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beldaran1224's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I finished this sequel with feelings very similar to the first book: I want to read more...but I don't. There is something very compelling about the world and the characters (especially the explorations of the means vs the ends. Despite this, I find myself very conflicted about the book - the narrative is so befuddled and deliberately obfuscated by the author that I find myself getting frustrated by it multiple times throughout the book. I understand why the author is obfuscating: in the first book, we're meant to be kept guessing about Baru's loyalties and in the second, we're meant to be kept guessing about whether she is merely dancing to Itinerant's plan or actually acting on her own...but it gets old.
That said, there's a lot to like here. The flashbacks and other perspectives, especially the ones for Tau-Indi, are exceptionally well done. I enjoy the way Dickinson uses Baru's injury as a method of narrative obfuscation, though I wish they had been less aggressive in doing so. The world gets broader and deeper in this book, too. I enjoy the way the text plays withBaru's relationships with those around her, including Iraji, Tau-Indi, the diver and more. I also enjoy the increasingly important question of whether Baru is compromised beyond hope and the exploration of the opposing theories of empire put forth by Itinerant and Hesychast .
Besides the obfuscation I mentioned above, there are a couple other gripes I have with the text. The first is that the plotting is a bit lackluster. The first novel was redeemed by an insanely compelling and heartbreaking ending, and this book's endingjust didn't leave me with the same impact or curious about the specific reveal that occurred so much as leaving me hopeful that the final book will have a more propelling plot. I'm also not enjoying the character of Tain Shir .
That said, there's a lot to like here. The flashbacks and other perspectives, especially the ones for Tau-Indi, are exceptionally well done. I enjoy the way Dickinson uses Baru's injury as a method of narrative obfuscation, though I wish they had been less aggressive in doing so. The world gets broader and deeper in this book, too. I enjoy the way the text plays with
Besides the obfuscation I mentioned above, there are a couple other gripes I have with the text. The first is that the plotting is a bit lackluster. The first novel was redeemed by an insanely compelling and heartbreaking ending, and this book's ending
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Genocide, Ableism, Stalking, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual content, Gore, Gaslighting, and Cancer
Minor: Drug use, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, and Forced institutionalization
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