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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
4.5 stars - This book was a straight cover buy and boy am I glad I picked it up. This is definitely a slow burn, political fantasy and I was easily 200 pages in before something really popped off. But I like that type of fantasy when I’m in the mood for it. While the magic system wasn’t a main part of the story, what is presented is interesting and every time it was mentioned I perked up immediately. Watching Davoci grow and realize things is rewarding and it kept me reading. I had never read from this author before but I think I will pick up more of his books. The ending left me wishing for a sequel and I will be so disappointed if there isn’t one. The way I am eager for the vengeance he is about to bring down on the people who betrayed his family. I’m really hoping for a sequel.
This was beyond boring. The characters are uninteresting (even though they appear to be a riff on the Medici's), and the story meanders all over this made up world with nothing to recommend it as interesting. This book has received many comparisons to Game of Thrones, but it's not even a fraction of a fraction as well done as that series.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When the arcs were first offered I pounced on the sample chapter and instantly plunged into love with the beauty of Navola’s language, on the far-flung mysteries of its wide world. I had to know what followed that dazzling cliffhanger. And it did not disappoint.
The world of Navola is wide and vast. And while its intricacies could be dense, it wasn’t intimidating. In Davico’s telling it flows from the page smoothly and with ease. He sits in the scittorium surrounded by scriveri, numerari and abacassi, and we learn the world in the context of itself. I love fantasies woven through with language and enjoyed it immensely here. My interest and fascination were piqued as well by Davico’s lessons with Dellacavallo on the wonders of the natural world.
A world that was so easy to fall in love with. Navola’s beautiful palazzos and twisting alleys, the wild Romiglia, and whispers of deserts passing beneath a dragon’s wings. The interludes offered a brief glimpse of the world outside of Davico and I loved them for it and for the anticipation they built for what would follow. I wanted to sit by as minstrels spun their lush myths. And it made the book all the more hypnotic as Davico grew and the mire of the city and its politics cast darker and darker shadows across all of it. Bacigalupi builds tension the way a storm rolls in, first flickers of atmosphere, rising, rising, rising, to devastating crescendoes.
Often I’ve written about my love of stories about stories. The thrust of this book is politics and all the treasons that entails but it’s woven so well with all the stories that the characters tell themselves. Both about themselves and the people around them. When Davico was warned to be careful lest he come to believe his own disbelief in himself. The repeated refrains of twisty Navolese and their bloodthirsty neighbours. His growing understanding in a world where alliances can be the sand of an hourglass is so wonderfully illustrated throughout.
It can be difficult to read at times. Davico often makes gross commentary on characters’ fatness. The violence is harrowing. There are often instances of sexual violence and coercion. None of it is shied from. It is a brutal book. A beast of a book in so many ways. And I loved each and every page of it.
The world of Navola is wide and vast. And while its intricacies could be dense, it wasn’t intimidating. In Davico’s telling it flows from the page smoothly and with ease. He sits in the scittorium surrounded by scriveri, numerari and abacassi, and we learn the world in the context of itself. I love fantasies woven through with language and enjoyed it immensely here. My interest and fascination were piqued as well by Davico’s lessons with Dellacavallo on the wonders of the natural world.
A world that was so easy to fall in love with. Navola’s beautiful palazzos and twisting alleys, the wild Romiglia, and whispers of deserts passing beneath a dragon’s wings. The interludes offered a brief glimpse of the world outside of Davico and I loved them for it and for the anticipation they built for what would follow. I wanted to sit by as minstrels spun their lush myths. And it made the book all the more hypnotic as Davico grew and the mire of the city and its politics cast darker and darker shadows across all of it. Bacigalupi builds tension the way a storm rolls in, first flickers of atmosphere, rising, rising, rising, to devastating crescendoes.
Often I’ve written about my love of stories about stories. The thrust of this book is politics and all the treasons that entails but it’s woven so well with all the stories that the characters tell themselves. Both about themselves and the people around them. When Davico was warned to be careful lest he come to believe his own disbelief in himself. The repeated refrains of twisty Navolese and their bloodthirsty neighbours. His growing understanding in a world where alliances can be the sand of an hourglass is so wonderfully illustrated throughout.
It can be difficult to read at times. Davico often makes gross commentary on characters’ fatness. The violence is harrowing. There are often instances of sexual violence and coercion. None of it is shied from. It is a brutal book. A beast of a book in so many ways. And I loved each and every page of it.
Normally, I love historical fantasy. Normally, I absolutely love historical fantasy set in Italy (whether it’s supposed to be our Italy or if it’s just inspired by our Italy). Normally, I love coming of age fantasy. Despite all this book should’ve had going for it, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.
If you don’t mind books that don’t even seem to commit to a solid plot until halfway through the book, then you’ll like this book. If you don’t mind a lack of worldbuilding and atmosphere, then you’ll like this book. If you like a protagonist who’s a bit of a supercilious dullard, then you’ll like this book.
I, however, didn’t like this book. Which is sad, because I went into it thinking I would. Paolo Bacigalupi isn’t a bad writer, I just don’t think he’s the writer for me.
I was provided a copy of this title by Netgalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review is rated three stars or under and will not be appearing on my social media. Thank you.
File Under: Coming of Age/Fantasy/Historical Fantasy
dark
tense
slow-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
This book. I have such mixed feelings about this book. I want to love it, but I can't. I want to hate it, but I can't.
First off, this book starts out slow. And I mean like snail pace slow. It took me four days to get through the first 150 pages because it was so slow that I kept falling asleep. I almost DNFed it. However, it started to pick up a little after that but still didn't really grip my interest until about 250 pages in. The amount of backstory written is excessive, in my opinion. Yes, some backstory is always nice, but the first third of the book is mainly backstory. I found this to be highly unnecessary since no intense world building was required. I think if that would have been condensed, I would have like the story so much more.
The characters in this book are all atrocious. Everyone is a liar. Everyone is prone to betrayal. Everyone only looks out for their best interest. Then you have poor Davico. I don't know how he came to be as a person in such a wretched land, but he is so gentle and innocent compared to those around him. I feel really bad and completely understand why he was tempted by the evil fossil sitting on the desk. It may be evil, but at least it's honest about it's intentions.
Once it finally got going, the plot was intriguing. Not as much fantasy as I would like to see in a fantasy novel, but the second half was still worth the read and did incorporate more of the fantasy elements I was looking for.
First off, this book starts out slow. And I mean like snail pace slow. It took me four days to get through the first 150 pages because it was so slow that I kept falling asleep. I almost DNFed it. However, it started to pick up a little after that but still didn't really grip my interest until about 250 pages in. The amount of backstory written is excessive, in my opinion. Yes, some backstory is always nice, but the first third of the book is mainly backstory. I found this to be highly unnecessary since no intense world building was required. I think if that would have been condensed, I would have like the story so much more.
The characters in this book are all atrocious. Everyone is a liar. Everyone is prone to betrayal. Everyone only looks out for their best interest. Then you have poor Davico. I don't know how he came to be as a person in such a wretched land, but he is so gentle and innocent compared to those around him. I feel really bad and completely understand why he was tempted by the evil fossil sitting on the desk. It may be evil, but at least it's honest about it's intentions.
Once it finally got going, the plot was intriguing. Not as much fantasy as I would like to see in a fantasy novel, but the second half was still worth the read and did incorporate more of the fantasy elements I was looking for.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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