Reviews with content warning for Blood - This Is How You Lose the Time War

I think the book is really well written, and technically it's a fantastic work. I enjoyed it enough to finish it, and am glad I did, but probably will not read it again.

I started the book listening to an audiobook version, and that way did not work for me. Because of the nature of the work, there are enough times where I did not have context to help me understand something that was said that I was left confused, frustrated, and feeling disconnected from the story. I think this is largely because in audiobook format, it's not easy to pause and review those parts and then resume. I wasn't able to reconnect well after those moments in the audiobook.

Reading it in print made it far easier for me to move at the pace I needed to move to really stay connected with the story, and I went from being frustated with my own indifference to the book to really enjoying it.

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anni_swanilda's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful mysterious reflective 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

3.0

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jen3699's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I loved it and I'm recommending it. It's short but a masterpiece. Every minute of this is used to create this beautiful love story. I love it.

The end is my favourite. It's crafted so beautifully and with such dedication.

The idea of a love that you take into your being so literally, unconsciously and consciously. The type of love that consumes you and remakes you into something new for you and your partner. Beautiful.

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monstrouscosmos's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Characters: 10/10
Relationships: 10/10
Atmosphere/Setting: 9.5/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot/Intrigue: 9.5/10
Internal Logic: 10/10
Entertainment: 10/10
Overall: 68/70, 5*

I love epistolary novels, quantum time travel plots, and messy star crossed sapphic romances, so I figured from the get that I'd be really into this. and I was! I especially loved the ways the characters spoke with one another across timelines, and gave context for themselves as individuals, within their respective collective experiences, and within their shared relationship over time(s). the writing about writing was also really fun! there are definitely moments that delve into disturbing themes and events, but for the most part I found the tone stayed hopeful in belief for better circumstances.

it's definitely something I need to relisten to (I feel like I missed a lot in my first run thru due to the narrative bouncing around quite a lot), but I'm so excited to revisit it!

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nimeneth's review

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a second attempt with this one. I picked this up the first time about a year ago, but it was the wrong time for it and I didn't make it far. This time was apparently just right, so thank you book club for dropping this back on my radar.

This little book was WEIRD, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was sometimes a little hard to keep track of what was going on, but I think in a way that makes the book better? It definitely didn't take anything away from the experience of reading it. Trying to track some of the terminology in the context was challenging at first but considering the book is a multi-verse time-travel long-con of a heist, it also adds a bit to the charm. It was also very melancholy in the second half, until that twist at the very end where it turns around and winds up reframing some of the bits woven throughout. Very skillful planning and execution for the tale, and I think the twist is my favorite part.

Part of me would love to see a sequel, but another part of me wants this to stand alone with the ending open to possibility and interpretation, because it's just that interesting.

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book_benagachi's review against another edition

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challenging slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Smart, poetic and definitely a romance in that I don't feel like I have any real Idea of who each woman is or why they think they're in love with each other. Also, it doesn't actually show us how you lose the time was. Totally not for me. If you like smart references, poetic writing and zero character depth this is totally for you.

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latida94's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

5.0

This was SO good. Exactly what I want out of a time fuckery book. Going to be spending my days thinking about Red and Blue.

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kajoreads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It took me a while to get emotionally invested, which isn’t ideal when the book is only 200 pages long.

The last third was worth the wait though.

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