. But when the Regulai are threatened, Davico finds that the eye is more than just a relic; it has power that he can call on to defend what is his.
I could go on and on about how much I loved this book - the characters (not only Davico, but Celia, who is wonderful and complicated and has her own very sympathetic conflicts), the relationships (Davico’s relationship with his sort-of-mentor Cazzetta is my favorite), the Renaissance-Italy flavored world, a place of city states built on the remnants of the empire that once ruled the world. The intricate culture of Navola, with its distinctive terminology and customs.
The only thing I had mixed feelings about was the way the story ended. Spoilers:The fall of the Regulai was brutal, but I liked that; it felt like what had to happen in the world, and I felt a bit of vindication on Davico’s behalf that he’d been right to be concerned about his father’s empire-building plans and his own place in them. The section detailing Davico’s blinding and imprisonment was terrible but obviously leading up to his transformation. But by the time Davico was planning his escape and revenge, I found I was disappointed that so many people had died. The losses were important but I was disappointed that by the time Davico came into his own, there wasn’t going to be anyone left who would be proud of him.
The Di Regulai family have, in a few generations, risen to become the most powerful bankers in the city-state of Navola, where merchant deals are everything and the people are said to be “twisty.” Davico’s father is the ultimate Navolese, a man who has built a financial and political empire by being impossible to predict, able to say one thing while meaning another, ruthless against his enemies and careful with his friends. Which is a problem, because Davico, his only child and heir, is… not any of that. Sensitive, anxious and kind, Davico is drawn to nature, to animals and wandering in the woods and studying with the local healer, who teaches him about plants and their uses. His childhood has moments of bliss and accomplishment, as he learns to move through the woods so silently that even experienced hunters can’t track him, but as he gets older, the pressure to someday be his father’s successor builds. Despite his father’s love and confidence, Davico is sure he can’t manage it. His only solace is in his relationship with Celia di Balisco, his foster-sister and closest friend, a girl who does have all those qualities the Navolese admire most. But when the two are in their teens, feelings begin to develop between them that could threaten the future of the Regulai empire and Davico and Celia find themselves pushed towards a future that isn’t the one they want.
Davico is one of the most sympathetic protagonists I’ve read recently. I found him incredibly appealing. He’s a gentle, sensitive, kind kid who wants to do the right thing for those he cares about, but who is under impossible pressure because he genuinely is not suited to the life that’s been prepared for him. This isn’t a case of a young protagonist who grows up to overcome the odds and be everything the people around him doubted he could; Davico knows, even when those around him try to encourage him, that he isn’t suited for life as the head of the Regulai family, and he’s right. He isn’t deceptive, he isn’t capable of hiding his feelings, he doesn’t want to be dishonest or tricky. He has dreams of his own, of living close to nature and becoming a healer, and the audience knows all along they are out of his reach. At the same time, this also isn’t the story of a young protagonist rebelling against his elders. I’m always sympathetic to someone being forced into a life they don’t want, but that’s not precisely what Davico is - he does love his family and his city and want to do well by them, and the confidence that his father and mentors have in him only make his situation worse. Most of the story is taken up with Davico’s slow coming of age as he is trained to take over for his father and sent on missions to make alliances for the Regulai, and there is a sense of dread that hangs over all of it. Part of this is due to the narrative device of having Davico tell this story from the future when, he tells us, he is no longer as soft or forgiving. All the time we are watching a kind, well-intentioned kid grow up, we know he won’t always stay that way.
The world of Navola is also complex in such interesting ways. There are no black and white heroes and villains in this story, just politics, messy and brutal. The Regulai are a loving family - Davico’s father is devoted, not only to him but to his foster sister and close friend, Celia. But Celia is also part of the family because the Regulai destroyed her own; she is essentially a hostage, though one being given opportunities she never would have had otherwise. Davico’s father and his advisors seem to want the best for Navola, but astute readers will realize that their actions aren’t always legal or just. And then there is the magic system. Magic isn’t a big part of the world of Navola, but there are hints that it was in the past, the greatest of which is the artifact Davico’s father keeps on his desk, the enormous preserved eye of a long-dead dragon. From a young age, Davico feels drawn to the eye, which still carries some remnant of life and malice. But when the Regulai are threatened, Davico finds that the eye is more than just a relic; it has power that he can call on to defend what is his.
I could go on and on about how much I loved this book - the characters (not only Davico, but Celia, who is wonderful and complicated and has her own very sympathetic conflicts), the relationships (Davico’s relationship with his sort-of-mentor Cazzetta is my favorite), the Renaissance-Italy flavored world, a place of city states built on the remnants of the empire that once ruled the world. The intricate culture of Navola, with its distinctive terminology and customs.
The only thing I had mixed feelings about was the way the story ended. Spoilers:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
There is a pretty graphic scene where a main character is maimed.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi is a skillful blend of history and fantasy that was a very imersive read.
The Regulai Bank dominates the city of Navola, it is a dynasty borne of cunning and intrigue. Davico di Regulai is the heir to the dynasty, yet he is an unwilling heir, not sure if he is made to continue the line. Armies, Assassins, Enemies, all want a piece of the Navola Pie. Who will prevail?
Beautifully written, this is very much setting the pace for what will be a belter of a saga - I am looking forward to seeing where it goes!
Thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus | Head of Zeus -- an AdAstra Book and Paolo Bacigalupi for this compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
The Regulai Bank dominates the city of Navola, it is a dynasty borne of cunning and intrigue. Davico di Regulai is the heir to the dynasty, yet he is an unwilling heir, not sure if he is made to continue the line. Armies, Assassins, Enemies, all want a piece of the Navola Pie. Who will prevail?
Beautifully written, this is very much setting the pace for what will be a belter of a saga - I am looking forward to seeing where it goes!
Thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus | Head of Zeus -- an AdAstra Book and Paolo Bacigalupi for this compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced