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melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.75
I loved this book so much! The plot is so interesting and I absolutely love the world building. Rin does SUCH a good job making these totally immersive worlds with their own lore and details without the feeling of info-dumping! In fact, most of what we know about the world we learn through the eyes of the four pov characters, who are all completely distinct! I love that. It can be really hard to do a good job distinguishing between pov's when there are a lot of them, and I didn't think this book had that problem at all!
I was definitely surprised by a lot of what happened but in a completely good way! I loved the characters and their relationships. This book was great and I can't wait for the sequel!
I was definitely surprised by a lot of what happened but in a completely good way! I loved the characters and their relationships. This book was great and I can't wait for the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Chronic illness, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual assault
alicelalicon's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-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: Bullying, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Chronic illness and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Grief
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
4.75
OMG ASDFGHJK. My love for Rin Chupeco's world building and writing has only grown after reading this!
Rep: Chronically ill sapphic MC, Asian coded sapphic (lesbian coded) MC suffering from PTSD, disabled POC MC that is missing one of his hands. Possible sapphic side character--seemed to have a romantic relationship with another woman, but am not certain. I believe most the characters are POC but I'm not 100% certain.
CWs: Violence, blood, physical abuse, bullying, animal death, cannibalism, death, gaslighting, grief, sexual content, mental illness (PTSD), murder.
Rep: Chronically ill sapphic MC, Asian coded sapphic (lesbian coded) MC suffering from PTSD, disabled POC MC that is missing one of his hands. Possible sapphic side character--seemed to have a romantic relationship with another woman, but am not certain. I believe most the characters are POC but I'm not 100% certain.
CWs: Violence, blood, physical abuse, bullying, animal death, cannibalism, death, gaslighting, grief, sexual content, mental illness (PTSD), murder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Animal death, and Mental illness
Minor: Cannibalism and Blood
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
THE NEVER TILTING WORLD is a journey fantasy told by four sides as two separated sisters and their companions travel to the rift at the heart of their world to try and fix their parents' mistakes.
I like the world building, so much is shaped by the central conceit that something went wrong a decade and a half ago and the planet stopped spinning. I would like to know how gravity is still functioning, but other than that it has an internal logic that was pretty easy to follow. I like the magic system, there's enough information for it to make sense but it's not overexplained. I love this premise, and I love how it's carried out. The price of the gifts was a nice touch, the effects begin subtly and then cause a dramatic turn in the plot, making it clear both why anyone ever would have thought accepting them was fine, and how (from my perspective, at least) it's not worth it.
The four main characters all felt very distinct from each other, with different things they wanted, and many differences in what they were willing to give up and what they sought to protect. They had four very different backgrounds and it's shown well. I felt like I had room to like the book without liking all four main characters. I loved one, liked two, and have complex thoughts about the last one. That character undergoes a gradual change in mental state, it’s very well written. It’s marked by certain milestones, specific plot events that cause it to progress. It wasn’t until several of them it happened that I realized the shift they have been building, but when I looked back I could see its early stages. I love stories where a character undergoes a drastic change in how they perceive the world and interact with it, and this did a great job of portraying that shift. I liked how they were written, and my complex feelings come from initially loving them, feeling strange as their personality shifted to be wholly unlikeable, then realizing that it was shifting due to events in the story. At that point I didn't resume liking them as a person, but I love how they're written. I like the pair journeying in the desert the best, their duo was more relatable to me but one of the strengths of this book is that, as I said the main characters are so different that you'll probably like at least one of them, and the narrative doesn't hinge on whether you like all four of them as people.
The ending was good, it does make me want to read part two, and given that this is a duology the second half of the story is waiting in the sequel. It felt a little abrupt, but the characters both literally and emotionally arrived at a place that made sense as the ending before the next book. Sometimes duologies can feel like two intertwined stand-alone books, and sometimes they feel like a larger work split in two. This is very much that second type, I don't know if my impression will change once I read the sequel.
I like the world building, so much is shaped by the central conceit that something went wrong a decade and a half ago and the planet stopped spinning. I would like to know how gravity is still functioning, but other than that it has an internal logic that was pretty easy to follow. I like the magic system, there's enough information for it to make sense but it's not overexplained. I love this premise, and I love how it's carried out. The price of the gifts was a nice touch, the effects begin subtly and then cause a dramatic turn in the plot, making it clear both why anyone ever would have thought accepting them was fine, and how (from my perspective, at least) it's not worth it.
The four main characters all felt very distinct from each other, with different things they wanted, and many differences in what they were willing to give up and what they sought to protect. They had four very different backgrounds and it's shown well. I felt like I had room to like the book without liking all four main characters. I loved one, liked two, and have complex thoughts about the last one. That character undergoes a gradual change in mental state, it’s very well written. It’s marked by certain milestones, specific plot events that cause it to progress. It wasn’t until several of them it happened that I realized the shift they have been building, but when I looked back I could see its early stages. I love stories where a character undergoes a drastic change in how they perceive the world and interact with it, and this did a great job of portraying that shift. I liked how they were written, and my complex feelings come from initially loving them, feeling strange as their personality shifted to be wholly unlikeable, then realizing that it was shifting due to events in the story. At that point I didn't resume liking them as a person, but I love how they're written. I like the pair journeying in the desert the best, their duo was more relatable to me but one of the strengths of this book is that, as I said the main characters are so different that you'll probably like at least one of them, and the narrative doesn't hinge on whether you like all four of them as people.
The ending was good, it does make me want to read part two, and given that this is a duology the second half of the story is waiting in the sequel. It felt a little abrupt, but the characters both literally and emotionally arrived at a place that made sense as the ending before the next book. Sometimes duologies can feel like two intertwined stand-alone books, and sometimes they feel like a larger work split in two. This is very much that second type, I don't know if my impression will change once I read the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Vomit
Minor: Cannibalism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
luckykosmos's review against another edition
adventurous
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
The front half of this book felt a little messy. The magic system, while not the focus, seems more intricate than the time it was given, and more explanation of these gates and their wielders and how that makes this world work would have been appreciated (for example, an air-wielder with a water gate makes ice?). And while I love Chupeco's prose most of the time, other times it could use one more edit, to be slightly less clunky.
But now that the stage is set, I'm in firmly. I loved the final act of this book, the shifting dynamics between Lan, Odessa, Haidee, and Arjun. I'm fascinated to see where this goes next. Where I think Chupeco struggles with heavy exposition, they shine when it comes to complex plotting and intricate character interactions. You can tell they've thought heavily about these characters as chess pieces, and I'm delighted to see what comes next.
(That being said - Salleemae's name felt incredibly distracting and out of place. This is one particular pet peeve, and maybe I'm too quick to think of the student loans company, but of everything in the book, this is what I would change first.)
But now that the stage is set, I'm in firmly. I loved the final act of this book, the shifting dynamics between Lan, Odessa, Haidee, and Arjun. I'm fascinated to see where this goes next. Where I think Chupeco struggles with heavy exposition, they shine when it comes to complex plotting and intricate character interactions. You can tell they've thought heavily about these characters as chess pieces, and I'm delighted to see what comes next.
(That being said - Salleemae's name felt incredibly distracting and out of place. This is one particular pet peeve, and maybe I'm too quick to think of the student loans company, but of everything in the book, this is what I would change first.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Gore, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, and Violence
ramunepocky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
- 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
In short, I really, really hecking enjoyed this book. I was a bit nervous at first when I realised it was four switching perspectives, but I found that they were distinct enough that it was easy to tell who was speaking, and it didn’t hinder the storytelling at all. In fact, I think it helped add to it as it gave us an insight into each of our four protagonists, and gave a nice back and forth between the two halves of the world and each of those who were there. I really liked that we got to see each situation from two different points of view too, like Arjun’s experience of the desert half of Aeon was very different from Haidee’s experience of it, and I loved learning about what they’d been through, and how it had impacted them, and made them into the people they were. I absolutely adored the world building in this book, I thought it was extremely fascinating, and I liked that we learned about it as the story went on, and everything became clearer instead of info dumping at the beginning. I also really loved the magic system, I thought it was very individual and unique, and really, really cool!! I loved that their gates could be a combination of things that made them into a certain kind of magic user, and that the goddess’ got to harness all the kinds of magic. I also loved that Aeon was a world with predominantly women in power, they were the goddess’, they were the rulers, they were the people in power, it was glorious and empowering. Also, there seems to be a distinct lack of homophobia, which we just stan tbh. As the story was told, I really enjoyed the parallels between the twins, like them both breaking out/running away at roughly the same time to start their journey to the same place. I also really liked learning about the history of Aeon, and the rites, and figuring out what that would mean for our twins. Goddamn the book ending on a cliffhanger, but lucky me, I have The Ever Cruel Kingdom right on hand to continue.
my favourite characters, as it stands, are Tianlan, Noelle and Haidee
I really love Tianlan; she’s been to hell and back, she suffers from so much trauma and was manipulated onto returning to places she literally lost her squad, her love, suffer and die, and yet she still goes, bravely fights on and does her best to stay alive to protect Odessa, to keep her alive, and to try and limit the suffering of others. I think it’s super sad that she thinks she doesn’t deserve to be alive, and that she doesn’t deserve the title of “Lady” anymore, just because she lived whilst they did not. It breaks my heart because she does deserve to live, and she does deserve to have a title. She’s a good healer, a kind-hearted person and incredibly strong. I love her.
Odessa makes me sad. I really loved her to begin with, I loved that she had her little acts of rebellion to obtain books, to have a life of her own outside of the tower and her illness, I love that she snuck away on the ship, and was kind to the scholars whilst the Devoted were not. Her destiny is just,,, sad. The fact that she receives these “gifts” and is too blinded by her new courage and abilities to recognise what she’s losing, to not even notice how much she’s changing as she loses her kindness, her control, her foresight, her mercy and modesty. The more she lost, the less I started to like her. She just became cruel and bitter, corrupted by hate, and in some cases, jealousy, her perspectives became more and more about how much she didn’t trust anyone, how much hatred she had for them, how much she wanted them dead. Even poor Noelle, who had done absolutely nothing to harm anyone or show her loyalties elsewhere, and Sumiko, who was a strong healer and doing everything she could to help Tianlan with her trauma and heal her. Some of her cruelty was justified; the Devoted /mostly/ had what was coming to them. The ones who abused and took advantage of the scholars and those of lower class to them deserved to have their status and gates taken, they had what was coming to them. But it just makes me so sad seeing Odessa’s POV become the way they are, so full of hatred and destruction and less the kind and excited person she was. Also, when she lost her self control, and Tianlan was holding onto her, so the galla taking that had the effect on Tianlan too,,, that part was just grim. So I wasn’t really sure how I felt about Odessa for a while, I kinda despised her, just a bit, but I was still scared for what the last sacrifice and gift would entail. when she refused to sacrifice Tianlan, when she refused the last gift/sacrifice and therefore refused them all and became herself again, it was a giant relief, and she instantly regretted almost everything she’d done, bless her
I absolutely adore Noelle, she’s so !!! goddamn !!! badass !!! The fact that she doesn’t have a gate of her own, that she has no magic and is a steward, she’s so goddamn BADASS!!! time and time again she’s came through with her weapons and slayed some monsters, shown absolutely no fear. Also, I absolutely adore her loyalty and friendship with Tianlan, she offers what Tianlan needs and accepts, whether she realises it and wants it or not. I JUST REALLY LOVE NOELLE !!!!
Also Haidee !!! Haidee is so sweet and precious !!! Her love for the dolugongs, the fact she names every animal she comes into contact with (including a big dead whale she was desperately trying to revive) is just so so sweet !!! I love that she’s a badass mechanika, I love when she completely modified and fortified their ride in 3 hours and Arjun was just blown away by all she managed to do with a couple of hours and some metal !! She’s so incredibly courageous, always doing what she believes to be right, even when others disagree with her, and without having anything /supernatural/ added, or taken away, to make her more so. I also loved her banter with Arjun, it often made me giggle.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I’m so so so glad because it was a highly anticipated read, and it didn’t let me down at all !!!
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I’m so so so glad because it was a highly anticipated read, and it didn’t let me down at all !!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
PTSD, the sexual assault is more hinted at, but it’s very much prevalentnoreadingdegree's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
The first 50% of this novel was really strong for me. I loved the immersive and absolutely magical world that rin chupeco created. however, the further into the story we got the more cringe the romances and dialogue became. on top of that, i felt that the blooming romances felt appropriate during the beginning of the novel, but towards the end it took the forefront when these characters were in dire situations. i don't want to stop the momentum of the plot for a completely unnecessary sex/losing virginity scene (not graphic, but they reminisce afterwards).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Physical abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
kazkae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cannibalism
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rarely do I read 100 pages of a book and predict it will be a 5 star read. This was one of those times. I was enthralled by The Never Tilting World from the first chapter, and as I continued reading, I could hardly bring myself to put down the book to do anything else. While this isn’t my first time reading one of Chupeco’s books, it is the first time they’ve completely hooked me with their lovely writing, intricate magic system and world-building, and complex, lovable characters. I can honestly say that I adored this book in every way, and I can’t think of a single element I disliked.
Some authors struggle, in my experience, with successfully writing multiple, distinct points of view. Chupeco, though, skillfully balanced the perspectives, personalities, and emotions of each of their four protagonists. I was fully invested in each character and enjoyed reading from every perspective. Major props to them for that.
Right now I don’t think there’s much else I can say, as I’m just in awe of the story I read. Despite being almost 500 pages, I sped through it in a little over a day. The last time I pulled that off was with a highly anticipated sequel back in August, and before that, I’m
not sure.
The Never Tilting World is a phenomenal fantasy novel, full of everything that makes a story memorable, that also demonstrates the power of sisterhood and comments on some relevant topics along the way. I can’t stop thinking about it, or recommend it enough. Absolutely a hidden gem. I’m looking so very forward to the sequel!
Representation
Some authors struggle, in my experience, with successfully writing multiple, distinct points of view. Chupeco, though, skillfully balanced the perspectives, personalities, and emotions of each of their four protagonists. I was fully invested in each character and enjoyed reading from every perspective. Major props to them for that.
Right now I don’t think there’s much else I can say, as I’m just in awe of the story I read. Despite being almost 500 pages, I sped through it in a little over a day. The last time I pulled that off was with a highly anticipated sequel back in August, and before that, I’m
not sure.
The Never Tilting World is a phenomenal fantasy novel, full of everything that makes a story memorable, that also demonstrates the power of sisterhood and comments on some relevant topics along the way. I can’t stop thinking about it, or recommend it enough. Absolutely a hidden gem. I’m looking so very forward to the sequel!
Representation
- full cast of characters of color
- chronically ill lesbian protagonist
- amputee protagonist
- bisexual protagonist with PTSD
- sapphic relationship
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Violence
Minor: Rape, Cannibalism, Homophobia, and Sexual content
One of the protagonists has PTSD and she frequently has flashbacks and panic attacks because of it.