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jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
I loved the first book, The Space Between Worlds, in this series.
Those Beyond the Wall is even better. In this book, about a decade after the end of The Space Between Worlds, we meet the protagonist, Mr. Scales. Mr. Scales, a runner for the emperor of Ashtown, has secrets only few know and even fewer acknowledge. As conflict with the City comes closer and closer, Mr. Scales and her friends, family, enemies, and heroes scheme and eventually fight to protect their people. Relationships come full circle and flip back again. Truths come into shocking focus.
Johnson weaves for her readers a thoughtful, lyrical, and futuristic tale of family, obligation, violence, friendship, and what it really means to be an anti-hero. In fact, the entire book is from Mr. Scales's POV and so we see it all from her (anti-hero) perspective. Those Beyond the Wall addresses climate change, colonialism, racism, misogyny, police violence, the abuse of marginalized communities by the powerful, gender fluidity, consent, and trauma with such a graceful skill I really don't have the words to describe how moving it is.
Johnson is officially an auto-buy author for me.
While this novel certainly stands alone, I think the experience is made richer by reading book 1 first. Plus you get a glimpse of important characters from that book.
I read Those Beyond the Wall with my eyes and ears and while I certainly recommend both, I thought the narrator was perfect and added even more to the story.
Those Beyond the Wall is even better. In this book, about a decade after the end of The Space Between Worlds, we meet the protagonist, Mr. Scales. Mr. Scales, a runner for the emperor of Ashtown, has secrets only few know and even fewer acknowledge. As conflict with the City comes closer and closer, Mr. Scales and her friends, family, enemies, and heroes scheme and eventually fight to protect their people. Relationships come full circle and flip back again. Truths come into shocking focus.
Johnson weaves for her readers a thoughtful, lyrical, and futuristic tale of family, obligation, violence, friendship, and what it really means to be an anti-hero. In fact, the entire book is from Mr. Scales's POV and so we see it all from her (anti-hero) perspective. Those Beyond the Wall addresses climate change, colonialism, racism, misogyny, police violence, the abuse of marginalized communities by the powerful, gender fluidity, consent, and trauma with such a graceful skill I really don't have the words to describe how moving it is.
Johnson is officially an auto-buy author for me.
While this novel certainly stands alone, I think the experience is made richer by reading book 1 first. Plus you get a glimpse of important characters from that book.
I read Those Beyond the Wall with my eyes and ears and while I certainly recommend both, I thought the narrator was perfect and added even more to the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Drug use, War, Addiction, Grief, Misogyny, Police brutality, Gun violence, Racism, Murder, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Sexism, Blood, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
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