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bluejayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
This is an unusual book. First of all, the back cover doesn't actually tell you much about what actually goes on in the book - which is Sarkis, immortal swordsman in the most literal possible sense, is now bound to Halla, a housekeeper trying her darndest to get her inheritance and evade her aunt's attempts to steal it. Considering the majority of the story takes place while traveling back and forth on one particular stretch of road in an effort to set up what is essentially a court case, it doesn't sound all that appealing.
There's also the whole romance angle. It's not even hinted at on the back cover, but it's glaringly obvious from the moment Sarkis enters the story that he and Halla are going to be a thing. And for how much of that angle is some variety of mutual pining, I shouldn't have liked that very much, either.
And yet. And yet I liked this book a lot. Because while boiling this story down to its barest elements does indeed make it sound quite boring, it's the details that get boiled away that make it so much fun. The world itself is, for the most part, a standard rural vaguely-Western-European setting. But with Sarkis being several hundred years old and remembering different things about his homeland and his home time, the world has a sense of having depth and longevity and realness - it may not be teeming with excitement and adventure, but it feels solid, somewhere you could sink your teeth into. (Plus there's that one weird group of hills full of very nasty things that definitely do not stay in one place, which adds some delightfully dangerous whimsy to the whole thing.) And the plot itself, while not on the surface incredibly exciting, is solid. The goals and motivations are clear, the consequences of failure are quite dreadful (though not life-and-death), and the journey, though mostly back and forth on one road, has enough detours and obstacles to never feel truly dull. Besides creepy moving hills, they also encounter bandits, some very unpleasant priests, and a host of other interesting allies, antagonists, and situations that add up to a very entertaining story.
What really makes this book sing, though, are the characters. Halla and Sarkis, obviously, but also Zale, the nonbinary lawyer-priest who Halla enlists to help legally stake her claim on the inheritance and so ends up spending a lot of the journey with them. All of them are great in their own unique ways, and even the more minor characters are engaging. Even with all of that, though, this book could have easily slipped into "well-written and generally fine but overall lackluster" territory - if it wasn't for the dynamic between Halla and Sarkis, which was the absolute star of the book for me.
And most of that was Halla. I love her so much. She's smart, practical, no-nonsense, and incredibly quick-witted. She knows her options are limited as a widow in a patriarchal society, but she refuses to let that stop her, and her humility bordering on self-effacement makes her utterly unashamed to let people think less of her if it moves her closer to her goals. She wields ingenuity and fast-talking instead of a sword and shield, but she's just as much of a warrior as Sarkis. And that's what made their dynamic so good - I loved Halla accepting each new development and figuring out how to deal with it, while Sarkis got progressively more amazed at how this random middle-aged housekeeper was dealing with everything so well and kept falling more in love with her. (The romance angle could easily have been annoying, but I liked their dynamic so much I didn't mind.)
This book is also hilarious. It's peppered with absurd moments and unexpected one-liners that made me laugh. Although I tried reading a few of them to my husband and he didn't find them funny, so I think they're only funny in the context of the book itself. Either way, I thought it was a great touch, and the humor was balanced really well with the darker elements of the book.
This is exactly the kind of book I'm starting to expect from T. Kingfisher - serious without feeling too dark, an uncomplicated but engaging plot, and characters that leap off the page and elevate the story into something great. I'm a little sad that there isn't a sequel to this book (I really want more Halla), but I have more T. Kingfisher books on my reading list, and I hope they're enjoyable as this one is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Murder, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Religious bigotry, Animal death, and Excrement
Animal injury/suffering, forced marriage (attempt)ritabriar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
5.0
The main characters are delightful, kind, and a bit snarky. I adore Halla's ability to weaponize questions and the way Sarkis respects her quickly, especially once he gets to know her. (Things do get spicy, though it's not the main focus.) Zale and Brindle are also stars of the book, in spite of their official status as support characters.
These main characters contrast with the various villains, who suffer from a severe inability to take interest in the perspective of others, each in a slightly different way.
The plot is both character- and setting-driven, in the manner of a campaign run by an excellent game master: some things happen not because the characters make them happen, but because things like this just happen here, and they might as well happen now. (To be clear, these events serve the plot or character arcs and I love them.) I'm thinking of the Vagrant Hills, especially, which area piece of geography that grabs travelers if they feel like it. The Motherhood priests probably also qualify.
As you'd expect in a book starring a magic sword, the setting has plenty of magic, which follows definite rules (though the characters don't know all of the rules and sometimes have to figure things out as they go). There are horrific mechanics to some of the magic and magical creatures, though I would not say this is a horror book.
These main characters contrast with the various villains, who suffer from a severe inability to take interest in the perspective of others, each in a slightly different way.
The plot is both character- and setting-driven, in the manner of a campaign run by an excellent game master: some things happen not because the characters make them happen, but because things like this just happen here, and they might as well happen now. (To be clear, these events serve the plot or character arcs and I love them.) I'm thinking of the Vagrant Hills, especially, which are
As you'd expect in a book starring a magic sword, the setting has plenty of magic, which follows definite rules (though the characters don't know all of the rules and sometimes have to figure things out as they go). There are horrific mechanics to some of the magic and magical creatures, though I would not say this is a horror book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Body horror, and Misogyny
Minor: Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Gore, Stalking, Suicide attempt, War, and Infertility
The first thing that happens is that Halla's relatives lock her in her own room. Shesabrielsbell's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I listened to this on audiobook and would highly recommend that experience. The accents and voices used are wonderful! I loved the back and forth between Halla and Sarkis and the way things moved throughout the story. My only complaint would be that the ending felt a bit drawn out. This author is quickly becoming top tier in my book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
amy_in_the_city's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was overall a fun read! I loved Halla, with her curiosity about the world. I appreciated the way she protected herself by confusing and annoying people with her inane ramblings until they left her alone. Sarkis was great too. The real star of this book was Zale, the priest/lawyer. I loved them and the church of the White Rat so much. This book was so funny and the humor at times reminded me of Monty Python.
Sarkis kept alluding to some big secret he needed to tell Halla, and I was really expecting it to be something major and a plot twist. When it was finally revealed, my reaction was "Is that the big secret? That's it?" I thought Halla overreacted to that reveal as the secret had nothing to do with her at all and no effect on her life. It felt very contrived just to add in some conflict between the couple.
I liked how inclusive this world seemed to be of various LGBTQ+ identities, with one very notable exception. Same sex couples appeared to be widely accepted and to have the same rights as straight couples. The nonbinary character was never misgendered or questioned about their gender, even by the villains. This culture of acceptance integrated into the worldbuilding was what made it so shocking to me when towards the end of the book, there were several moments where the characters seemed very unaccepting of, and even hostile towards, asexual people. Halla had an unsatisfying sex life with her late husband and described him as having been uninterested in sex in general. Sarkis vilified the late husband for this and even said he wished he could hurt him. Eventually, they seemed to settle on seeing the late husband and his asexuality as a burden. There's a lot of language that suggests ace people are broken, like saying he'd have to be "half-dead not to be interested in you" or Sarkis saying his religion has no use for someone who can't please their partner. This all felt really uncalled for. It put a damper on my enjoyment of the book and left a bad taste. It's a shame because this had been such a cozy and fun book for me, but it ended with me feeling attacked.
Sarkis kept alluding to some big secret he needed to tell Halla, and I was really expecting it to be something major and a plot twist. When it was finally revealed, my reaction was "Is that the big secret? That's it?" I thought Halla overreacted to that reveal as the secret had nothing to do with her at all and no effect on her life. It felt very contrived just to add in some conflict between the couple.
I liked how inclusive this world seemed to be of various LGBTQ+ identities, with one very notable exception. Same sex couples appeared to be widely accepted and to have the same rights as straight couples. The nonbinary character was never misgendered or questioned about their gender, even by the villains. This culture of acceptance integrated into the worldbuilding was what made it so shocking to me when towards the end of the book, there were several moments where the characters seemed very unaccepting of, and even hostile towards, asexual people. Halla had an unsatisfying sex life with her late husband and described him as having been uninterested in sex in general. Sarkis vilified the late husband for this and even said he wished he could hurt him. Eventually, they seemed to settle on seeing the late husband and his asexuality as a burden. There's a lot of language that suggests ace people are broken, like saying he'd have to be "half-dead not to be interested in you" or Sarkis saying his religion has no use for someone who can't please their partner. This all felt really uncalled for. It put a damper on my enjoyment of the book and left a bad taste. It's a shame because this had been such a cozy and fun book for me, but it ended with me feeling attacked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Violence, Death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism, Grief, War, and Religious bigotry
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Murder, Vomit, Confinement, Blood, Death, and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia, Slavery, Alcohol, Self harm, and Torture
clarabooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Suicide, Violence, Death, Murder, Sexism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Xenophobia and Vomit
queenkath32's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual content, and Violence
maryellen's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
Oh, God, I hope she does write the rest of this trilogy, because I need more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicide, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit
ollie_again's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Kidnapping, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Misogyny, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Confinement
Minor: War
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One of my new top favorite fantasy books! If you are a plot person, this is not the book for you. This book is about 90% witty banter and 10% plot. I am normally a plot-based person but the characters were so funny and the chemistry between them all was so engaging, I did not mind at all that there really wasn’t a lot of plot going on.
This is basically Aladdin (in a way) except instead of a lamp, a powerful warrior is trapped in a sword and has to do the bidding of whoever wields him until either that wielder dies or sells the sword. Shenanigans ensue when instead of a warlord, a respectable widow unsheathes the sword and releases Sarkis from his silver prison. What follows is an adventure of travel (a lot of it, lots of walking and riding in a wagon pulled by a pretty footed ox) so if you don’t like a lot of travel in your books, you might not like this one. Along the way they meet a rat priest and a few other charismatic characters. The search to get Halla back her rightful inheritance so she doesn’t have to marry her clammy handed cousin was quite the time, just what I needed. This book made me smile and laugh a lot, the dialogue was so witty and fun!
This is basically Aladdin (in a way) except instead of a lamp, a powerful warrior is trapped in a sword and has to do the bidding of whoever wields him until either that wielder dies or sells the sword. Shenanigans ensue when instead of a warlord, a respectable widow unsheathes the sword and releases Sarkis from his silver prison. What follows is an adventure of travel (a lot of it, lots of walking and riding in a wagon pulled by a pretty footed ox) so if you don’t like a lot of travel in your books, you might not like this one. Along the way they meet a rat priest and a few other charismatic characters. The search to get Halla back her rightful inheritance so she doesn’t have to marry her clammy handed cousin was quite the time, just what I needed. This book made me smile and laugh a lot, the dialogue was so witty and fun!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Abandonment, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, War, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, and Death of parent