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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
3.75/5
Okay. So. Here we go. This took me SO LONG to get into. I reallllyy dragged it out. For pretty much the entirety of the book, like the first 60%, I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, like waiting for something to get going. But I knew I shouldn't DNF because 1) the reviews are so good, and 2) it was recommended to me by someone who really loves this series, so I figure it MUST be worth it. Once it really got going, I felt dumb for not guessing the 'twist' earlier. The story is so disjointed, told from 3 different perspectives, for so long I just kind of got lost in it (I think this is why it took me so long to get into). At this point though it did get super compelling, and by the end of the book I was right into it and ready to start the next book. I will admit I'm still not 100% sold, but I am more than willing to invest more time into this trillogy. The concepts and world building are INSANELY thorough and the method of storytelling is so odd and intriguing. Anyways, I feel relief to have read to the end and here's to the next book hopefully jumping right in keeping that intrigue going!
Okay. So. Here we go. This took me SO LONG to get into. I reallllyy dragged it out. For pretty much the entirety of the book, like the first 60%, I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, like waiting for something to get going. But I knew I shouldn't DNF because 1) the reviews are so good, and 2) it was recommended to me by someone who really loves this series, so I figure it MUST be worth it. Once it really got going, I felt dumb for not guessing the 'twist' earlier. The story is so disjointed, told from 3 different perspectives, for so long I just kind of got lost in it (I think this is why it took me so long to get into). At this point though it did get super compelling, and by the end of the book I was right into it and ready to start the next book. I will admit I'm still not 100% sold, but I am more than willing to invest more time into this trillogy. The concepts and world building are INSANELY thorough and the method of storytelling is so odd and intriguing. Anyways, I feel relief to have read to the end and here's to the next book hopefully jumping right in keeping that intrigue going!
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe it's cause I've been over-hyped by other reviews but I'm not sure how I feel about this book?? It has a focus on world-building that is sprawling and innovative with an interesting plot that is slowly weaved together as we progress along. However I just couldn't connect to the book. The narrative style and it spanning across multiple time periods was a factor, but also there was no real "conflict" just the unraveling of a mystery of the world that was still unresolved by the end.
I wouldn't say this is my favourite world-building in a book but it is strong and certainly had an interesting premise - what if society had to survive a mild cataclysm every few decades? Throw in the existence of people who are literally earthshakers and we have all the makings of a story with ethical and moral quandaries. The decision to separate the time periods as they are (you'll understand when you read it) is confusing because even though it was interesting, when the revelation arrives you also realise that doing it chronologically didn't really add that much to justify it.
There are interesting conversations about identity, oppression, and power in here, but this is generally a rather bleak book that didn't really resonate with me. I can't say I'll definitively stop reading the series (mostly because things are left unfinished at the end), but I'm unsure if I will recommend it to anyone.
I wouldn't say this is my favourite world-building in a book but it is strong and certainly had an interesting premise - what if society had to survive a mild cataclysm every few decades? Throw in the existence of people who are literally earthshakers and we have all the makings of a story with ethical and moral quandaries. The decision to separate the time periods as they are (you'll understand when you read it) is confusing because even though it was interesting, when the revelation arrives you also realise that doing it chronologically didn't really add that much to justify it.
There are interesting conversations about identity, oppression, and power in here, but this is generally a rather bleak book that didn't really resonate with me. I can't say I'll definitively stop reading the series (mostly because things are left unfinished at the end), but I'm unsure if I will recommend it to anyone.
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism
Moderate: Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Grief, Colonisation
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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