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anewlens's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Genocide, Sexism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Death, Gore, Alcoholism, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
chrschn's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This is for sure going to be a clunky review, it’s super late and my eyes hurt and I dislike this book for reasons that are difficult to put into words. As a disclaimer though I will say that I’m very likely not the target audience for this one because most of what I disliked about this book are the same things that make it successful at what it was trying to do.
Between Two Fires reads appropriately for its subject matter, in as much as it’s reminiscent of biblical writing. It’s oddly paced, moving glacially most of the time and then extremely quickly at others. It feels feverish and everything has a dreamlike quality, never sitting quite right, which I assume was intentional but didn’t make it any more endearing. People’s words, their actions, everything feels weirdly performative and ethereal and like you’re reading a parable. Appropriate, I guess. The book is somewhat episodic and doesn’t connect the pieces well, while at other times fails to adequately describe what it intends to, which left me feeling confused more than I expect I was supposed to, which took me out of the story a fair bit. This was only made worse by how frustratingly anachronistic the book was at times.
The world in BTF is filthy, cruel, and full of bad people, our protagonist included. Every character is unlikable, but there are moments of decency when the story calls for it. I never did really warm to anyone in the book, but found them a bit more sympathetic by the last 30 pages, having experienced at least some growth. There’s a really creepy fascination withrape, particularly centered around the pre-teen deuteragonist which was handled very poorly. The character in question never is SA’d in the book, but the subject is approached an uncomfortable amount, and never well. At one point the primary protagonist resists demonic influence to rape his adolescent surrogate daughter, and upon successfully fighting it off, the book treats it like it’s a bonding moment for them, going so far as to have another character be jealous over the newfound closeness the two share over the ordeal. Felt very fucking gross on the author’s part. Above all though, for the handful of very interesting and creepy ideas it has, everything feels just kind of pointless. Things happen just to happen. There’s a difference between establishing how fucked the world is and just throwing in a creepy idea you had without knowing how to tie it to anything significant. There’s not really a reason for most things that take place, and events don’t have much bearing on the central story. There’s a character that’s introduced later in the book that could have been removed entirely and nothing would have been different.
My dislike for the book wavered slightly throughout, losing its intensity somewhat as we went on but never managing to go away. I will give BTF one full star for managing to finish on a high note with a well crafted ending. Still feel like I need to brush my teeth after the whole thing though.
Between Two Fires reads appropriately for its subject matter, in as much as it’s reminiscent of biblical writing. It’s oddly paced, moving glacially most of the time and then extremely quickly at others. It feels feverish and everything has a dreamlike quality, never sitting quite right, which I assume was intentional but didn’t make it any more endearing. People’s words, their actions, everything feels weirdly performative and ethereal and like you’re reading a parable. Appropriate, I guess. The book is somewhat episodic and doesn’t connect the pieces well, while at other times fails to adequately describe what it intends to, which left me feeling confused more than I expect I was supposed to, which took me out of the story a fair bit. This was only made worse by how frustratingly anachronistic the book was at times.
The world in BTF is filthy, cruel, and full of bad people, our protagonist included. Every character is unlikable, but there are moments of decency when the story calls for it. I never did really warm to anyone in the book, but found them a bit more sympathetic by the last 30 pages, having experienced at least some growth. There’s a really creepy fascination with
My dislike for the book wavered slightly throughout, losing its intensity somewhat as we went on but never managing to go away. I will give BTF one full star for managing to finish on a high note with a well crafted ending. Still feel like I need to brush my teeth after the whole thing though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Body horror
smithaw's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Antisemitism, Pandemic/Epidemic, and War
joblo's review
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
5.0
Absolutely incredible. Took me quite a while to read bc I get spooked easily (and I couldn’t read it during meals bc of the subject matter lol) but I absolutely loved it and will be rereading.
The characters are so good, the plot is incredible, and buehlman’s writing is top-tier. Chills the last few chapters, teared up at the ending. Definitely one of those books that I just have to sit back and “WHEW” after I finished, lol.
The characters are so good, the plot is incredible, and buehlman’s writing is top-tier. Chills the last few chapters, teared up at the ending. Definitely one of those books that I just have to sit back and “WHEW” after I finished, lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Gore
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Homophobia
Minor: Pedophilia
hgraham98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Body horror, Grief, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, Animal death, and Body horror
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
totemofundrying's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a wonderful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Homophobia, Death, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, and Violence
Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
colleen_corleone's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
I wasn't aware how much I loved these characters until the last 35% of the book where I started crying during different emotionally charged scenes.
The humor is wonderful and much needed as more horrific events unfold. I love their banter. I want to use cunting more often in sentences going forward. It's such a fun word to help break up the normal American swearing I do.
I love going into a book relatively blind, but for anyone who needs more context:
There is a cunting lot of gore, assault, death, dismemberment, cannibalism, unintentional necrophilia. That's in most chapters and part of the ever-present background of the world.
The relationship between Thomas and the young girl (whose name you learn later) is beautiful and bittersweet. He takes good if reluctant care of her.
For a general spoiler
Thomas and the girl make a friend whose death was the first time I cried, surprising myself. I didn't realize until that moment how much I loved loved these characters.
I cried three other times during deaths and hard battles. The general feeling of dread and/or terror keeps a low hum that built when I least expected it.
I am buying a physical copy to reread in the future.
The humor is wonderful and much needed as more horrific events unfold. I love their banter. I want to use cunting more often in sentences going forward. It's such a fun word to help break up the normal American swearing I do.
I love going into a book relatively blind, but for anyone who needs more context:
The relationship between Thomas and the young girl (whose name you learn later) is beautiful and bittersweet. He takes good if reluctant care of her.
For a general spoiler
I cried three other times during deaths and hard battles. The general feeling of dread and/or terror keeps a low hum that built when I least expected it.
I am buying a physical copy to reread in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Excrement, Alcohol, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Grief, Animal death, Antisemitism, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Self harm
polygonia's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Body horror, Rape, War, Genocide, and Sexual assault
vynna's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a very dark and brutal novel that started off strong, but gradually lost me by its conclusion. The story is set in the 1300s following a disgraced knight, a priest, and an orphaned girl. They set out on a journey through plague ridden France to essentially save the world from demons.
I was really intrigued by this premise and thoroughly enjoyed the banter between the main characters as well as the author’s imagery. I was often scared by the vivid detail used to describe the horrors that these characters experienced. The stone statues in Paris and the scarecrow in the abandoned convent will stick with me for awhile. The book felt really epic and cinematic at parts too, and I think it could make a wonderful series due to the episodic nature of the chapters.
I would’ve rated it higher, but sadly the weak plot, confusing narration, and underwhelming ending took away from my enjoyment.
They go on this great journey, but it feels hollow as they just bounce from town to town not exactly sure what they’re doing, just fighting monsters. It was fun to read, but left me wanting more. It isn’t until the last third of the book that it seems like the characters have a plan, but their actions and the aftermath of the big finale didn’t really make sense to me.
Definitely take heed of content warnings before reading as there is a lot of death, violence, strong language, etc.
I was really intrigued by this premise and thoroughly enjoyed the banter between the main characters as well as the author’s imagery. I was often scared by the vivid detail used to describe the horrors that these characters experienced.
I would’ve rated it higher, but sadly the weak plot, confusing narration, and underwhelming ending took away from my enjoyment.
They go on this great journey, but it feels hollow as they just bounce from town to town not exactly sure what they’re doing, just fighting monsters. It was fun to read, but left me wanting more. It isn’t until the last third of the book that it seems like the characters have a plan, but their actions and the aftermath of the big finale didn’t really make sense to me.
Definitely take heed of content warnings before reading as there is a lot of death, violence, strong language, etc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Cursing, Violence, Rape, Child death, Death, Self harm, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, and Homophobia
jacobimerman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Death, Torture, War, Body horror, and Pandemic/Epidemic