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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
emotional
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:
No
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Unbalancing is a short read that I enjoyed immensely, with stunningly lyrical prose and a unique fantasy setting. Those not familiar with the Birdverse and Lemberg's previous work such as I was will easily be able to follow and be immersed in this world.
It's a beautiful queer story about two people falling in love and coming together to save their island and way of life. There are legendary tales of an island's star, its starkeeper, a Bird Goddess, ghosts and an imaginative magic system based on names. One of my favourite parts of this novel were the Ichidi, the in-universe non-binary people that are normalized and described with such beauty. I read this so quickly and will now go on to read many more in the Birdverse!
It's a beautiful queer story about two people falling in love and coming together to save their island and way of life. There are legendary tales of an island's star, its starkeeper, a Bird Goddess, ghosts and an imaginative magic system based on names. One of my favourite parts of this novel were the Ichidi, the in-universe non-binary people that are normalized and described with such beauty. I read this so quickly and will now go on to read many more in the Birdverse!
There's no entry into the Birdverse, You just open the book and you're there. The way the Birdverse unfolds before and around me is part of what is so rich and magical about it.
I was hooked on R.B. Lemberg's work after reading The Four Profound Weaves,. Both books drop you right into the Birdverse and leave you to sort out the details as you go. There's no time to decide whether this is a world you WANT or not. It's a world you're in, and now you have to see how it works. There's something very, very good about this (I do feel as if the Unbalancing is a bit smoother with this process, but that's what happens when authors keep writing books - they get even better).
R.B. Lemberg is a skilled worldbuilder, and the Birdverse is a perfect and rich example of what speculative fiction is meant to do. The world they've created is one in which "they" is a given: there's room for all kinds of fluidity, neurodivergence, sexual preference (or not) and gender expression. Chances are that if any of these things are especially important in your life, you'll feel seen here in a way that is joyous, powerful and necessary.
Anyone with the power to distribute literature to people who need it should have R.B. Lemberg's work in their library.
I was hooked on R.B. Lemberg's work after reading The Four Profound Weaves,. Both books drop you right into the Birdverse and leave you to sort out the details as you go. There's no time to decide whether this is a world you WANT or not. It's a world you're in, and now you have to see how it works. There's something very, very good about this (I do feel as if the Unbalancing is a bit smoother with this process, but that's what happens when authors keep writing books - they get even better).
R.B. Lemberg is a skilled worldbuilder, and the Birdverse is a perfect and rich example of what speculative fiction is meant to do. The world they've created is one in which "they" is a given: there's room for all kinds of fluidity, neurodivergence, sexual preference (or not) and gender expression. Chances are that if any of these things are especially important in your life, you'll feel seen here in a way that is joyous, powerful and necessary.
Anyone with the power to distribute literature to people who need it should have R.B. Lemberg's work in their library.
emotional
reflective
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
“We gift all to each other. Unless we perish, every single one of us, nobody and nothing can destroy us.”
After reading R.B. Lemberg’s The Four Profound Weaves, I looked forward to The Unbalancing, the first full-length novel set in the captivating Birdverse. With lyrical prose, imaginative magic, and a profound sense of resilience in the face of tragedy, The Unbalancing’s layered depth will reward those readers willing to submerge.
In the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star and its nightmares threaten devastation; a poet, their ancestor, a starkeeper, and her mountain provide the last chance to avert a sundering. If you’ve read Lemberg’s poem “Ranra’s Unbalancing”, you know how this story ends. If you haven’t—and you’re a poetry sort of person, and you don’t mind spoilers—I would suggest starting there. The novel informs the poem and vice versa. To see the context unfold in all its gorgeous, grief-laden power as I read was a moving experience.
Much like the magical connection between star and mountain the inhabitants of Gelle-Geu navigate in the novel, The Unbalancing is a tense push and pull between opposites: trauma and triumph, repair and rupture, delight and despair. In so short a space, it would be easy to tip the scales beyond repair, but Lemberg deftly portrays a panoply of human experiences with tenderness and grace.
The poetic prose in this novel shines brightest when describing its mythology, its magic, and its people. Even on the brink of disaster and potential exile, the community of Gelle-Geu is one that overflows with queerness, mutual care, and cooperation. Space is afforded both to the serious missteps people make and the resulting consequences and wonderful moments of connection.
The characters, particularly Erígra Lilún and Ranra Kekeri, are wonderful. Erígra is an introverted, autistic, nonbinary (ichidi) poet on the ace spectrum who generally prefers the company of their garden to people. Their journey to discover the nuances of their identity and calling plays an integral part of the story and is deeply moving. Meanwhile, this novel breathes a fiery dimension into Ranra’s character; the core of her we witness in “Ranra’s Unbalancing” flowers into a charismatic, driven, wounded woman determined to save her people.
Normally, I’d describe the pace of the relationship between Erígra and Ranra as rushed, but given the backdrop against which these two characters are set, the pacing makes sense when juxtaposed against other elements of their world. The rushing is, in essence, one of the many points, and it continues to be a point of contention between the two in other ways as the novel unfolds. Care and consent dominate their interactions. I particularly appreciate that the novel doesn’t shy away from the areas of friction between the two and lets both hold space for their unique experiences and pain.
My personal favourite element in a poignant, painful journey was the robust structure of nonbinary identities in the novel. In the modern-day world where ‘they’ increasingly feels like a third box with too-rigid dimensions if it’s even acknowledged at all, The Unbalancing offers a beautiful and refreshing ode to the expansiveness possible in being nonbinary. Each segment of the novel takes its name from one of the ichidi variations. If you ever pick this one up, come find me and I’ll tell you which variation most resonates with me.
If you want a fast-paced, blockbuster-style fantasy novel or a book easily explained in bullet points and tropes, The Unbalancing may not be for you. But if you can be patient with a journey and comfortable with the unexplained, I highly recommend this touching novel and its exploration of grief, community, loss, restoration, exile, and ultimately hope. For myself, The Unbalancing will be a novel I return to again in the future, curious and eager to see what new facets resonate with me.
Thank you to Tachyon Publications for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
After reading R.B. Lemberg’s The Four Profound Weaves, I looked forward to The Unbalancing, the first full-length novel set in the captivating Birdverse. With lyrical prose, imaginative magic, and a profound sense of resilience in the face of tragedy, The Unbalancing’s layered depth will reward those readers willing to submerge.
In the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star and its nightmares threaten devastation; a poet, their ancestor, a starkeeper, and her mountain provide the last chance to avert a sundering. If you’ve read Lemberg’s poem “Ranra’s Unbalancing”, you know how this story ends. If you haven’t—and you’re a poetry sort of person, and you don’t mind spoilers—I would suggest starting there. The novel informs the poem and vice versa. To see the context unfold in all its gorgeous, grief-laden power as I read was a moving experience.
Much like the magical connection between star and mountain the inhabitants of Gelle-Geu navigate in the novel, The Unbalancing is a tense push and pull between opposites: trauma and triumph, repair and rupture, delight and despair. In so short a space, it would be easy to tip the scales beyond repair, but Lemberg deftly portrays a panoply of human experiences with tenderness and grace.
The poetic prose in this novel shines brightest when describing its mythology, its magic, and its people. Even on the brink of disaster and potential exile, the community of Gelle-Geu is one that overflows with queerness, mutual care, and cooperation. Space is afforded both to the serious missteps people make and the resulting consequences and wonderful moments of connection.
The characters, particularly Erígra Lilún and Ranra Kekeri, are wonderful. Erígra is an introverted, autistic, nonbinary (ichidi) poet on the ace spectrum who generally prefers the company of their garden to people. Their journey to discover the nuances of their identity and calling plays an integral part of the story and is deeply moving. Meanwhile, this novel breathes a fiery dimension into Ranra’s character; the core of her we witness in “Ranra’s Unbalancing” flowers into a charismatic, driven, wounded woman determined to save her people.
Normally, I’d describe the pace of the relationship between Erígra and Ranra as rushed, but given the backdrop against which these two characters are set, the pacing makes sense when juxtaposed against other elements of their world. The rushing is, in essence, one of the many points, and it continues to be a point of contention between the two in other ways as the novel unfolds. Care and consent dominate their interactions. I particularly appreciate that the novel doesn’t shy away from the areas of friction between the two and lets both hold space for their unique experiences and pain.
My personal favourite element in a poignant, painful journey was the robust structure of nonbinary identities in the novel. In the modern-day world where ‘they’ increasingly feels like a third box with too-rigid dimensions if it’s even acknowledged at all, The Unbalancing offers a beautiful and refreshing ode to the expansiveness possible in being nonbinary. Each segment of the novel takes its name from one of the ichidi variations. If you ever pick this one up, come find me and I’ll tell you which variation most resonates with me.
If you want a fast-paced, blockbuster-style fantasy novel or a book easily explained in bullet points and tropes, The Unbalancing may not be for you. But if you can be patient with a journey and comfortable with the unexplained, I highly recommend this touching novel and its exploration of grief, community, loss, restoration, exile, and ultimately hope. For myself, The Unbalancing will be a novel I return to again in the future, curious and eager to see what new facets resonate with me.
Thank you to Tachyon Publications for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
emotional
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:
Yes
Read an ARC from the publisher
Content warnings: earthquakes and the aftermath of natural disasters, references to past ableism
Content warnings: earthquakes and the aftermath of natural disasters, references to past ableism
Gelle-Geu is an island city whose star god is restless and earthquakes come closer and closer. Ranra has taken on the role of starkeeper, and her first task is to unravel the problems left attended by her predecessor. She seeks the counsel of Lilún, a poet whose ancestor is begging them to take on the role of starkeeper. Their relationship ignites while disaster strikes, and it’s a race against star charts and magic to possibly save the city.
This novel has all the dreaminess of poetry and being told a bedtime story with intense calamity on the horizon and tender romance at its core.
The neurodivergent rep is presented so seamlessly with the rest of the narrative. It informs the plot, but isn't the plot. Lilún experiences the world differently, and the way their understanding informs the reader of the world's values is so effective. It's easy to follow. And when it does cause them distress, it's presented with such respect and offers insight into their passion for poetry and gardening. This respectful casualness extends to the queer rep; in fact, there is a world-building element with tokens representing different genders. It's so thoughtfully crafted and identity is not necessarily a part of the central conflict.
The way magic plays into Lilún's and Ranra's courtship is incredibly fun and among my favorite parts of the book. Intimacy and magic collide to move the story along, both interpersonally and externally. It's sexy and unexpectedly intense, with a deep focus on consent and mutual respect. These themes also play into the relationship between the stars and their keepers, tightening the story threads with finesse.
Though the cast is relatively small, Lemberg establishes a clear sense of epic scope. Despite interactions happening in ways that feel more slice-of-life and political fantasy, the very real danger of impending earthquakes caused by cosmic disturbances never quells in its urgency.
Epic, tender, and immersive in its world-building, the Birdverse stories continue to be a poetic, fantasy delight.
The Unbalancing by R. B. Lemberg is a lyrical fantasy novel featuring a sleeping star, magical names, an island community, and a ghost in a quince grove. The book is set in the same Birdverse universe that the 2020 novella The Four Profound Weaves was set in. You don't have to read the novella before reading this, as they take place in different locations and feature different characters.
In The Unbalancing, our two main characters try to find a way to save their island home with the help of their magic and their community. Beneath the waters of the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star sleeps, its wellbeing tied to the wellbeing of the island. But the star's sleep has grown restless, causing tremors on the island, and a new starkeeper, basically the leader of the community whose job it is to take care of the star, needs to figure out a solution.
Lilún is a poet who leads a solitary life. Every morning they tend a quince grove up on a hilltop and are visited by the spirit of their ancestor, Semberi, the first starkeeper, who wants Lilún to take over the role. Lilún is not interested; all they want is a quiet life and aren't comfortable with lots of people around. Our second point-of-view character is Ranra, the newly elected starkeeper. The previous starkeeper neglected his job, and now things have become more urgent. Ranra is a more loud and impatient person than Lilún, and I often found myself agreeing with Lilún that she needs to take things slower and think everything through before acting. The two meet and sparks fly, but their new relationship and attempts to learn about each other are hindered by the danger the island faces.
The magic system of deepnames that I was introduced to in The Four Profound Weaves is perhaps even more so present in this book. It is a fascinating system, where how many deepnames people have and how many syllables are in the names correspond to magical power. This novel delves more into how these names can be used and changed, with new revelations for the characters, as well.
Lemberg is so skillful in building different cultures that feel real and lived-in, their approaches to magic and gender all very different. In the two stories I've read set in this universe, I was introduced to the Surun' with their weaving magic, the Khana with their stricter gender roles, the city of Iyar where women are forbidden to have deepnames, and now the people of the islands of Gelle-Geu with variations of gender identity, some indicated by hair tokens shaped like different animals. Wherever I am in the Birdverse, I always believe in the setting, I believe in the people. It feels like everything has deep history and tradition behind it, and I love that. It's not just the main characters, all the side characters in The Unbalancing were fully developed people.
My favourite part in The Unbalancing was Semberi. This ancestral spirit, the first starkeeper, haunting a quince grove and trying to pester their chosen successor to fill the role. They really want Lilún to just go and do what they tell them to do! Whenever Lilún visited the grove, I was waiting to see Semberi and hear what they had to say. In bits and pieces, they tell the story of the star and the island, which features the goddess Bird.
Out of the two Birdverse books I've read, The Four Profound Weaves remains my favourite. There was just something about the weaving magic that I found very interesting. I read a review copy of The Unbalancing and give it 3.5 stars, just under the 4 stars I gave The Four Profound Weaves. The Unbalancing comes out from Tachyon Publications September 20th.
In The Unbalancing, our two main characters try to find a way to save their island home with the help of their magic and their community. Beneath the waters of the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star sleeps, its wellbeing tied to the wellbeing of the island. But the star's sleep has grown restless, causing tremors on the island, and a new starkeeper, basically the leader of the community whose job it is to take care of the star, needs to figure out a solution.
Lilún is a poet who leads a solitary life. Every morning they tend a quince grove up on a hilltop and are visited by the spirit of their ancestor, Semberi, the first starkeeper, who wants Lilún to take over the role. Lilún is not interested; all they want is a quiet life and aren't comfortable with lots of people around. Our second point-of-view character is Ranra, the newly elected starkeeper. The previous starkeeper neglected his job, and now things have become more urgent. Ranra is a more loud and impatient person than Lilún, and I often found myself agreeing with Lilún that she needs to take things slower and think everything through before acting. The two meet and sparks fly, but their new relationship and attempts to learn about each other are hindered by the danger the island faces.
The magic system of deepnames that I was introduced to in The Four Profound Weaves is perhaps even more so present in this book. It is a fascinating system, where how many deepnames people have and how many syllables are in the names correspond to magical power. This novel delves more into how these names can be used and changed, with new revelations for the characters, as well.
Lemberg is so skillful in building different cultures that feel real and lived-in, their approaches to magic and gender all very different. In the two stories I've read set in this universe, I was introduced to the Surun' with their weaving magic, the Khana with their stricter gender roles, the city of Iyar where women are forbidden to have deepnames, and now the people of the islands of Gelle-Geu with variations of gender identity, some indicated by hair tokens shaped like different animals. Wherever I am in the Birdverse, I always believe in the setting, I believe in the people. It feels like everything has deep history and tradition behind it, and I love that. It's not just the main characters, all the side characters in The Unbalancing were fully developed people.
My favourite part in The Unbalancing was Semberi. This ancestral spirit, the first starkeeper, haunting a quince grove and trying to pester their chosen successor to fill the role. They really want Lilún to just go and do what they tell them to do! Whenever Lilún visited the grove, I was waiting to see Semberi and hear what they had to say. In bits and pieces, they tell the story of the star and the island, which features the goddess Bird.
Out of the two Birdverse books I've read, The Four Profound Weaves remains my favourite. There was just something about the weaving magic that I found very interesting. I read a review copy of The Unbalancing and give it 3.5 stars, just under the 4 stars I gave The Four Profound Weaves. The Unbalancing comes out from Tachyon Publications September 20th.
emotional
reflective
medium-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:
Yes
For those unacquainted with the works of R.B. Lemberg, the Birdverse is a complex fantasy world with magic, a goddess named Bird, and a cast full of LGBTQ characters. Part of the world is inspired by their Jewish faith, specifically the Khana people. The magic is based around deepnames; with five-syllable names being the weakest up to the strongest one-syllable names of which a person can have up to three of. These names can form different configurations and scholars dedicated to studying them. There is a strong focus on queer identity, art, and healing weaved into the personal stories about people overcoming hardships and being true to themselves.
There are several short fiction pieces, poems, and now a full-length novel set in the same universe.
While <i>The Unbalancing</i> can work as a starting point, I would personally recommend one of their short stories like [book:Grandmother-Nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds|52083639] to see if you like their writing first as it's one of the most unique features. While [book:The Four Profound Weaves|51600161] was written earlier, its world-building is much denser and makes the reader work to understand it all.
In this story, we are on the island of Gelle-Geu, the home of one of the stars from the creation myth for centuries. And change is coming with its new keeper, Ranra, who is determined to do a good job with such important responsibilities. There is also Lilún, a local poet still working out their nonbinary identity, who is being compelled by their ghost and ancestor Semberi to take up starkeeping themselves.
Told in a dual point of view, we follow them meeting for the first time and see sparks fly. And as the plot slowly unravels with their new relationship, we learn more about the history of theisland. The romance here is both soft and wild – their initial connection is strong but the timing is not perfect and there is still the waking star hanging above their heads.
The writing has this lyrical, dream-like quality. It creates this beautiful atmosphere that is complemented by the setting. Lemberg has a way of describing simple things – the trees on a mountain, the sea touching the shore – that work to enrich both her world and her characters. As to be expected, storytelling is an important part of this world and this book – Semberi tells their stories and there are also poems and songs.
Gender identity is a major theme. Lilún is still looking for a name for their gender identity. Her people have several different names and tokens for ichidi (nonbinary people) and we meet quite a few people with unique experiences. They are also autistic and on the asexual spectrum, which equally informs how they interact with the world around them.
Consent and responsibility is another theme. Ranra is bold and self-assured until she discovers the dire situation the last starkeeper has left with. She needs to decide how she – and not anyone else – wants to deal with the star and become a leader her people can be proud of.
It's a close character study, a sapphic romance, a redemption story, and a fantasy book with determined ghosts and cats all in one.
<i>I received an advanced reading copy from Tachyon Publishings through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>
There are several short fiction pieces, poems, and now a full-length novel set in the same universe.
While <i>The Unbalancing</i> can work as a starting point, I would personally recommend one of their short stories like [book:Grandmother-Nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds|52083639] to see if you like their writing first as it's one of the most unique features. While [book:The Four Profound Weaves|51600161] was written earlier, its world-building is much denser and makes the reader work to understand it all.
In this story, we are on the island of Gelle-Geu, the home of one of the stars from the creation myth for centuries. And change is coming with its new keeper, Ranra, who is determined to do a good job with such important responsibilities. There is also Lilún, a local poet still working out their nonbinary identity, who is being compelled by their ghost and ancestor Semberi to take up starkeeping themselves.
Told in a dual point of view, we follow them meeting for the first time and see sparks fly. And as the plot slowly unravels with their new relationship, we learn more about the history of theisland. The romance here is both soft and wild – their initial connection is strong but the timing is not perfect and there is still the waking star hanging above their heads.
The writing has this lyrical, dream-like quality. It creates this beautiful atmosphere that is complemented by the setting. Lemberg has a way of describing simple things – the trees on a mountain, the sea touching the shore – that work to enrich both her world and her characters. As to be expected, storytelling is an important part of this world and this book – Semberi tells their stories and there are also poems and songs.
Gender identity is a major theme. Lilún is still looking for a name for their gender identity. Her people have several different names and tokens for ichidi (nonbinary people) and we meet quite a few people with unique experiences. They are also autistic and on the asexual spectrum, which equally informs how they interact with the world around them.
Consent and responsibility is another theme. Ranra is bold and self-assured until she discovers the dire situation the last starkeeper has left with. She needs to decide how she – and not anyone else – wants to deal with the star and become a leader her people can be proud of.
It's a close character study, a sapphic romance, a redemption story, and a fantasy book with determined ghosts and cats all in one.
<i>I received an advanced reading copy from Tachyon Publishings through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>